David Ellis - RTR Leading Buyer

Te Akau's David Ellis has established another "first" career benchmark - being the leading buyer at the Ready to Run Sale for the first time - as New Zealand Bloodstock reports:

Records tumbled for a fifth consecutive year at New Zealand Bloodstock'sReady to Run Sale, which concluded today with the aggregate, average and median all up on last year's record results, setting new benchmarks for two-year-old sales in Australasia.

The $20 million mark was surpassed for the first time last year with an aggregate of $23,368,500 reached for 254 horses sold. That figure was exceeded this year with an increase of 22 per cent to $28,393,000, for 294 horses sold over the past two days.

The average climbed to $96,575, surpassing last year's record of $92,002 by five percent, while the median increased to $70,000, up 17 per cent from the record of $60,000 set at the previous two Ready to Run Sales.

NZB's Managing Director Andrew Seabrook was pleased to see an increased spend from the Australian buying bench across the two days of selling.

“In a sale that has traditionally been dominated by the Asian market, it was very encouraging to see a large contingent of Australian guests who ended up spending $2.8 million more than last year.

“The clearance rate was disappointing but that was always going to be a challenge with 150 more horses on offer than last year. Hopefully we can improve that over the next few days.

“The continued success of this sale could not have happened without the great support of our vendors, who consistently give us a quality product to sell.”

Along with the record statistics, a new record price was set on Day 1 with Lyndhurst Farm's Lot 280, the Sebring three-quarter-brother to Criterion, sold for $650,000 to Toby Koenig buying on behalf of Ultra Thoroughbreds.

Lyndhurst Farm also provided the top price for Day 2 with Lot 349, the Reward for Effort colt, knocked down to Anton Koolman Bloodstock acting for Unifaith Bloodstock for $360,000.

The leading buyer for the first time at the Ready to Run Sale was Te Akau Racing's David Ellis who purchased 10 horses for $1,525,000, including Lot 41, the Savabeel colt from Prima Park for $280,000. Ellis credited his increased activity at the sale to Te Akau Racing's success with Karaka graduates.

“We've built up a terrific clientele and they've had great success from NZB's yearling sales and the Ready to Run Sale, plus NZB put a superb catalogue together and I just wanted to be part of it all,” he said.

Another record to be set was the number of horses to be sold for $300,000 or more, with 13 horses reaching that mark, an increase from the 10 sold last year which was a record in itself. There were a record 42 horses that sold for $200,000 or more, surpassing the 32 lots that sold for that price or more last year.

Australia was the leading buying bench with 77 horses purchased for $10,050,500, which is over $2.8 million more than they spent at last year's sale. The leading buyer from Australia was Toby Koenig's TK Racing with three purchases for a total of $930,000.

The second leading country by spend was Hong Kong, purchasing 51 horses for a total of $7,219,500. The leading buyer from Hong Kong was trainer Ricky Yiu, who was the second leading buyer across the two days, purchasing five horses for a total of $1,015,000.

Local buyers, spearheaded by David Ellis, purchased the largest number of horses, securing 94 lots for a total spend of $6,584,000.

Mark and Shelley Treweek's Lyndhurst Farm regained the leading vendor by aggregate title that they held from 2007 to 2012 and again in 2014. Selling 17 horses for a total of $3,731,000, they provided the top lots on both days, including the recording-breaker.

Selling under the Waikato Stud banner for the first time at the Ready to Run Sale, and better known for topping the Premier Sale tables, Mark Chittick's renowned operation finished as the leading vendor by average (three or more sold) with three lots at $242,000.

The leading sire by average (three or more sold) was Sebring, whose progeny sold at an average of $300,250.