Quality harness racing lots were well sort after at NZB Standardbred’s 2023 National Weanling Sale held at Karaka, with eight lots secured for $40,000 or more and fillies taking top honours at the conclusion of selling.

Fillies well supported at 2023 National Weanling Sale 1 — **Lot 8 a daughter of Champion sire Bettor’s Delight out of Asbabella was the top lot selling for $52,000**

Of the 123 lots catalogued, 100 lots sold for an aggregate of $1,188,000 and a clearance rate of 86%, with key sale indicators expected to increase in the coming days.

Standardbred Manager Cam Bray was pleased with the results from the boutique sale.

‘’Welcoming our Australian friends back on the grounds at Karaka this year has been brilliant. Their competition was matched by a great turn out from our domestic buying bench.”

“It was heartening to see the fillies so well supported, alongside New Zealand’s emerging sires being well received.”

“There was a strong demand for the quality lots with great bidding competition throughout the day.”

cam — **NZB Standardbred Manager Cam Bray**

The highlight of the day came early when Lot 8 a daughter of Champion sire Bettor’s Delight out of Asbabella was knocked down to Peter Lagan for $52,000 on account of Woodlands Stud.

Later in the day Scott Whitton under his Tumby Park banner went to $50,000 to secure Lot 109, the daughter of emerging sire Downbytheseaside out of Utmost Delight from the Woodlands Stud draft.

Purchased on behalf of by trainer Jarrod Alchin, they signed for seven lots for a total spend of $186,000.

Tumby Park are no strangers to the sale having secured talented weanling and sale graduates My Ultimate Baxtor and My Ultimate Chevron.

John Street of Lincoln Farms was also strong throughout the day securing six lots for $100,500 with a top spend of $42,500 for Lot 101, a colt by Downbytheseaside out of Tiger Lily.

“He wasn’t even on my list but when I saw him parading, I loved him,” commented Street, a regular at the sale having purchased megastar Copy That as a weanling.

“He was a nice size for a weanling and I think a lot of the Downbytheseaside’s, they are nice types.’’

John Street of @lincolnfarms Bloodstock purchased six weanlings at today’s National Standardbred Weanling Sale which range in price from $3,500 through to $42,500 for Lot 101 a Downbytheseaside colt. https://t.co/NzDPkCEHMa

— NZB Standardbred (@nzbstandardbred) May 25, 2023

Woodlands Stud and Alabar Farm went head-to-head for the leading vendor title selling 84 weanlings between them. But it was Woodlands who came out on top, selling 40 lots for a total aggregate of $565,500.

Woodland’s Stud Principal Andrew Grierson commented on the final results.

“We’re very happy with the Sale. The Entain – TAB deal has been very timely, and we feel the industry has turned a corner.’’

”Today was nothing but a positive event.’’

All weanlings purchased at the Sale are eligible to be nominated for the lucrative Harness Million Sales Race Series, with entries closing 6 June 2023.

To enquire about Passed In lots, contact Cam Bray by calling +64 21 737 199 or email Cam.Bray@nzb.co.nz

To view the full results online, click here.

To view key sale highlights, interviews and lot-by-lot footage, click here.