N ew Zealand Bloodstock is delighted to welcome buyers from all over the world to Karaka this January for its first internationally-attended yearling sale since the pre-pandemic days of January 2020, and just a brief look at the recent racetrack results of Karaka graduates should be enough to bring buyers through the gates in big numbers
Over the last five seasons, New Zealand Bloodstock graduates have claimed 124 Group One wins and 692 stakes victories. Just last season, Karaka graduates captured 21 Group One triumphs and a total of 99 wins at black-type level.
That success has carried over into the first few months of 2022-23, with Group One glory over a wide range of distances during spring carnivals on both sides of the Tasman.
On the sprinting end of the spectrum, the spring highlight came with the remarkable Roch ‘n’ Horse (NZ) (Per Incanto) in the A$3m Group One Champions Sprint (1200m) at Flemington.
The chestnut mare was already a Group One winner over the same course and distance, becoming only the second New Zealand-trained winner of the time-honoured Newmarket Handicap (1200m) in March. But she was somewhat overlooked among a star-studded Champions Sprint field, which featured the likes of nine-time Group One-winning champion sprinter Nature Strip (Nicconi), last-start Group One winner Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) and undefeated The Everest (1200m) hero Giga Kick (Scissor Kick).
But it was Roch ‘n’ Horse who came out on top again, calling on all her fighting qualities to edge out Nature Strip and a host of others in a blanket finish.
Roch ‘n’ Horse was bred by Little Avondale Stud, who offered her in their Book 2 draft at Karaka 2018. Racing in Little Avondale’s green and gold colours, she has had 18 starts for five wins, six placings and more than A$2.9m in stakes – almost 80 times her reserve at Karaka.
Another spring star in Australia has been the three-year-old Sharp ‘n’ Smart (NZ) (Redwood), who was a $55,000 purchase from Book 2 of Karaka 2021 and was passed in at the Ready to Run Sale later that year.
Trained and part-owned by Hall of Fame horseman Graeme Rogerson, the gelding starred in Sydney this spring with back-to-back wins in the Group Three Gloaming Stakes (1600m) and the Group One Spring Champion Stakes (2000m). He then ran in the Group One Victoria Derby (2500m) on a seven-day back-up, finishing a gallant second behind Manzoice (Almanzor).
From eight starts, Sharp ‘n’ Smart has recorded four wins and three second placings, earning more than A$1.9m – almost 40 times his purchase price at Karaka 2021.
Smokin’ Romans (NZ) (Ghibellines) cost only $52,500 at Karaka 2018 but enjoyed a breakthrough spring four years later, claiming his first Group success in the Group Three MRC Foundation Cup (2000m) and stepping up to the highest level for a repeat result in the Group One Turnbull Stakes (2000m) two weeks later. He has earned over A$1.5m from his 25-start, nine-win career.
There are strong pedigree credentials around No Compromise (NZ) (Pins), who is a sibling to three winners including four-time Group One winner Tofane (NZ) (Ocean Park) and Australian Derby (2400m) placegetter Benaud (Reliable Man).
No Compromise himself was a $40,000 purchase at Karaka 2018 and showed some of that family ability from a very early stage in his career, but he went to a new level in October with a come-from-behind victory in the Group One Metropolitan Handicap (2400m). He has earned A$897,620 from a 32-start career that has produced seven wins and 13 placings.
$3,000 Karaka weanling purchase Callsign Mav (NZ) (Atlante), meanwhile, was already a three-time Group One winner in New Zealand and added an Australian one to his collection in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m). He has now earned over A$1.4m.
These results were part of a remarkable spring in Australia for New Zealand-breds, with other notable victories from I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel) in the A$10m Golden Eagle (1500m) and I’m Thunderstruck (NZ) (Shocking) in the Group One Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m). I’m Thunderstruck also placed in a further three Group Ones including the Cox Plate (2040m).
On home soil, the spring standout among Karaka graduates has been the undefeated and super-impressive three-year-old filly Legarto (NZ) (Proisir).
Bought for $90,000 from Book 2 of Karaka 2021, she improved her perfect record to four-out-of-four with a spectacular spring treble that culminated in a victory by almost five lengths in the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m). She has earned $302,845.