‘Outstanding’ draft of sale yearlings

Press, 13 December 1989, Page 54

‘Outstanding’ draft of sale yearlings

By

JEFF SCOTT

Pyne Gould Guinness again look to have backed a winner with the exceptional draft of yearlings to be offered at the New Zealand Premier and South Island Select Sales on consecutive days in mid-January. Only the likelihood of some colt defections because of E.V.A. testing stands in the way of the sale being a roaring success.

“Predictions that breeders would hold on to their yearlings because of the depressed market have not been borne out. The 299 yearlings catalogued for the two days is a record for the sale,” said Peter Lagan, a representative of the auctioneers, yesterday. The number of yearlings to be offered is up 30 on last year and after the success of the Sunday session (N.Z. Premier Sale), the auctioneers have decided to make the second-day South Island Sale an unreserved sale. “A totally unreserved sale will be welcomed and make for a great selling atmosphere,” said Mr Lagan. One-third of this year’s outstanding catalogue is sired by stallions which, on an individual winners basis, finished in the top 12 in New Zealand last season.

Finding the charttopper is not an enviable task, but on past performance the three-quarter brother to the 1984-85 Harness Horse of the Year, Roydon Glen (1:57, 22 wins), will take some heading. This colt, offered by Roydon Lodge Stud, is by Smooth Fella from Roydon Heiress (Scottish Hanover — Roydon Dream), a race-winning sister to Roydon Scott (1:58.9, 19 wins).

He is also a threequarter brother to Roydon Reign, which fetched a record $340,000 in more flamboyant times almost three years ago.

Smooth Fella has 27 yearlings in the sale, including other colts from Alb? ’s Tune, Midnight

Magic, Royal Decision and Petite Skipper (a winning half-sister to broodmare gem Birdie) to name a few.

Some of the top fillies by Smooth Fella in the sale include a sister to Tuapeka Knight (1:58), a half-sister to another New Zealand Two-Year-Old Sires’ Stakes winner in Hammer, a sister to Tina Scott (1:58) and a filly from the top broodmare, Sakuntala. New Zealand’s champion sire of the last two years, Vance Hanover, has 19 yearlings entered, including 10 colts. Some of the best lots by the Great Northern Bloodstock stallion are: halfbrothers to the tight-class pacer, Noble Fella (1:58.4), and the former N.Z. Messenger winner, Tempest Tiger., a halfsister to top pacer Laser Lad, and colts from a sister to the former Auckland Cup winner, Bolton Byrd, and from a halfsister to top four-year-old Bardolino. The stock of defunct stallions Lordship and Noodlum will again be in demand. Lordship is represented by seven lots, including a colt from a 2:00 half-sister to the champion pacer, Village Kid, while Noodlum has 19 lots on offer, including 13 colts, perhaps highlighted by a son of Hanover Reine (five wins), closely-related to Graikos (1:56.6).

Twelve yearlings by the fast mover on the stallion list, Nero’s 8.8., include a sister in blood to last season’s N.Z. Oaks winner, Adina Bebe, a half-brother to Hobart Star (1:56.4), a colt from the Thor Hanover mare, Stormy Pat (2:00.8), and a filly from, an unraced half-sister to Samarias (1:58.7).

Clever Innocence, which sired the winners of 55 races last term, has 22 yearlings in the sale, including colts from Kathy Brigade, Florlis Frost and Sparkling Princess, plus a half-brother to El Trafford (1:57.3). Bo Scots Blue Chip has 11 yearlings entered, including a colt from an El

Patron daughter of N.Z. Broodmare of the Year Heatherloch, and a filly from Heatherloch herself, while Admiral Halsey has 11 colts catalogued, including brothers to 198889 Gloucester Park Horse of the Year Antique Gold, Arctic Admiral and a halfbrother to Beaudiene Fella (1:55.2). A band of promising young stallions whose first crops were through the sale ring last year, being represented again are: Holmes Hanover (colt from Margaret Shannon, 43 wins); Preux Chevalier (half-brother to Liquid Lightning and Sir Andy); Roydon Glen (colt from Philippa Frost, 10 wins) and Talk About Class, a colt from Eva Thor, 28 Australian wins, and a filly half-sister to Franco Glide.

Andrei, the young Nevele R. stallion, which is represented in North America by the 1:56.2 two-year-old filly, Joy, has 18 yearlings entered next month, including a filly from the top filly, Van Glory, and half-brothers to Borana (N.Z. Cup), Gold Sovereign (1:54.4), Mary Isabel (eight wins), and Ripper’s Delight (Great Northern Derby).

The former United States Woodrow Wilson Pace winner, McKinzie Almahurst, has three yearlings on offer, including a half-brother to open class four-year-old Neroship and a filly from an unraced sister to the Prebbleton stallion, Bo Scots Blue Chip (1:53.6).

The first-season sire, Greener Pastures, has 15 yearlings entered, including half-brothers to Lord Module (N.Z. Cup) and Happy Hazel (D.B. Fillies’ Final), while for New Zealand-bred purists, there is other stock by Lord Module (filly from the good racemare Ansett), Ticky Dick and Enterprise, the latter’s draft including a colt from Royal Illusion (10 wins, the family of Our Maestro). Giving the sale an international flavour are yearlings by French Chef, the sire of millionaire pacers, Amity Chef and Frugal

Gourmet; Genghis Khan (1:51.8), the Meadow Skipper — Robin Dundee sire of Ali Khan (1:53.8); Fame (1:55.6 at two years) and What A Baron (1:53.6), these sires all having made their mark in North America. One of the two French Chef stock on offer, a filly from a sister to Hughes (1:58.6), boasts the North American Hall of Fame broodmare, The Old Maid, as her third dam.

The trotting-bred yearlings are highlighted by fillies from Tomoko Best and Lisa Hest, by Gee Whiz II and Plat du Jour respectively. These two fillies are from the family of the millionaire trotting mare, Grades Singing (1:55.8).

The top trotting mares, Hano Direct (InterDominion winner) and Joanie Toliver (1.9 Australian wins), both have yearling foals on offer by the Albatross pacing sire, Holmes Hanover (1:55.6). The auctioneers rightly point out there are great opportunities to obtain some top maternal families for those wishing to enter the standardbred racing and breeding industry on a long-term scale.

Some other fillies with fine maternal credentials, not previously mentioned, are from: Abbe Princess (six wins, daughter of Sakuntala), Karamea Minna (23 Australian wins), Royal Belmer (12 wins), Roydon Zephyr (halfsister to Roydon Dream), Tricotine (race-winning half-sister to Trevira, Trilobal), Game Royal (racewinning daughter of Robyn), Miss Jessie (dam of High On Hy, $U5357,555), Viva Reine (dam of three in 1:57), Laby Alba (1:59.4, 10 wins), Good Going (1:59.1, eight wins), Portmadoc (grand-dam of Pacific $U5871,550) and Out To Dream (seven wins).

The over-all strength of the catalogue over the two days is hard to beat and the scene is set for a resurgence in the yearling market after a major downturn last year.