Curraghmore’s prize lot on the second day of the select sale at Karaka today was knocked down to leading Sydney trainer Anthony Cummings for $150,000.
The Tale Of The Cat colt is out of the winning Zabeel mare Rizal from the family of Gr 1 performer Khamacruz.
Cambridge-based agent Ginger Tankard went to $90,000 to secure the son of Storming Home while Victorian horseman Pat Carey landed the Oratorio colt for $85,000
“The market was definitely stronger today and reflected the quality of stock on offer – we were very happy with our business,” Gordon Cunningham said.

Today’s sales:

Fusaichi Pegasus-Poetique colt $80,000
Dubawi-Rachel Marie $5000
Tale Of The Cat-Rizal colt $150,000
Tiger Hill-Ruppertsburg colt $45,000
Storming Home-There’s No Doubt $90,000
Stravinsky-Thousand Veils filly $30,000
Oratorio-Vanity Time colt $85,000

The best is yet to come from Curraghmore's select session draft.
The stud's Golan colt from the family of Australian Gr 1 winner St Clemens Belle topped their opening day line-up at $75,000.
"The sale was a bit patchy early on but we sold all bar one and we're looking forward to a good day of trade tomorrow," Gordon Cunningham said.
They will offer five colts and two fillies tomorrow.

Today's sales:

Johar-Honourable colt $20,000
Magic Albert-Little Tee filly $30,000
Black Minnaloushe-Miss Fonteyn colt $55,000
Golan-Nadia colt $75,000

Curraghmore ended the premier session of NZ Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale at Karaka as a top three vendor.
They sold 17 lots over the two days for $4,177,500 at an average of $245,735 to be the third leading vendor n both divisions.
Curraghmore’s top-priced lot on the opening day was $650,000 the Redoute’s Choice-Sarah Vee filly.
The daughter of Fastnet Rock and Cast Your Fate was the day two topper at $450,000.

Day two Curraghmore sales:

General Nediym-Belle Femme filly $175,000
Elusive Quality-Breeze Hill filly $62,500
Fastnet Rock-Cast Your Fate $450,000
Encosta De Lago-Danzanta filly $200,000
Pins-Delgatie Queen colt $250,000

Gordon Cunningham paid tribute to the outstanding team effort of Curraghmore at the close of the two-day premier sale.
It continued the stud's proud selling record in the top flight at Karaka.
"It was a huge achievement by everybody concerned and for the second year in a row we were in the top three vendors on average and aggregate," he said.
"We were delighted with the quality of horses we had to offer and it came to fruition with very good prices."
Cunningham said the overall sale results from NZ Bloodstock's premier session were exceptionnal.
"People have to remember the 2008 sale was an extraordinary one and figures from the last two days are only down five per cent on 2007 - that doesn't really reflect the recession.
"It's been a grand sale and all credit to everybody concerned."

Curraghmore's confidence in their premier draft was rewarded on the opening day of NZ Bloodstock's National Yearling Sale at Karaka.
They ended the session as the leading vendor by average and second on aggregate.
Curraghmore sold 10 lots at an average of $288,000 for a total of $2,880,000 with a top price of $650,000 for the Redoute's Choice-Sarah Vee filly.
"While there was apprehension before the sale with the current economic climate we were always confident we had a very good line-up of horses with plenty of quality so we weren't surprised we had such a good sale," Gordon Cunningham said.
"The strength of the competition augurs well for the select session in which we've got our best draft for years."

Curraghmore sales

Encosta de Lago-Howkudai colt $400,000
Danehill Dancer-Little Dorrit colt $260,000
Johannesburg-Love All colt $80,000
Fastnet Rock-Lute colt $250,000
Encosta de Lago-Miss Helga colt $360,000
Stravinsky-Pretty Wicked filly 80,000
Encosta de lago-Rose Pompadour colt $290,000
Redoute's Choice-Sarah Vee filly $650,000
Stravinsky-Sea Of Faith filly $260,000
Danehill Dancer-Snapdragon colt $250,000

Experience will combine with youth when Fully Fledged chases his second career Gr 1 title in Saturday’s $1 million Telegraph Handicap.
Internationally-successful jockey Jeff Lloyd will partner the Curraghmore graduate in the feature sprint at Trentham.
Lloyd has readily accepted the call to ride the Align colt, winner of last season’s Gr 1 Ford Diamond Stakes at Ellerslie..
Fully Fledged completed his Telegraph preparation with a sound last-start second in the Listed Newmarket Handicap.
Cambridge trainers Murray and Bjorn Baker have been thrilled by the three-year-old’s progress since his Boxing Day outing.
Fully Fledged was originally to have been ridden by Stephen Baster at Trentham, but a family illness will prevent him from fulfilling the engagement.

The connections of the unbeaten filly Singa Lass will be in for another healthy collect if she can continue her winning ways next time out at Ellerslie.
The Curraghmore-raised three-year-old has been set for a $40,000 special conditions event on January 25.
“We’d really like to pull that off and it would double her stake-money, which would be tremendous,” said John Ralph, who prepares Singa Lass at Te Rapa with his son Stephen.
“We’ve got great owners and they give us a free hand so it would be great to win it for them.”
Singa Lass, who has already banked nearly $25,000 from her two wins, is raced by Curraghmore clients Dick Draper, of Hamilton, and his brother George, who resides in Australia.
The daughter of Danasinga won on debut at Te Rapa last month and was again successful at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.

Knife Edge looked a three-year-old with plenty of upside about him when he coasted to the first success of his brief career at Tauranga today.
He now has a win and a runner-up finish in three appearances from Richard Collett’s Pukekohe Park stable.
Collett purchased Knife Edge for $15,000 out of Curraghmore’s 2007 Festival Sale draft at Karaka.
By Daggers Drawn, the bay is out of the winning Al Akbar mare Elemosa, who is from an internationally-performed family.

The Embassy took a serious step toward the Gr 1 New Zealand Derby with an impressive winning debut at Te Aroha.
He accounted for a competitive maiden line-up in his raceday debut for Cambridge trainers Mark Donohue and Tony Pike.
The son of Danasinga is part-owned by racecaller Bruce Sherwin, who bought the colt for $100,000 from Curraghmore’s Ready to Run Sale draft last year.
The Embassy is out of the Lake Coniston mare Scotch And Water, a half-sister to six-time Gr 1 winner Horlicks.

Willy Smith continued his impressive comeback from injury to finish a close second in the Gr 1 Zabeel Classic at Ellerslie.
In only his third run back after a ligament problem, the former Wellington Cup winner beat all bar Gallions Reach in the weight-for-age feature.
Willy Smith was originally bought out of Curraghmore’s 2003 draft at the Select Colts Yearling Sale for $38,000 by Cambridge horseman Richard Dee.
The son of Volksraad is being prepared for another shot at the Wellington Cup at Trentham on January 24.

Fully Fledged did his prospects of adding another Gr 1 victory to his record no harm when a meritorious second in the Listed Newmarket Handicap at Ellerslie.
The Curraghmore graduate produced a game front-running effort against the older horses in his final trial for the $1 million Telegraph Handicap at Trentham next month.
The Ellerslie Sires’ Produce Stakes and Listed Sarten Memorial winner was a $38,000 purchase from Curraghmore’s Carnival Sale draft for owners Alistair Sutherland, Tony Timpson and Peter Walker.

Bibulous’ impressive win against a highly-competitive field in the Curraghmore Stud Premier special conditions handicap at Te Rapa provided a fitting result for both the winning connections and the sponsor.
The progressive Faltaat gelding is raced by her prominent breeders Peter and Philip Vela, of NZ Bloodstock and Pencarrow Stud, and the brothers have enjoyed a long and successful association with Gordon Cunningham’s Curraghmore Stud.
Together, they have been co-breeders of a number of successful performers, included among the current crop are the talented fillies The Beckett and Missarooy Belle.
The Beckett was an impressive winner at her two-year-old debut at Avondale where she was unextended to beat The Lady, a subsequent dual stakes winner.
Matamata trainer Andrew Scott rates the Spartacus filly highly and is confident she will progress through to the top division.
“For sheer speed she would probably be the fastest horse I’ve ever trained,” he said.
The Beckett was unplaced at her only other start, but Scott wasn’t disappointed.
“She needs a break and I’ve turned her out – she’ll be back in the late autumn,” he said.
“It’s just immaturity and she is going to develop into a very, very good sprinter.”
The Beckett was sold through Curraghmore’s Select Yearling Sale draft at Karaka earlier this year for $230,000.
She was purchased by Matamata-based agent Ric Wylie on behalf of Christchurch owner Kevin Hickman.
The Beckett is out of the Irish-bred Bigstone mare Enchanting, a three-quarter sister to Gr 1 Hong Kong Champions & Chater Cup winner Privilege (Last Tycoon).
Missarooy Belle was purchased out of Curraghmore’s Select Sale draft at Karaka last year for $20,000 and has two wins and a debut second from four appearances.
She was unplaced last time out in the Gr 3 Eulogy Stakes at Awapuni, where she finished only six lengths from the winner after the handicap of jumping from the outside gate.
By Van Nistelrooy, Missarooy Belle is out of a winning half-sister by Jetball to Gr 2 Grand Prix Stakes winner Finezza Belle.
She also won twice at Gr 3 level in the Sir Bryne Hart Stakes and Hawke’s Bay Cup and was Gr 1 placed in the Queensland Derby
Missarooy Belle’s staying background will stand her in good stead for her major three-year-old mission.
“She’s nominated for the New Zealand Oaks and that’s her long-term goal,” Riccarton trainer Shane Kennedy said.
“She’s a lovely filly with an outstanding temperament.”

New Zealand Derby hopeful Coup Anabaa furthered his classic quest on his home track this week when he maintained his unbeaten record.
The Curraghmore Stud-born and raised three-year-old is now undefeated in two appearances from Michael Pitman’s Riccarton yard.
“We’ll look at the Gore, Dunedin and Southland Guineas and take it from there,” Pitman said.
“He’s a lovely horse with a lot of untapped ability.”
Pitman has taken a patient approach with Coup Anabaa and is now reaping the rewards
“He’s learning all the time after we had a lot of issues with him,” he said.
“He had a lot of trouble with the barriers and before he trialled he went to the gates 10 days out of 14.
“At that stage we hadn’t wound him up and he then ran second and won two trials impressively.”
Coup Anabaa could also be part of a team Pitman is considering taking to Queensland next year.
The son of Anabaa is raced by his long-time friend and stable client Ray Coupland and his partner Jill Walls.
The three-year-old is out of the Australian-bred mare Nimble Feet, who won three races and ran fifth in the Golden Slipper in 1997.
She was purchased in foal on Coupland’s behalf by Curraghmore studmaster Gordon Cunningham at a Sydney Easter Sale.

Bold chestnut Fully Fledged is on target to add to his Gr 1 record for Curraghmore Stud in tomorrow’s NZ 1000 Guineas at Riccarton.
The Ohaupo Farm graduate was one of last season’s top juveniles with victory in the Ellerslie Sires’ Produce Stakes.
Fully Fledged was a $38,000 purchase from Curraghmore’s Carnival Sale draft last year for owners Alistair Sutherland, Tony Timpson and Peter Walker.
He showed himself to be in grand form for Riccarton’s $1 million feature when an impressive last-start winner of the Listed Sarten Memorial.
The Align colt put paid to Guineas rivals Altered Image and the previously unbeaten Kildonan at Te Rapa.
Fully Fledged went to the line strongly over the 1400 metres, suggesting a metric mile was well within his capabilities.
His Cambridge trainers Murray and Bjorn Baker have no doubt he is capable of a strong 1600 metres.
Fully Fledged’s success has continued the good form of Curraghmore Stud graduates on both sides of the Tasman this spring.
In Australia, the farm has been represented by quality three-year-olds Sousa and Pre Eminence.
By Galileo out of the Last Tycoon mare Liberty Song, Sousa was triumphant in the Gr 1 Spring Champion Stakes.
Bred by Lars Pearson, Sousa was originally sold through Curraghmore’s 2006 National Weanling Sale draft at Karaka.
The colt made $150,000 and was purchased by Mark and Shelly Treweek’s Lyndhurst Farm.
He proved a shrewd investment as the Cambridge couple subsequently sold him for $A420,000 at the Inglis Easter Sale the following year to Woodlands Stud.
Pre Eminence won the Gr 2 Norman Robinson Stakes before placing in the Gr 1 VRC Derby.
The son of Encosta De Lago was bought by Caulfield trainer Mick Price from Curraghmore’s Premier session draft at last year’s National Sale at Karaka for $320,000.
Guillotine has flown the Curraghmore flag among the older brigade with his victory in the Gr 2 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes, in which he accounted for five Gr 1 winners.
The Montjeu four-year-old was a $300,000 Premier Yearling Sale purchase from Curraghmore’s 2006 draft by Les Samba.
Guillotine is a half-brother to dual Gr 1 winner Efficient (VRC Derby, Melbourne Cup).

Curraghmore Stud will present a small but select draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale at Karaka on November 18 and 19.
The successful Ohaupo farm will offer four well-credentialled lots comprised of three colts and a gelding.
Lot 320 Bay gelding Johar-Axislass
From the first crop of the Breeders’ Cup Turf and Hollywood Derby winner Johar, the youngster is out of a Straight Strike mare. She is a sister to the juvenile winner and Gr 2 Maribyrnong Plate runner-up Samudera-Oryx Empire (Malaysia) and is the dam of multiple Australian winner Ernie’s Molly. It is the family of Reno Belle (Gr 2 Championship Stakes, Gr 3 Champagne Stakes, Gr 3 Ladies Mile, Gr 3 Royal Stakes, Listed Tristarc Stakes) and Cajun (Gr 1 Middle Park Stakes, Gr 3 Greenham Stakes)..
Lot 373 Chestnut colt Pentire-Cutie Lisa
Pentire is a proven Gr 1 performer and this colt is out of the Japanese-bred mare Cutie Lisa, a three-time winner and dam of two winners in her homeland. She is by highly-successful sire and prolific broodmare sire Northern Taste. The pedigree has an obviously strong international flavour and features US Gr 1 and dual Gr 2 winner Lost Mountain and Gr 3 winners Don’t Be Late Jim and A V Eight.
Lot 385 Bay colt Howbaddouwantit-Diamond Dust
A two-year-old half-brother to two winners, including the talented sprinter Anuthahorse, his dam is a half-sister by Jetball to stakes-performers King Rautai (Listed Brisbane Handicap) and St Rautai (Gr 2 Wellington, Avondale Guineas placegetter, 4th Gr 1 NZ 2000 Guineas). The family also features former top-rated filly Kalmia-Knight’s Folly (NZ), winner of 18 races.
Lot 419 Bay colt Zabeel-Flushed
The son of champion sire Zabeel is a half-brother to the Australian stakes performer Bold Moment. Their dam, by Redding, was the winner of six races, including the Gr 2 Sunline Stakes, Gr 3 Matriarch Stakes and the Listed Let’s Elope Stakes. It is a strong black-type family with Flushed’s grand-dam Come On Lady a stakes-winner and Gr 1 placed in the South Australian Oaks. Gr 3 South African winner Silky Dancer also features.

Pre Eminence continued his rise to the top when the lightly-tried Curraghmore Stud graduate finished a brave third in the Gr 1 VRC Derby at Flemington.
In only his seventh raceday start, the Encosta De Lago colt was tardily away and closed from well back in the field for his placing.
At his previous appearance, Pre Eminence had given a powerful display of front-running to win the Gr 2 Norman Robinson Stakes at Caulfield.
He is trained at Caulfield by leading conditioner Mick Price, who selected him from Curraghmore’s Premier draft at last year’s National Sale at Karaka.
Price went to $320,000 to secure the youngster, who hails from an internationally-successful female family.
Pre Eminence is out of the unraced American-bred Silver Hawk mare Lady Silver Hawk.
She is a three-quarter sister to both triple US Gr 1 winner Hawkster and to Gr 3 Prix de la Grotte winner Silver Lane, the dam of dual Japanese Gr 1 winner and successful sire Black Hawk.

Fully Fledged continued the hot run of spring success for Curraghmore Stud graduates when he put paid to a competitive line-up in the Listed James & Annie Sarten Memorial.

The Align colt was a dominant winner with a performance that augured well for the upcoming Gr 1 $1 million NZ 2000 Guineas at Riccarton.

Fully Fledged was ridden off the pace at Te Rapa by David Walsh and comfortably picked up ground across the top.

They jogged up to the leaders 300 metres from home and coasted clear to beat Altered Image by a length and a-quarter with the previously undefeated Kildonnan third.

Cambridge co-trainer Murray Baker said Fully Fledged had won untouched and he was confident the colt would have no trouble with the Guineas trip of 1600 metres.

He was a $38,000 purchase from Curraghmore’s Carnival Sale draft last year for owners Alistair Sutherland, Tony Timpson and Peter Walker.

Out of a Bluebird mare, Fully Fledged has now won three of his 10 starts, including last season’s Gr 1 Ford Diamond Stakes at Ellerslie.

The Curraghmore influence has also been felt in Australia this spring with graduates starring against top-level competition.

Sousa (Gr 1 Spring Champion Stakes), Guillotine (Gr 2 John Feehan Stakes) and Pre Eminence (Gr 2 Norman Robinson Stakes) have all been to the fore.

A $320,000 Premier session buy for trainer Mick Price from Curraghmore’s 2007 Karaka draft, Pre Eminence will run in next Saturday’s Gr 1 VRC Derby.

He will attempt to follow last year’s winning lead of Efficient, yet another Curraghmore graduate, who will chase consecutive Gr 1 wins in next week’s Melbourne Cup.

Curraghmore Stud’s prospects of further success in the Gr 1 VRC Derby were boosted by Pre Eminence’s lead-up victory at Caulfield.
The farm’s sales graduate gave a strong front-running performance to win the Gr 2 Norman Robinson Stakes last weekend.
Pre Eminence will now attempt to emulate Curraghmore star and 2006 Derby winner Efficient.
The son of Zabeel, who will bid to defend his Melbourne Cup title next month, was born, reared and sold by the stud.
Pre Eminence was purchased from Curraghmore’s Premier session draft at last year’s National Sale at Karaka for $320,000.
By champion sire Encosta De Lago, he went to the bid of top Caulfield trainer Mick Price.
Pre Eminence is out of the unraced Silver Hawk mare Lady Silver Hawk, who is a three-quarter sister to triple US Gr 1 winner Hawkster.
It is also the family of dual Japanese Gr 1 winner and successful sire Black Hawk.
Pre Eminence has now won two of his six starts for Price, who has described him as a tough, sound, young horse and a genuine staying three-year-old.

High-profile trainer David Hayes has tipped Curraghmore Stud graduate Guillotine as his best chance of another Caulfield Cup victory this weekend.
Hayes has given the four-year-old the nod over stablemates Kibbutz (VRC Derby) and Zagreb (Naturalism Stakes) in Saturday’s Gr 1 feature.
Guillotine, who began his career with David Payne in Sydney, was bought for $300,000 by Les Samba out of Curraghmore’s Premier draft at Karaka in 2006.
The son of Montjeu was transferred to Hayes’ yard this season and has won two of his four starts from his new quarters.
Guillotine was successful first time out over 1300 metres and then defeated five Gr 1 winners in the Gr 2 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes.
He followed up with a fifth in the Gr 1 Turnbull Stakes and last time out was a close-up third in the Gr 1 Yalumba Stakes.
Guillotine will drop to 51.5kg at Caulfield where Craig Williams will again take the mount.
Hayes has previously won the cup with Fraar (1993) and import Tawqeet (2006) and this week said he had more pre-race confidence in Guillotine that he had in Tawqeet.
Guillotine will attempt to add further Gr 1 honours to his family’s role of honour following half-brother Efficient’s VRC Derby and Melbourne Cup successes.
Efficient has made ground well for fifth in the Gr 2 Makybe Diva Stakes and for seventh in the Turnbull in his last two appearances.
The John Sadler-trained Zabeel gelding is currently co-favourite in his quest to retain his Melbourne Cup title.

Showy chestnut The Beckett added performance to her pedigree when she showed an impressive turn of foot to win on debut today at Avondale.
Bred by Curraghmore Stud with NZ Bloodstock principals Peter and Philip Vela, the Spartacus filly was unextended to score by a length and three-quarters.
She was sold through Curraghmore’s Select Yearling Sale draft at Karaka earlier this year for $230,000.
The Beckett was purchased by Matamata-based agent Ric Wylie on behalf of Christchurch owner Kevin Hickman.
She is out of the Irish-bred Bigstone mare Enchanting, a three-quarter sister to Gr 1 Hong Kong Champions & Chater Cup winner Privilege (Last Tycoon).
The Beckett is held in high regard by Matamata trainer Andrew Scott, who was supremely confident of a bold first-up performance.
He will now plot a path toward the Karaka Million at Ellerslie in January with the filly.