NZB News 26 June 2025
The 2025 National Weanling Sale saw its first dual-code weanling session in play at Karaka, with a total aggregate of $2,410,000 outlaid across 84 lots by a strong domestic buying bench plus international support from Australia, Hong Kong and China.
The highlight of the day came in the opening hour of the Sale when Lot 13, a colt by Per Incanto out of London Express, fetched a sale-topping $190,000 when offered by Seaton Park. Purchased by Australian-based bloodstock agent James Mitchell, on behalf of Newgate Farm’s Jim Carey.
“We’ve put together a syndicate to buy a few colts to be traded at yearling sales next season, and I thought this was the nicest colt here and my pick of the sale,” commented Mitchell.
“He’s by a stallion I love, Per Incanto, who’s just going from strength to strength, and he’s out of a running mare. Being a November foal, he’s only going to continue to develop.
“I see him as a real Hong Kong type of horse. He’ll have a lot of appeal with that market. Per Incanto has sired a lot of winners there, and being out of a Shamexpress mare, he’s a reverse of the cross that produced Ka Ying Rising.”
Leading buyer Kaha Nui Farm secured two of the four highest-priced weanlings of the day for a total spend of $300,000, headed by Lot 139, a colt by Super Seth out of Queen Leonora for $130,000 from the draft of Waikato Stud.
Photo: Ange Bridson
Kaha Nui’s Nicky White is looking forward to presenting the horses back at Karaka 2026 which marks the 100th National Yearling Sales Series in New Zealand.
“We’re really happy with the horses we came away with. We managed to get the two colts that I thought were the two nicest here, and we picked up a speedy-looking filly by Bivouac as well.”
“They’re the progeny of three exciting young sires. It’s amazing what Super Seth has done on the track lately and there’s a bit of talk about him, so it was great to secure such a nice colt by him today.
“The plan now is to take them home, try to turn them into athletes and then take them back to Karaka for the yearling sales in January.”
“With it being the 100th year, it is exciting. I think if we can have a good draft and turn them into what we want to, it will be fun.”
Gordon Cunningham’s Curraghmore were the leading vendors by aggregate and average, selling all eight lots offered for a total of $460,000.
“We always aim to bring a good draft to Karaka for this Sale, the market expects that of us,” Cunningham said.
“We were rewarded with full clearance and some good prices. We hope those who have purchased from us will be just as successful in the sales ring or the racetrack in the future.”
First season sire Profondo and emerging sire Satono Aladdin were joint leading sires by average, selling four and three lots respectively for an average of $62,500. Rich Hill Stud’s Lot 99, a filly out of Blue Rhythm representing their young gun sire Satono Aladdin, sold for $120,000 to the bid of Noble Bloodstock / Prima Park / Bevan Smith Bloodstock. While Profondo’s top priced lot came when Lot 59, a colt out of Shamani, who sold for $85,000 to Paul Pertab Bloodstock from Windsor Park Stud’s draft who stand the exciting stallion.
