White Robe Lodge led the way at yesterday’s South Island thoroughbred sales in Christchurch.
The North Taieri operation was crowned leading vendor after selling twelve yearlings at an average of $19,500.
Stud Manager Wayne Stuart was pleased with the overall result and said there was good depth in the buying bench with plenty of local and international representation.
White Robe’s resident sire, Raise the Flag, was the leading sire by average for stallions with three or more progeny sold.
Six of the North Taieri stallion’s progeny sold at an average of $19,833.
A total of sixty-one horses sold for receipts totalling $1,070,000, an aggregate increase of 61% on the 2015 edition, but behind last year’s record-breaking result. The clearance rate stayed constant at 71% and the average was on par with last year at $17,541.
“The quality of the Southern product is going from strength to strength and we are delighted to have achieved the results we did for our vendors,” New Zealand Bloodstock (NZB) managing director Andrew Seabrook said.
Beltana Stud’s Richard Rutherford has topped a second sale this year, but in a different capacity when he purchased the leading lot at the South Island sale.
The Beltana Stud led the National Sale at Karaka in January when his O’Reilly colt realised $825,000 and on Friday he went to $87,000 to secure the Rock ‘N’ Pop yearling filly out of The Glitter.
“I really liked the pedigree of this filly which I specifically purchased her for,” Rutherford said.
“Ravelston don’t sell too many from this iconic ‘The’ family so it was a rare opportunity to secure a quality bloodline. She will be nominated for the Karaka Million Series and ultimately will join our broodmare band”.
Staff Reporter/NZ Racing Desk
