Yearling Sales were a great week for harness racing
Harness Racing New Zealand • February 19th, 2025 5:02 PM
A record-breaking NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sale has concluded with the two day total surpassing $13m.
“It was a great week for harness racing, our expectations have far been exceeded,” says NZB Standardbred Manager Cam Bray.
After opening at Karaka on Saturday the sales moved to Christchurch yesterday, with 233 yearlings selling at an average of $56,298, more than $9000 or 17 per cent up on last year.
“Buyers were incredibly active, including the Australians, Canadians, and of course the Kiwis." says Bray.
Industry heavyweights Stonewall Stud led the way on both days. They spent nearly $2m on 18 yearlings.
In Auckland the $360,000 they spent on two Captaintreacherous colts, out of champion mares Adore Me and Bettor Twist, eclipsed the previous NZB Yearling record of $340,000 set last year.
The top lot in Christchurch was the $270,000 Cran Dalgety (Kentuckiana Lodge) paid for a Bettor's Delight - Imagine Me colt.
"He just looks so much like Krug, a replica, if he's as fast we don't know," says Dalgety.
Krug was a multiple Group 1 winner and former NZ Derby winner for Dalgety.
"I paid overs for him but I'm hoping I'll say he was cheap in 12 months."
Dalgety also bought a full brother to his current stable star, Auckland and Invercargill Cup winner Republican Party for $150,000.
"I walk away from here excited."
"We've been able to lift all the metrics on a lesser number of horses so that's got to be a positive sign of how our buyers see the market and it's pleasing that our breeders have been rewarded," says Bray.
For Pat Driscoll of powerhouse Victorian breeders Yabby Dam farms, it was the first time he'd sold his yearlings at the sales. Included in his offerings was a Bird Parker - Nieta colt, bought by Stonewall Stud for $180,000.
"It's probably gone better than I thought, hats off to NZB and Harness Racing New Zealand."
Current Breeders of the Year Todd and Fleur Anderson of Taffy Limited agreed. They bred the top lot sold to Kentuckiana and also a half brother to New Zealand Pacer of the Year Merlin for $160,000.
"There are a lot of things happening in the industry that's made a bigger crowd here and more money to go around," says Todd Anderson.
Total sales over the two days was $13.1m - that is over $1m more than last year.
"It just shows you the positivity of our industry," says Bray.
Photograph at the top of the page: The NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sale were a great week for harness racing. Photo Credit: Harness Racing New Zealand
