Key indicators show solid gains on day 1 in 2021

The first day of Karaka 2022 - Book 1 saw solid gains in average, aggregate and median compared to the opening day of the 2021 sale. 

At the close of trading for the opening session 126 yearlings sold for a total turnover of NZ$20,042,500, an increase of 18% on the 2021 figure, while the average increased by 22% to $159,067 and the median climbed significantly by 25% from $100,000 to $125,000.

New Zealand Bloodstock's Director of Sales, Danny Rolston, was pleased with the increase in statistics.

"To have nearly every statistic up is fantastic, we would like a higher clearance rate obviously, but the turnover has been great and the push on the proven sires was there," he said. 

"We have seen a really good day for the New Zealand breeding and racing industry. A million dollars is great, we don't get a million dollar yearling every year and Savabeel has done that for us this year.

"The confidence level is really high and once the lots get above $400,000 or $500,000, what it takes is competition. You certainly need people to value them that highly, which is what we saw.

"A lot of the Australian-based New Zealanders that have come home have been so strong today. It was a huge advantage to have them here and is great to have that flavour added back into the Sale. This, coupled with the strength of our domestic buying bench, sees us anticipate another great five days of trading," Rolston added.