After being under-bidder for the Fastnet Rock session-topper on Day 1 at the NZ Bloodstock Premier Sale, Peter Moody wouldn’t be denied buying the half-brother to Ocean Park on Day 2 at Karaka.

The Melbourne trainer paid $775,000 for the Pins – Sayyida (Zabeel) colt which was the highest price ever paid at Karaka for a yearling by Waikato Stud’s champion sire.  “I was very taken with this horse, he’s a lovely individual,” commented Moody.  “He comes from a great nursery in Trelawney and they bred my first Group 1 winner in Amalfi.”

Moody purchased 14 yearlings for $2.17 million.  “New Zealand bloodstock has stood the test of time and proven itself internationally again this year,” he said.  “Different bloodlines from all over the world can create any type of horse including a sprinter-miler like this Pins colt.”

Moody purchased yearlings by NZ based sires O’Reilly (3), Pins (3), Mastercraftsman (3), Tavistock (1), Thorn Park (1), Darci Brahma (1) and Pentire (1) in addition to a sole youngster by Australian based Arrowfield stallion Charge Forward.

The leading buyer at the Premier Sale was David Ellis of Te Akau Stud with 23 yearlings purchased for $3.10 million.  Top price was the $620,000 High Chaparral colt from Pencarrow Stud mare Our Echezeaux (Zabeel).

“It was definitely a buyers’ market, nevertheless, the Sale was still a huge success given the economic circumstances that we are in,” commented Ellis.  “There was still terrific interest across the board on all horses that we were interested in.”

Coolmore sire Fastnet Rock topped the sires list with 14 lots averaging $419,284.  Curraghmore Stud provided a milestone by toppling Cambridge Stud as the leading Premier Sale vendor by aggregate with 21 lots sold for $7.48 million.

Curraghmore Stud also led the vendor table by average at $356,429, followed by Haunui Farm ($220,333).  Cambridge Stud provided the leading first season sire in Tavistock, a NZ champion sprinter by Montjeu, with 10 lots averaging $136,000.

The Premier Sale average increased 2% to $158,054.  The median matched last year’s figure of $120,000 and the clearance rate improved 5 points to 79%.

“We headed into this Sale expecting some uncertainty in the market and have been very pleasantly surprised by how solid the results have been,” NZB Co-Managing Director Petrea Vela said.  “We have definitely felt improvement on last year where the first day in particular took a lot longer to find a momentum.

“Throughout the past two days trade has been very steady, very strong in places, with a wide and varied buying bench that has been positive in its regard for the horses on offer at Karaka.  Hopefully, the tide is turning and with some positive news in New Zealand around fillies racing and so on, that confidence will also filter through the local market over the course of the week ahead.”

Of the $51 million turnover, more than $25 million was paid by Australian buyers including Chris Waller, Duncan Ramage, Bart Cummings, Cameron Cooke, Damon Gabbedy, Gai Waterhouse & James Harron, John O’Shea, Champion Thoroughbreds and Gangemi Racing.

Also active over the past two days have been buyers from New Zealand ($15.3 million), Hong Kong ($6.6 million), Singapore ($1.8 million), plus Malaysia, South Africa, England, Macau and the Netherlands.

Karaka 2013 continues on Wednesday with Day 1 of the Select Sale.  Lot-by-lot coverage will be streamed live online at:   www.nzb.co.nz.