The first of the 350 weanling entries at New Zealand Bloodstock's 2012 National Weanling & Broodmare Sale got the three-day Sale underway today at Karaka, with a busy sale ring providing a good day's trade.

The highlight of the 230 weanlings on offer for the day was the Duporth colt at Lot 54 bought by Lyndhurst Farm for $105,000.

From the Zabeel mare Be Inspired, a sister to Rainbow Styling, the colt was the sole entry in the Sale by the first season sire Duporth, the Group 1 sprinting son of Red Ransom.

Regular pinhookers Mark & Shelley Treweek of Lyndhurst Farm secured the colt to target the Karaka Yearling Sales early next year.

"We really liked his pedigree," commented Mark. "He's out of a Zabeel mare, which are always very popular as he's a great broodmare sire, and we have also had reports from friends in Australia that Duporth produces very good sorts."

"He's still a baby but he's a good type with good colour and markings and we're pleased to have got him. He'll be aimed at the Premier Sale at Karaka 2013."

The second and third top prices of the day were also by a first season sire, this time Mastercraftsman, with the colt at Lot 95 bought by Joe Barnes' J & I Bloodstock for $70,000, and the colt at Lot 194 bought by Jo & Greg Griffin's Lime Country Thoroughbreds for $65,000.

Europe's Champion 2YO, Mastercraftsman (Danehill Dancer) is performing southern hemisphere stud duties at Windsor Park Stud. Three of Mastercraftsman's 11 weanling entries have now sold for an average of $61,667, giving the young sire the top spot for the day.

Carving a niche for itself at this Sale is Gordon Cunningham's Curraghmore Stud who provided the day's top price, and six of the top ten, and is on target to become the leading weanling vendor for the seventh year in a row. The stud's entire selection of 18 weanlings that were catalogued today have sold at an average of $36,944. Curraghmore Stud has a further eight weanling entries tomorrow.

Gordon Cunningham was very positive about the buoyancy of the market at Karaka today.

"The Sale has gone very well today," he commented. "We've always taken this Sale seriously and raised and presented the horses well regardless of their value. So to clear our complete offering and achieve good prices is a great result for our clients," commented Gordon.

"We've sold horses to every level of the market showing there's been good demand across the board. We knew that we had a quality draft and I'm just pleased that our clients have been well rewarded so far."

After 230 catalogued lots, 157 have sold for $1,689,150 at an average of $10,816 and clearance rate of 76%.

The Weanling session continues with a further 120 young horses tomorrow from Lot 231 at 10am. This will be followed by horses-in-training, yearlings, two-year-olds, unraced stock, and racehorses. Selling will continue on Wednesday with the broodmare offering from Lot 424.

2012 National Weanling Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale Day 1 Statistics

2012 Weanlings, Lots 1 - 230 (Day 1) 2011 Weanlings, Lots 1 - 230

CATALOGUED 230 230

SOLD 157 151

AVERAGE $10,816 $13,157

AGGREGATE $1,689,150 $1,986,650

MEDIAN $3,400 $3,400

CLEARANCE 76% 77%

TOP PRICE $105,000 (Lot 54) $170,000 (Lot 125)

Top Lots

Lot Type Breeding Vendor Purchaser Price

54 BR. C Duporth / Be Inspired Curraghmore Stud Lyndhurst Farm $105,000

95 B. C Mastercraftsman / Dancers World Brighthill Farm J & I Bloodstock Ltd $70,000

194 Ch C Mastercraftsman / Lovemedo Curraghmore Stud Lime Country Thoroughbreds Ltd $65,000

89 B. C Thewayyouare / City Affair Curraghmore Stud Mr T Hartley $61,000

68 B. F Starcraft / Cabazon Goodwood Stud New Zealand Bloodstock Ltd $51,000

91 Ch C Mastercraftsman / Coz I'm Free Shelby Park United Syndications $50,000

142 B. C Darci Brahma / Glitterati Curraghmore Stud Chapman Farms Ltd $48,000

25 BB C Guillotine / Aimee's Idol Curraghmore Stud New Zealand Bloodstock Ltd $47,500

106 B. F High Chaparral / Desert Imp Curraghmore Stud New Zealand Bloodstock Ltd $45,000

174 B. C Thewayyouare / Jodhi Curraghmore Stud Mr PM Ma $45,000

63 B. C Street Sense / Blue Quail Northfields Stud (Unreserved Deplenishing Sale) Oriental Racing Connection $45,000

Leading Purchasers by Aggregate

Purchaser Bought Aggregate Average Top Price Country

New Zealand Bloodstock Ltd 34 $454,200 $13,359 $47,500 (Lot 25)

Lyndhurst Farm 1 $105,000 $105,000 $105,000 (Lot 54) New Zealand

J & I Bloodstock Ltd 2 $98,000 $49,000 $70,000 (Lot 95) New Zealand

Lime Country Thoroughbreds Ltd 2 $95,000 $47,500 $65,000 (Lot 194) New Zealand

Hallmark Stud Ltd 4 $77,250 $19,313 $32,000 (Lot 148) New Zealand

Mr T Hartley 1 $61,000 $61,000 $61,000 (Lot 89) New Zealand

United Syndications 1 $50,000 $50,000 $50,000 (Lot 91) Australia

Mr PM Ma 2 $49,000 $24,500 $45,000 (Lot 174) Hong Kong

Mr WH Shum 3 $49,000 $16,333 $40,000 (Lot 74) Hong Kong

Chapman Farms Ltd 1 $48,000 $48,000 $48,000 (Lot 142) New Zealand

Leading Vendors by Aggregate

Vendor Sold Aggregate Average Top Price

Curraghmore Stud 18 $665,000 $36,944 $105,000 (Lot 54)

Brighthill Farm 4 $108,250 $27,063 $70,000 (Lot 95)

Bradbury Park 4 $102,750 $25,688 $40,000 (Lot 5)

Northfields Stud (Unreserved Deplenishing Sale) 5 $95,500 $19,100 $45,000 (Lot 63)

Haunui Farm 10 $90,550 $9,055 $34,000 (Lot 20)

Wellfield Lodge 16 $66,300 $4,144 $32,000 (Lot 148)

Shelby Park 3 $54,200 $18,067 $50,000 (Lot 91)

Goodwood Stud 5 $52,300 $10,460 $51,000 (Lot 68)

Westbury Stud 5 $48,100 $9,620 $18,000 (Lot 186)

Windsor Park Stud 11 $35,150 $3,195 $12,000 (Lot 35)

Leading Vendors by Average (3 or more sold)

Vendor Sold Average Aggregate Top Price

Curraghmore Stud 18 $36,944 $665,000 $105,000 (Lot 54)

Brighthill Farm 4 $27,063 $108,250 $70,000 (Lot 95)

Bradbury Park 4 $25,688 $102,750 $40,000 (Lot 5)

Northfields Stud (Unreserved Deplenishing Sale) 5 $19,100 $95,500 $45,000 (Lot 63)

Shelby Park 3 $18,067 $54,200 $50,000 (Lot 91)

Goodwood Stud 5 $10,460 $52,300 $51,000 (Lot 68)

Westbury Stud 5 $9,620 $48,100 $18,000 (Lot 186)

Haunui Farm 10 $9,055 $90,550 $34,000 (Lot 20)

Cambridge Stud 4 $6,200 $24,800 $20,000 (Lot 145)

Hallmark Stud 3 $5,583 $16,750 $10,000 (Lot 153)

Leading Sires by Average (3 or more sold)

Sire Sold Average Aggregate Top Price

Mastercraftsman 3 $61,667 $185,000 $70,000 (Lot 95)

Thewayyouare 5 $31,400 $157,000 $61,000 (Lot 89)

Darci Brahma 4 $21,563 $86,250 $48,000 (Lot 142)

Iffraaj 6 $13,392 $80,350 $34,000 (Lot 111, 20)

Tavistock 7 $12,921 $90,450 $30,000 (Lot 187)

Savabeel 4 $12,775 $51,100 $40,000 (Lot 74)

Keeper 3 $8,567 $25,700 $18,000 (Lot 44)

Guillotine 10 $7,745 $77,450 $47,500 (Lot 25)

Pins 3 $7,417 $22,250 $17,000 (Lot 136)

Alamosa 9 $7,111 $64,000 $32,000 (Lot 148)