Gallant Guru Tops First Day of Festival Sale

Gallant Guru Tops First Day of Festival Sale

Trading continued at Karaka today with the first session of New Zealand Bloodstock's two-day Festival Sale, the penultimate day of the 2011 National Yearling Sales Series.

The top price of the day came at Lot 1319 with the colt by Gallant Guru (Montjeu) fetching $60,000 to the bid of Cambridge trainer Roger James.

Top Lot 1319 (Gallant Guru x Blessed Thee)

Offered by Brian Anderton's White Robe Lodge - the home of the Group 2 winning son of Montjeu - the yearling colt is from the unraced Star Way mare Blessed Thee, dam of two winners from two to race.

James has now purchased six yearlings for $513,000 across the last six days of selling, with one from the Premier Sale and four from the Select Sale.
The leading individual buyer of the day was renowned local trainer Stephen McKee, with four yearlings purchased for $133,000.

McKee says the strength seen at the Premier and Select Sales spurred the increased activity seen today by him and his father Trevor McKee.

"We came today with the intention of buying horses that we liked and were prepared to pay more than we usually might at the Festival Sale in order to secure them."

"It's been a very strong Sales week overall with a lot of big-spending Australians staying on to the end of the Select Sale which reflects the quality of the Sale."

"As a result, we missed out on a number of horses that we liked in the Premier and Select Sales which is why we decided to go for it today to ensure we were taking home horses that we want to train and that we think can win nice races."
McKee claimed the second top price of the day, paying $58,000 for the grey colt by second season sire Nothing to Lose (Sky Classic) from She's Just Dreamy (Aucash) offered by Bluegables Farm at Lot 1187.

This takes the tally of purchases by the McKee stable to eight so far for the week, including a top price of $90,000 paid for Lots 112 & 393 at the Premier Sale.

After 248 of the 492 Festival Sale catalogued lots, 119 have sold for an aggregate of $1,623,000, representing an average of $13,639 and a median of $10,000.

With one day to go, the leading Festival Sale vendor is currently Denny & Mark Baker's Hallmark Stud with four horses sold for $106,500 at an average of $26,625. This includes a top price of $52,000 paid by Wexford Stables for the Don Eduardo colt at Lot 1294.

Hallmark Stud's top price of the week came at Lot 438 of the Premier Sale when their Darci Brahma filly from the family of Katie Lee and Banchee fetched $625,000 to the bid of Connolly Bloodstock.

Topping the sires' tables by average so far for this session is Perfectly Ready with five yearlings sold for $122,500 at an average of $24,500. This includes a top price of $42,000 paid by Stephen McKee for Lot 1157.

Selling continues tomorrow at Karaka with the final day of the seven-day 85th National Yearling Sales Series. Lots 1381 to 1622 will be offered from 11am.

2011 Festival Sale Results Day One

2011 Festival Day 12010 Festival (Final)
Aggregate$1,640,000$4,916,400
Average$13,554$14,943
Median$10,000$10,000
Clearance58%72%
Catalogued250520
Sold121429
Top price$60,000$110,000
2011 Top Price - Lot 1319 Br. C Gallant Guru x Blessed Thee - $60,000
2010 Top Price - Lot 1397 B. C Elusive City x Wishing Belle - $110,000

Top Lots LotTypeBreedingVendorPurchaser Price
1319Br.CGallant Guru / Blessed TheeWhite Robe LodgeMr RA James (Cambridge)$60,000
1187G.CNothing to Lose / She's Just DreamyBluegables FarmMr SJ McKee (Auckland)$58,000
1294B.CDon Eduardo / Angel of HarlemHallmark StudWexford Stables Ltd (Matamata)$52,000
1221B.FSnitzel / SuvaScotsman Valley FarmBen Foote Racing Stables (Pukekohe)$45,000
1368B.CAl Samer / CumulousHenley ParkPaul Moroney Bloodstock (VIC)$44,000
1157Br.CPerfectly Ready / Rose QuartzBrighthill FarmMr SJ McKee (Auckland)$42,000
1278C.CWritten Tycoon / YunkiEsker LodgeMr MNJ Eales (Palmerston North)$41,000
1332B.CAlign / CanzanoFernbrook FarmsM Racing (Auckland)$40,000
1356B.CPerfectly Ready / Club Med SandsEsker LodgeNew Zealand Bloodstock Ltd (Auckland)$36,000
1182B.CElusive City / Shades of SilkHaunui FarmMichael Wallace Bloodstock (Christchurch)$34,000

Leading Purchasers by Aggregate

PurchaserBoughtAggregateAverageTop Price
New Zealand Bloodstock Ltd10$134,000$13,400$36,000 (Lot 1356)
Mr SJ McKee4$133,000$33,250$58,000 (Lot 1187)
Wexford Stables4$94,000$23,500$52,000 (Lot 1294)
Paul Moroney Bloodstock3$55,000$18,333$44,000 (Lot 1368)
Mr B McDonald3$52,000$17,333$24,000 (Lot 1166)
Roseview Equine Services Ltd3$42,000$14,000$17,000 (Lot 1206)
Mr JG Sargent3$26,500$8,833$10,000 (Lot 1168)
Magna Bloodstock3$3,500$1,167$2,500 (Lot 1243)

Leading Vendors by Aggregate

Vendor SoldAggregateAverageTop Price
Hallmark Stud 4$106,500$26,625$52,000 (Lot 1294)
Esker Lodge6$101,000$16,833$41,000 (Lot 1278)
Haunui Farm4$88,500$22,125$34,000 (Lot 1182)
Brighthill Farm4$82,500$20,625$42,000 (lot 1157)
Bluegables Farm3$80,000$26,667$58,000 (lot 1187)
Berkley Stud4$78,000$19,500$29,000 (lot 1246)
Leanach Lodge 7$67,500$9,643$18,000 (Lot 1136)
Scotsman Valley Farm3$66,000$22,000$45,000 (Lot 1221)
Totara Park Stud9$62,500$6,944$20,000 (Lot 1240)
Te Runga Stud5$54,500$10,900$27,000 (Lot 1350)

Leading Vendors by Average (three or more sold)

Vendor SoldAverageAggregateTop Price
Bluegables Farm3$26,667$80,000$58,000 (lot 1187)
Hallmark Stud 4$26,625$106,500$52,000 (Lot 1294)
Haunui Farm4$22,125$88,500$34,000 (Lot 1182)
Scotsman Valley Farm3$22,000$66,000$45,000 (Lot 1221)
Brighthill Farm4$20,625$82,500$42,000 (lot 1157)
Berkley Stud4$19,500$78,000$29,000 (lot 1246)
Esker Lodge6$16,833$101,000$41,000 (Lot 1278)
Te Runga Stud 5$10,900$54,500$27,000 (Lot 1350)
Bradbury Park4$10,625$42,500$16,000 (Lot 1299)
Leanach Lodge 7$9,643$67,500$18,000 (Lot 1136)

Leading Sires by Average (three or more sold) SireSoldAverageAggregateTop Price
Perfectly Ready5$24,500$122,500$42,000 (Lot 1157)
Coats Choice4$17,000$68,000$29,000 (Lot 1246)
Any Suggestion6$15,583$93,500$24,000 (Lot 1166)
Shinko King5$15,500$77,500$30,000 (Lot 1276)
Elusive City5$13,050$65,250$34,000 (Lot 1182)
Handsome Ransom4$12,125$48,500$20,000 (Lot 1236)
Danroad4$12,000$48,000$22,500 (Lot 1354)
St Reims5$10,600$53,000$26,000 (Lot 1273)
Strategic Image3$9,000$27,000$13,000 (Lot 1160)
Postponed4$9,000$36,000$15,000 (Lot 1346)

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