Classic Winners Flow From NZ Ready To Run Sale

New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale has established itself as an impressive source of winners of some of Australasia’s most prestigious classic race

Graduates of the Ready to Run Sale, to be held on November 16 and 17 at Karaka, have won four Derbys since 2011.

Sangster (Savabeel), who cost $19,000 at the 2010 Sale, won the G1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington in 2011 – less than a year after his purchase.

Overall Sangster won six races and in excess of $2.1 million, more than 100 times his purchase price.

Mongolian Khan (Holy Roman Emperor) was purchased for $220,000 at the 2013 Sale.

In March and April of 2015 he became the first horse in 30 years to win both the G1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) and the G1 Australian Derby (2400m).

Victories in these coveted events plus the G1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) as a four-year-old, earned him more than $4 million in stakes and a stud career at Windsor Park Stud.

The fourth Derby win came earlier this year when $90,000 Ready to Run Sale purchase Well Done (Falkirk) came home with a brilliant finish to win the Singapore Derby (2000m) at Kranji.

Well Done recently finished second in the Kranji Mile (1600m) behind fellow Ready to Run graduate Debt Collector (Thorn Park), who also won the Singapore Guineas (1600m) and now has this season’s edition of the Derby in his sights.

Ready to Run graduates have also put together a proud record in the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), with two victories in the last three years.

The 2013 winner was Atlante (Fastnet Rock), who cost $200,000 at the 2012 Sale. He performed with distinction on both sides of the Tasman during his racing career and now stands at Mapperley Stud.

The following year’ Turn Me Loose (Iffraaj) burst clear of his opposition for a spectacular three lengths win. Purchased for $52,500 at the 2013 Sale, Turn Me Loose has now won more than $1.5 million in prizemoney courtesy of further G1 victories in the Emirates Stakes (1600m) and Futurity Stakes (1400m) in Melbourne.

Further proof that Ready to Run graduates can mix it with the best classic performers was seen in this year’s G1 Levin Classic (1600m) at Trentham.

The winner was the $65,000 Ready to Run purchase Dukedom (Bachelor Duke), who lowered the colours of both the New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner Xtravagant (Pentire) and the subsequent New Zealand Derby winner Rangipo (Stryker).

The previous year’s Levin Classic was won by another Ready to Run graduate in Gaultier (Rios).

The proud record of Ready to Run Sale graduates could be boosted further this season by the impressive Hall Of Fame (Savabeel).

The talented colt, who was purchased for $230,000 at last year’s Sale, has won three of his six starts including the Listed Zacinto Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton.

His dominant five-length victory in that event has him well placed for the G1 NZ 2000 Guineas over the same course and distance in November.

Atlante won the same lead-up race before his 2000 Guineas success.