A colt by Jimmy Choux out of Diva von Tessa
Lime Country Thoroughbreds, Hawke's Bay's leading vendor at recent Karaka thoroughbred auctions, will have a nine-horse draft in the premier session of next month's yearling sales.
The two-day premier sale will be held on January 30 and 31 followed by three days of the select sale from February 1 to February 3 and one day of the festival sale on February 5.
Lime Country Thoroughbreds sold four yearlings, as agents for clients, at this year's premier yearling sale for an aggregate of $635,000 and an average of $158,750.
Their top-priced yearling at the premier session was a colt by Ocean Park out of the Viking Ruler mare Cassata, which was knocked down to the bid of a New South Wales buyer for $185,000.
The colt was bred by Dannevirke couple Kevin and Julie Taylor and they own four of the nine yearlings Lime Country Thoroughbreds has entered for the upcoming premier sale.
The Taylors will offer one of the first from the stock of champion New Zealand-bred galloper Dundeel, a colt out of the Fusaichi Pegasus mare Assertive Angel. The yearling is from the family of Assertive Lad, who won eight races and was the champion Australian 2-year-old in the 1999-2000 season.
The Taylors sold a colt by champion Australian sire Redoute's Choice out of La Praline for $160,000 at last January's sales and will offer a colt by Savabeel out of the mare this time.
La Praline, by Anabaa, was the winner of four races and is a daughter of the Taylors' former high-class racemare Viennetta, whose five wins included the Group 2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes.
The other two Taylor-owned yearlings on offer are a filly by Smart Missile out of a full-sister to Viennetta and a colt by O'Reilly out of the General Nediym mare Noisette.
Jo Griffin, who operates Lime Country Thoroughbreds with husband Greg, said this week that her pick of their premier session draft is a filly by the boom Australian sire I Am Invincible out of the High Chaparral mare Different To.
"She is a yearling that has come over from Australia for us to put through the sale," Griffin said.
"Not many people have seen her yet but she is a stunning filly."
I Am Invincible was leading Australian first-season sire in 2013-14 and has already left nearly 20 stakes winners.
The mare Different To is a half-sister to Dorabella, who won five races, including the Group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas and Group 1 Captain Cook Stakes.
Lime Country Thoroughbreds sold a colt by Rip Van Winkle out of the Anabaa mare C'est la Vie for $170,000 at last January's sales and have a filly by Reliable Man out of C'est la Vie as part of their draft this time. The filly is owned by her Waikato breeders Russell and Robyn Rogers and is out of a full-sister to the Group 1 Railway Stakes winner Imananabaa.
Another yearling in the Lime Country Thoroughbreds premier draft is a colt by the outstanding sire Tavistock out of the Zenno Rob Roy mare Zenada and from a strong Australian family, while the others are a colt by O'Reilly and a filly by Australian sire Epaulette.
The O'Reilly colt is out of a half-sister to the Singapore Horse of the Year in War Affair, who has won 15 races and was the champion Singapore 2-year-old, 3-year-old and 4-year-old of his year.
The Epaulette filly is a grand-daughter of Wrap Around, who was a multiple group winner of nine races in Australia.
Although Lime Country Thoroughbreds had a successful premier sale last January their top-priced yearling actually went through the select sale.
It was a colt by Jimmy Choux out of the Testa Rossa mare Diva von Tessa.
He was offered on behalf of Havelock North couple Richard and Liz Wood and was sold to Big Red Farm, Japan, for $210,000, which was one of the highest prices at that select sale.
The Woods owned and raced Jimmy Choux, who was a five-time Group 1 winner and finished runner-up in the Group 1 Cox Plate.
The mare Diva von Tessa was a winner over 1200m in Australia and is from the family of the unbeaten Black Caviar and the outstanding race performer and now successful sire All Too Hard.
The Woods will offer a full-brother to that Jimmy Choux-Diva von Tessa colt as part of the 15-yearling draft Lime Country Thoroughbreds has entered for the upcoming Karaka select sale.
Among the others in their select sale draft are a colt and a filly by successful sire Shocking, two colts by Alamosa, a filly by Savabeel, a filly by Eurozone and eight yearlings by their former resident sire Niagara.
Lime Country Thoroughbreds will have a public parade of all the yearlings they will offer at the upcoming sales on Wednesday, January 11. The parade will be at the yearling barn on Taihape Rd beginning at 11am.
Endsleigh Thoroughbreds, owned by Hastings surgeon Noel Nicholson, will offer two yearlings at the select sale, a colt by Shamexpress and a filly by Rip Van Winkle.
The Shamexpress colt is out of the Bin Ajwaad mare Snapwood, who has left the winners New Vision, Sunny Pearl and Big Ready.
The Rip Van Winkle filly is out of a Rock Of Gibraltar mare who is a half-sister to Le Zagaletta, who was a multiple group winner of 14 races in Australia.
Wainui Ltd, from Hastings, will also offer two yearlings at the select sale: a colt by Per Incanto and one by Showcasing.
The Per Incanto colt is a grandson of the top-class racemare Fayreform, who included three Group 1 victories among her eight wins and is the dam of this year's Group 1New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes winner Perfect Fit.
The Showcasing colt is out of the former top racemare Emerald, who won six races including the Group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas and finished second in the Group 1 Wellington Cup.
The other Hawke's Bay-based vendor at the select sale is Waipukurau's Beckam Equine, which will offer a colt by Makfi out of the Fly To The Stars mare Stellar Dream.
New Year's Day races
The annual Hawke's Bay New Year's Day race meeting, one of the most popular days on the racing calendar, promises to be a fun-filled occasion with plenty of free activities for the kids as well as live music and great racing action for the adults to enjoy.
Pack a picnic or sample the fabulous local food and wine Hawke's Bay has to offer at the Hastings track.
An eight race programme carded, with the first timed for 12.52pm and the last at 5.11pm.
Hawke's Bay Racing is offering special early-bird deals for admission and Members Stand passes. Admission will be $10.00 per person until 2pm on December 31 and $15.00 thereafter, with those under 18 free.
Members Stand passes can be purchased for $30 up until 2pm on December 31 and will sell for $35.00 on the day.
A punters club will be in action, shares in which will cost $10 each.
Stake increased
The FastTrack insurance initiative will add $5000 to the stake for the open sprint at Hastings on January 1.
The Russell Roads City of Hastings Cup (1300m) will now have a total stake of $20,000.
BrokerWeb CEO David Archer said that FastTrack was delighted to announce the first added-stake race.
"We would like to thank everyone who has switched their insurances to FastTrack," Archer said. "Without your support these added-stake races would not happen."
FastTrack also had big plans for 2017, when more added-stake races would be announced.
Funeral today
The funeral for jockey Rebecca Black, who was killed in a race fall at Gore last Sunday, will be held at the Gore Racecourse at 1pm today.
New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing is collecting funds on behalf of Gallop South who are in the process of setting up a formal Trust for Rebecca's three children. This account will be audited and receipts for donations can be provided if requested.
For any person wishing to donate to this fund the bank account number is 01-0517-0063944-06.
Award winner
Hawke's Bay couple Mike and Bronwyn Griffin are the recipients of the Hawke's Bay Racehorse Owners' by-monthly award for the months of October and November.
The Griffins own the capable mare Missy Moo, who won a Rating 65 race over 1400m at Tauherenikau on October 6 and followed that up with another victory in a Rating 65 race over 1350m at Otaki on Melbourne Cup Day.
Sacred Elixir back on track
Top 3-year-old Sacred Elixir is making smooth progress in his build-up toward another Group One title.
"He had his first gallop last Saturday morning and he's coming up super, I couldn't be happier with him," Cambridge trainer Tony Pike said.
"He looks great and we'll just keep him ticking over until the Karaka Three-year-old Mile."
Successful in last season's Group 1 J J Atkins Stakes at Eagle Farm, Sacred Elixir has this term added the Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase and the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude to his winning tally.
He also finished runner-up in the Group 1 VRC Derby at Flemington before he signed off for the spring.
The son of Pour Moi has the $1 million Group 1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby as the final target of this season and he is likely to take in the Group 2 Avondale Guineas a fortnight before the Ellerslie feature on March 4.
Change of stable
Stephen Marsh is the new trainer of the stakes performer Mystery Show.
"She's in work, but we haven't made any plans just yet for her," the Cambridge horseman said.
Previously prepared by James Bridge, Mystery Show has won two of her six starts and was also placed in the Group 3 Gold Trail Stakes at Hastings and the Listed Soliloquy Stakes at Ellerslie. She hasn't raced since she finished seventh in the Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas.
"She's a lovely filly and she enjoyed a spell after she got back from the South Island," Marsh said.