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Established by the late Wayne Francis in the mid 1980ʻs, and synonymous with the famed “Franco” name, Spreydon Lodge has been selling select yearlings through New Zealandʻs national standardbred yearling sale for over two decades.
The renowned racing and breeding establishment has enjoyed considerable success in recent years with it consistently amongst the top consignors at the Christchurch Sale by both aggregate and average.
Since New Zealand Bloodstock took over the running of New Zealandʻs Standardbred Yearling Sale in 2019, Spreydon Lodge has seen its yearlings sell for up to $215,000 and graduates have included the top young pacers Franco Indie (Group 1 winner), Sherlock (Group 2 winner), Franco Mac (Group 1 placed), Shan Noble (stakes placed and a Harness Million runner-up) and Franco Sinatra (a six-time winner and 2023 NZ Derby runner).
Prepared at Nevele R, by stud manager Anna Murphy, this yearʻs Christchurch draft features 13 well-bred and conformed colts (10 on Spreydon Lodgeʻs own account and three on behalf of clients) by the likes of the studʻs well credentialled young stallion Captain Crunch, its proven stallions Always B Miki and Father Patrick, and one colt each by the champion sires Bettorʻs Delight and Captaintreacherous.
The leading first season sire in North America in 2023, Captain Crunch has got off to a strong start at stud in the Northern hemisphere, producing a Breeders Crown winner from his debut crop.
His first New Zealand bred stock was well received at last yearʻs Sale, with his progeny selling up to $220,000, and the son of Captaintreacherous has already been represented by his first 2-year-old qualifier, with the Bob Butt trained Ukraine an impressive three length winner at the Rangiora Trials on the 17th of January.
Spreydon Lodge has four yearlings by Captain Crunch entered:
Lot 174 – The first foal out of a two-time winning Art Major half-sister to four $100,000+ earners, this colt hails from the maternal family of the four-time champion New Zealand sire Holmes Hanover.
Lot 221 – Likewise, the first foal out of his dam, this colt is from the 1:55.4 6-win mare Loretta Franco, with his second dam the talented race mare Letitia Franco – the winner of 13 races and over $265,000 in stakes. The Group 2 winner and one of Australiaʻs fastest horses in 2023, with a mark of 1:48.9, Hi Manameisjeff also features on the pedigree page, as do the Derby winners Late Bid and Lotsnlots.
Lot 338 – A half-brother to last seasonʻs Group 2 Alabar 3YO Classic winner, Sherlock, who was also twice Group 1 placed as a juvenile, out of a full sister to the Group 1 winner Democrat Party, herself the dam of the 2023 Canterbury Classic winner Republican Party.
Lot 392 – A colt out of a winning Christian Cullen half-sister to the dual Derby winner Merlin, from the family of Have Faith In Me, Adore Me, Dream About Me, Christen Me, Hands Christen, Sweet On Me, Scuse Me etc…
Always B Miki has quickly established himself as one of todayʻs leading sires in both hemispheres, siring a phenomenal seven Dan Patch Award winners since his debut North American crop of 2-year-olds back in 2020, and has already notched up five Group 1 winners down-under.
The draft includes six colts by Always B Miki:
Lot 143 – A half-brother to the two-time WA Group 1 winner Franco Edward from a half-sister to the dual NZ Group 1 winner Franco Emirate and Australian Group 2 winner Eden Franco. Other illustrious pacers from the maternal family include the current NZ star Akuta and the former Australian 3YO Pacer of the Year Franco Enforce.
Lot 192 – A full brother to the Group 1 winner and NZ 2-year-old record holder over 1700m, Franco Indie. The coltʻs second dam Idancedallnight was also a juvenile stakes winner and left four winners from just six foals, with three of them winning over $100,000. It is a strong 2-year-old family, with the 2021 Group 3 Caduceus Club of Southland Classic winner Nutcracker also from this family.
Lot 238 – A colt out of a winning Bettorʻs Delight full sister to the stakes winner and multiple Group 1 placed juvenile Motu Premier. The dam is also a half to the Group 1 Caduceus Club Classic runner-up Caitlyn Clarke, while the Group race winners Motu Crusader, Motu Meteor and Motu Treasure all feature in his pedigree.
Lot 302 – The first foal out a four-win Art Major mare from the family of juvenile Group 1 winner Rona Lorraine, the two-time NZ Pacing Filly of the Year Venus Serena and the New Zealand Derby winner Sheriff.
Lot 313 – The first foal from a five-win Bettorʻs Delight full/half-sibling to the stakes performers Puntarno Stride and Franco Santino, as well as the promising Franco Sinatra, the winner of six races and a NZ Derby starter last season.
Lot 343 – A colt out of a young Bettorʻs Delight mare from the best pacing family in the catalogue – that of the millionaire pacers Adore Me, Have Faith In Me, Christen Me and Dream About Me, as well as numerous other Group 1 winners.
The sole trotting bred yearling in Spreydon Lodgeʻs offering (after the withdrawal of Lot 274) is by Father Patrick, New Zealandʻs leading sire of juvenile trotters for the past two seasons.
Lot 184 – This Father Patrick colt is out of a national record setting, NZ Trotting Oaks placed half-sister to the Group 1 performer Yagunnakissmeornot, whose first foal Kiss And Run was recently runner-up in the Group 3 Cambridge Flying Stakes. The Rowe Cup runner-up Miss Whiplash ranks as the coltʻs third dam, making the stakes winning young trotters Wanna Play, Wanna Play With Me and Emma Hamilton all from the same family.
Rounding out the draft is a pair of colts by the peerless Bettorʻs Delight and boom sire Captaintreacherous.
Lot 316 – By Bettorʻs Delight this colt is a three-quarter brother by blood to the back-to-back Australasian Breeders Crown winner and $2,500,000+ earner Bit Of A Legend. With just three foals of racing age to date, the dam has already produced two multiple race winners, and as well as being a half to Bit Of A Legend, is also a half-sister to the Group 2 winner and multiple Group 1 place-getter London Legend.
Lot 206 – A Captaintreacherous half-brother to the impressive recent Group 1 Ace Of Diamonds winner Duchess Megxit, out of a winning full sister to the five-time Group 1 winner and Australian Aged Pacing Mare of the Year Piccadilly Princess.
Prospective buyers are welcome to inspect the yearlings prior to the sale. Please phone Anna Murphy on 021 071 1557 to arrange a suitable time to view them.
All yearlings can also be viewed as part of the New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Parade Bus Tour on Monday the 5th of February at 10:40am at Nevele R Stud, Springs Road, Prebbleton.
The NZB Christchurch Yearling Sale kicks off at 11am on the 20th of February at the Canterbury Agricultural Park and concludes the following day.
From Spreydon Lodge
