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Seven-figure colt tops New Zealand sale At last year's NZB Premier Yearling Sale, Te Akau Stud's David Ellis paid a sale-topping NZ$875,000 for a Red Ransom son of Nureyev's Girl (Nureyev) later named Bolshoi Ruler. It would take exactly twice that amount to secure the mare's latest yearling on Tuesday, but Ellis once again got the job done, purchasing Lot No. 353, a colt by Fastnet Rock out of the 12-year-old classic producer, for NZ$1.75 million. Ellis had to outlast a determined push from Coolmore connections and from Black Caviar's trainer Peter Moody. The colt is a three-parts sibling to King's Rose (Redoute's Choice), heroine of the 2010 Group 1 New Zealand One Thousand Guineas and whom Ellis had a hand in developing. Sir Patrick Hogan's Cambridge Stud consigned the youngster, who became the Premier Sale's first seven-figure yearling since 2010. It was also the sixth time Ellis went past the seven-figure mark for a Karaka yearling, and he admitted afterwards he had to extend a bit further than anticipated. "I did expect a high price for this colt, and I thought I would get him for about NZ$1.5 million, but the others went beyond that," he said. "I wanted to secure him for the New Zealand racing and breeding industry -- it is essential that we retain horses like this in New Zealand. He is an outstanding individual, and the fact that he's by such a great sire out of a Nureyev mare gives him the potential to win Group 1 races." Ellis operates the racing and breeding syndicate Te Akau Stud, and said the newest addition to the stable has already proven popular. "He is already 90 percent sold, with the remaining 10 percent to be sold this week, and I don't anticipate that will be very difficult to do," Ellis said. "He will be trained by Jason Bridgman with a racing campaign intended to maximize his stud potential. If he's as good as his sister, we will be very happy." Yearlings by High Chaparral provided the second- and third-highest prices during Monday's opening session of the New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, but the star of the group always figured to come early in Tuesday's second session when a close relative to So You Think went through the ring on the account of Windsor Park Stud. Living up to the hype, Lot 284, like So You Think a son of High Chaparral and produced by a half-sister to the two-time Group 1 Cox Plate hero, brought a bid of NZ$800,000 from leading Hong Kong bloodstock agent Willie Leung, for his Hong Kong client P So. "I had two clients looking for top stayers, and I think this lot and (Monday's) High Chaparral that I bought were the best High Chaparrals in the sale," said Leung, who on Monday snapped up a High Chaparral colt out of Creil for NZ$650,000. "I am very lucky to have two clients looking for that type of horse, and that I was able to get them what they wanted." Leung said there was good reason why Hong Kong buyers were busy at Karaka. "Overall the quality of the sale was good, and this year there were more horses suitable for Hong Kong, which is why there are more Hong Kong buyers here at the sale this year," he said. Tuesday's NZ$800,000 High Chaparral colt was produced by La Souvenir (Nuclear Freeze), a winning seven-year-old half to So You Think, and was bred by Windsor Park's marketing manager Mike Moran and his wife Helen in partnership with Chris and Carol Chamberlain. Despite a stronger-feeling second session and its first seven-figure horse in two years, the Premier Sale saw year-over-year numbers decline by double digits. With 350 yearlings sold for NZ$54,137,000, the average of NZ$154,677 dipped 11.5 percent. Similarly, the median of NZ$120,000 was down 14.3 percent, while the not-sold rate of 27.5 percent was up from last year's comparable figure of 20.6 percent. Still, sale officials observed stiff competition between buyers for the top horses on the grounds, and were encouraged by strong international participation, particularly from Australia and Southeast Asia. "We were very pleased to see the market strengthen from (Monday), with a number of the better-pedigreed horses coming through the ring today," New Zealand Bloodstock Co-Managing Director Petrea Vela said. "We have been thrilled with the buyer turnout at Karaka, and there was plenty of good competition on the appealing lots. It's disappointing not to have been able to get the clearance rate up a bit higher, but hopefully over the course of the next couple of days there'll be more sales completed from this session." Selling continues Wednesday at Karaka with the first of three sessions of the Select Sale. It can be viewed live at www.nzb.co.nz.
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