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Group One power has fuelled Cambridge Stud’s 42-strong Book 1 draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale.
The farm’s proven stallion duo of Almanzor and Hello Youmzain and exciting younger associate Sword Of State dominate the Karaka consignment.
“It’s a reflection of us backing our own with this foal crop, a representation of our own stallions and we’ve got the utmost confidence in them,” Head of Sales and Nominations Scott Calder said.
“We were happy to support them heavily and now we’re very happy with the horses we’ve got to take to the market.”
With recent graduates including Australian Group One stars Ceolwulf and El Castello, spirits at Cambridge Stud are high and further boosted off track by the hot reception Sword Of State’s first youngsters have received.
“His progeny sold above expectations at the Gold Coast off a $15,000 fee and the returns were exceptionally good,” Calder said.
That trend is expected to continue for Snitzel’s son Sword Of State at Karaka.
“Lot 628 is out of a stakes winning two-year-old (Fuld’s Bet) by I Am Invincible so he fits the mould of a really precocious colt,” Calder said.
“Lot 225 is the first foal out of a stakes performed mare (Pullyoursocksup) and it’s a successful Windsor Park family and the dam is a sister to Prince Mambo who ran second in the Manawatu Sures’ Produce (G1, 1400m) so there is precocity in the family.”
Almanzor’s stocks continue to rise and cementing his position among the leading stallions.
“For me, the benchmark of a good stallion is that five per cent stakes winners to runners and he’s running at six per cent in the Southern Hemisphere,” Calder said.
“He compares very favourably with the very best stallions here and in Australia. This crop is his first conceived at a higher fee and out of higher calibre mares.”
Calder said their draft featured an outstanding line of Almanzor fillies with rich three-year-old Classic potential.
“Lots 37, 273 and 421 are all top quality and Lot 474 is out of Bavella and that family has been so good for us in the last few years,” he said.
“This filly is out of a stakes-winning two-year-old by Snitzel and we’ve got her half-sister Vernazza, a Group Two winning juvenile, and half-brother Pinarello won the Queensland Derby (Gr.1, 2400m).
“Of the colts, two to put a circle around is the one (Lot 26) out of It’s Our Showtime and a brother to Geriatrix who was a beautiful yearling, and this horse is an imposing colt.
“The colt out of Egyptian Cross (Lot 574) is a half-brother to Red Sea who was a Group One-performed two-year-old last season.”
Hello Youmzain has made a top impression in Europe and there’s an abundance of confidence in his Southern Hemisphere prospects.
“He couldn’t have done anymore, the results from his French crop have been very encouraging with 20 first crop winners and two Group winners and one a Group One performer,” Calder said.
“It’s encouraging and from a brief glimpse in the Southern Hemisphere we’ve seen Remala an impressive Boxing Day winner and Hello Romeo is here for the Karaka Millions,” Calder said.
Among Hello Youmzain’s leading Karaka contenders is a filly whose pedigree features the multiple Australian Group One winner Regal Power.
“Lot 401 out of Western Belle is one of those really successful Bob Peters families and this filly is the best one we’ve bred out of the mare,” Calder said.
“Of the colts, Lot 280 is out of the imported mare Semillon and he’s a very athletic horse who looks more of a three-year-old type.
“Hello Youmzain’s best horse in Europe is Misunderstood who won a Group Three over a mile and he’s out of a stout family and I think Hello Youmzain will get some lovely middle-distance horses,” Calder said.
“All in all, we’re really excited about the sale with some really nice horses to present and there’s plenty to be excited about on the local racing scene with the prize money levels.
“We’re in a more fortunate position than we’ve been in for a long time.”
