By MICHAEL GUERIN
Today's Karaka yearling sales may be just a few hours too early for Wayne Gretzky.
No, not Wayne Gretzky the legendary US ice hockey player. He won't actually be at Karaka when the biggest standardbred yearling sale of the year kicks off at 10.30 am.
But his namesake will be. Wayne Gretzky the yearling pacer is everything a buyer could want in a yearling - well-bred, athletic and perfectly prepared.
He will undoubtedly be one of the top lots of the Australasian Classic Yearling Sale and looks one of three or four colts who will push the $100,000 mark.
But for West Auckland trainer Frank Cooney, who owns Wayne Gretzky, today's sale could be just a few hours early.
Because tonight, the colt's half-brother, Mark McGuire, goes head-to-head with the north's best juvenile, Jack Cade, at Cambridge.
The pair have looked the best two-year-old pacers in New Zealand so far this season and whoever wins tonight's $25,000 feature at Cambridge will be the very early favourite for Two-Year-Old Pacer of the Year honours.
A huge performance from Mark McGuire - and one is expected - would undoubtedly increase the value of his little brother.
"If Mark McGuire comes out and does something special at Cambridge then I will obviously wish this sale had been on Friday because that would add extra value to this colt," said Cooney.
"But there is enough to like about this horse so I don't think he will need his brother's help.
"Obviously we won't be giving him away, but he is here for sale."
Mark McGuire, by US stallion Matts Scooter, was the sale-topper at Karaka last season. While not as physically imposing, Wayne Gretzky, by locally-based stud sensation In The Pocket, looks a touch racier. Their dam, T A Sportsplex, is a close relation of world champion 1:50 mare Mystical Maddy.
He is a prime example of the giant steps that have been made in the New Zealand standardbred breeding industry in the past five years.
The days of scrawny yearlings by average stallions out of unraced mares from tired old families are long gone.
Semen transportation and shuttle stallions have made the most elite stallions in the world available to local breeders. When crossed with our best black-type mares, they produce yearlings that can hold their own on the international stage.
That was evident yesterday when even hardened horsemen were wowed by the quality on parade.
None more so than the Australian trainers, who spent heavily at the two-day sale in Christchurch and will be among the biggest players today.
While nobody lets too much out of the bag before sales day, the same four or five star lots dominated the thoughts of most top-end buyers yesterday.
Wayne Gretzky was obviously one, and there was plenty to like about an In The Pocket half-brother to Young Rufus and Captain Rufus.
Also on the shopping list for the big boys will be a stunning Falcon Seelster colt from Gliding By, a blueblood top racemare who should have gone to open class and a superb In The Pocket colt from the great mare Tigerish, a half-brother to last season's Filly of the Year Tiger Turner.
In The Pocket should continue his domination of the colts selling with half brothers to Desperate Comment and others out of top mares or broodmares Lucy Lumber and Perfect Byrd.
But for all their breeding, those lots yesterday had to bow to an Albert Albert colt from speedy filly Alpine Belle, who was voted best-presented colt of the parade courtesy of a sensational job from Cambridge preparer Sandy Stuart.
But the big money won't just be for the colts, as several standout fillies also paraded yesterday.
Once again, many were by In The Pocket, including daughters of the beautifully bred Corbie, a lovely filly from Cosmic Rain (a half-sister to Interdom favourite Atitagain), Vogue Franco (a half-sister to Under Cover Lover) and former outstanding fillies Blazing Spirit and Nell's Rose, the latter a sister to Chokin.
There is also some beautifully bred trotting stock on offer, with seven by Sundon, all from good mares.
And one of the most interesting lots of the day will be an impressive son of former open-class mare Sanchiola. He is the first yearling sold in New Zealand by US siring sensation Lindy Lane, putting him right on the cutting edge of trotting breeding.
Today's sale is expected to be over by 4 pm, allowing trainers to head to tonight's Cambridge meeting.
Racing: Quality at Karaka wows the horse set
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