Encouraging start to the sales

By Michael Guerin

The early numbers are very encouraging for New Zealand’s largest ever online standardbred sale.

And New Zealand Bloodstock Standardbred representative Cam Bray says that is not just from the early bids on the May mixed sale online now at Gavelhouse.

The sale which would usually be held at Karaka migrated to online because of the Covid-19 restrictions and early bidding has been very strong.

“Really, really promising,” says Bray.

“Obviously it is a week-long sale so bidding runs until next Wednesday, which is when things start to get very serious.

“But we already have horses with bids of $27,000, $17,5000 $12,000 and quite a few in that $5000 range.

“That is a great start considering we have so long to go.”

The sale is predominantly of weanlings and the top bid today (Friday) stands at $27,000 for a weanling filly by Downbytheseaside out of Revere Me, an unraced sister to Have Faith In Me and Adore Me, therefore a rare chance to buy a filly from perhaps Australasian harness racing’s hottest family of the last decade.

Lot 75 from the Alabar draft is the brother to Alta Maestro sitting at $17,500 and certain to fetch far closer to six figures by Wednesday’s bidding cut off.

Bray says while the strength of early bids is more than encouraging he is just as excited by the new registrations to the Gavelhouse standardbred site.

“We had 131 new registrations in the week to last Monday and about two thirds of those were from Australia,” says Bray.
“That puts us well over 1000 registered potential buyers and of course they might come back for other sales. So this sale is already strong but with real benefits for future sellers on the site.”

Bray said there had been strong interest from potential pin-hookers looking to buy stock at a time of uncertainty and re-offer them at the yearling sales next February.

“I think there has actually been more pin-hooking interest on Gavelhouse than there would have been had it been under the usual sales format.”

You can watch a video with James Jennings from NZB Standardbred here: https://youtu.be/1qSAD4fdLkE

You can watch a video with Graeme Henley from Alabar Stud here: https://youtu.be/ydrA0oy33kw

You can watch a video with Andrew Grierson from Woodlands Stud here: https://youtu.be/47B1qPzdXTA