Stravinsky filly the leader in New Zealand

A filly by Stravinsky fetched NZ$775,000 to top Tuesday's second and final

session of the New Zealand Bloodstock's Premier Yearling Sale in Karaka. The

filly was consigned by Cambridge Stud and was purchased by Dean Hawthorne

Bloodstock. The yearling is out of Diamond Smile (Zabeel), a three-quarter

sister to Octagonal.

"I've purchased this filly for a Victorian client who is looking to build up

a nice broodmare band," Hawthorne said. "We rated her as one of the top fillies

in the sale on type and, with such a strong family so close up in her pedigree,

she's a filly anyone would love to have in their paddock. There aren't many

opportunities to buy into the family and we were helped by the exchange rate in

our favor."

David Ellis of Te Akau Racing was the leading buyer at the Premier Sale,

purchasing 12 lots for NZ$4,475,000. His top purchase was Hip No. 327, a son of

Encosta de Lago out of Wyndam Special (Centaine) from the Cambridge Stud

consignment.

"I thought this was Cambridge Stud's best colt," Ellis said of the yearling,

which he bought for a syndicate of local and international owners. "The plan is

to take advantage of the good stake money in New Zealand and race these colts

here and, with stallion pedigrees, they have the potential to stand at stud."

Cambridge Stud was the auction's leading vendor, selling 52 yearlings for

NZ$10,432,500.

During two days of selling in Karaka, 366 yearlings sold for NZ$53,330,000.

The average was NZ$145,710 -- down 27 percent from last year's record-setting

sale, while the median fell 33.3 percent to NZ$100,000. New Zealand Bloodstock's

Managing Director Petrea Vela admitted things got off to a slow start Tuesday,

but said she was pleased with the end results.

"It started slower than we had anticipated today, which rattled our

confidence early on, but the sale rallied and we saw some very good results over

the course of the afternoon," Vela said. "There's no doubt the market was strong

in places, but buyers are selective, as they can afford to be given the current

climate. Clearly the market is experiencing a downturn, but in light of the fact

that our 2007 figures were records at the time, to be in that range is still a

good result for the industry."

The New Zealand Bloodstock sales series continues Wednesday with the first of

three Select Sale sessions. The sale is streamed live at www.nzb.co.nz.