By MIKE DILLON
A knight, the son of a knight and a Russian dancer will combine to play havoc with the dollar signs at the Karaka sales complex this afternoon and tonight.
Sir Patrick Hogan, Sir Tristram's son Zabeel and a colt by world famous stallion Nureyev from the appropriately named mare
A Goodlookin Broad, will create the headlines when New Zealand Bloodstock sell the 500-odd premier lots of its Karaka sales series.
Predicting sales results is no safer than tipping winners on the track, but New Zealand Bloodstock chairman Peter Vela is in no doubt all bases have been covered.
"Without wanting to get too excited, I'm quietly confident of a great sale.
"The buyers are here and the horses will make their value.
"Demi O'Byrne, Dermot Weld, Dr Yoshida from Japan's Shadai Farm and the usual faces from Australia are all here.
"One thing that heartens me is the interest Goverment is showing in the industry. The Prime Minister is opening the sale tomorrow night and the Racing Minister is speaking at the cocktail party tonight."
Betting against Sir Patrick Hogan's Cambridge Stud producing the top priced lot at the premier session is like going for the black 27 times in a row at roulette Sir Patrick has 26 of the 48 Zabeels left catalogued in the premier session and his Zabeel colt from Railway Handicap winner Diamond Lover is tipped to top his draft and possibly the sale.
But this time there is serious opposition in the form of the magnificenty put together Nureyev colt put forward by Terry Jarvis' emerging The Oaks stud.
You won't get Sir Patrick to buy into a price comparison, but it's clear he feels he's not too far from the inside running.
"Day by day the interest has been building in the colt as it did with the Zabeel-Eight Carat we sold for $1.6 million two years ago.
"A lot of people have seen him and gone away to do their homework.
"Because of his sire potential he's the sort of horse who needs the homework done on him.
"Until most people had seen him they probably weren't thinking that way, but now they are and that brings more players into the game."
Rick Williams, manager of The Oaks, is pleased to have the sale to take his mind off the shocking luck his mare In My Time had in Saturday's Wellington Cup.
"That's racing," said Williams yesterday as he paraded the Nureyev colt for yet another interested party.
"This is far and away the best yearling I've taken into a sale.
"All the buyers are here, so he'll get his chance in the ring.
"This is probably going to see the best buyers' bench yet assembled for a sale here."
Williams tips the Woodman colt from the Last Tycoon mare Ideal Miss as The Oaks second-best lot.
Sir Patrick sees the sale being a bonanza.
"It's got the right stock with the right pedigrees, all the marketing has been done and all the right people from around the world are here and the way things are hotting up all the elements are there for the aggregate and average records to topple.
"We may even see it emulate the best sales of the 1980s."
Windsor Park's Nelson Schick says he's seen all the serious people inspecting horses at Karaka in the last three days to guarantee an outstanding sale.
"I think New Zealand Bloodstock and the marketing arm have done a fabulous job in getting the right people here.
"I'm very optimistic about the outcome of the sale."
The reputation of Windsor Park and business partner Mapperley to produce Might And Power, and last year the country's current best two juveniles in Willie Capone and Spring Rain, has done nothing to discourage prospective buyers this time.
The sale begins at 2 pm through to 8 pm and will continue on the same timeframe tomorrow and Thursday.
By MIKE DILLON
A knight, the son of a knight and a Russian dancer will combine to play havoc with the dollar signs at the Karaka sales complex this afternoon and tonight.
Sir Patrick Hogan, Sir Tristram's son Zabeel and a colt by world famous stallion Nureyev from the appropriately named mare
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