New Zealand Bloodstock Director of Business Development Mike Kneebone is in a buoyant mood ahead of the sales company’s annual weanling sale at Karaka on Friday.

“I am pleasantly surprised. Going around, I think there are some really nice weanlings here. I think the icing on the cake is having the Valachi weanlings,” Kneebone said.

“They have got some great stock that are beautifully bred and to kick the sale off with them is going to be a very good springboard into the sale.

“There are nice horses right throughout the complex, not just in one or two drafts.

“There are a few Aussies on the ground, and I think we are going to see a lot more of them as the year goes on.

“I am pretty excited for the sale. I am cautiously optimistic, as per usual.”

The sale will be kicked-off by the Valachi Downs weanlings, which is an appetizer for the Matamata farm’s broodmare dispersal sale on Gavelhouse Plus. 

“It is more than a supplementary catalogue, it is a dispersal,” Kneebone said. 

“I think they are deserving of the position of kicking off the weanling sale, and if anyone goes and has a look at the draft they would agree with me.

“With the broodmares and race fillies coming up later on, it is a good time for people to come and have a look and see what some of those horses have thrown and give them plenty of time to head out to Valachi over the next couple of weeks and see what they have available.”

Sydney-based Kneebone is set to spend more time in New Zealand over the coming months with former NZB Sales Manager Danny Rolston set to take up a new role with the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

“There is a bit of a hole there at the moment that we are looking to fill. In the meantime, we have got an excellent team here and we have every confidence in them,” Kneebone said.

“Being based in Sydney, I am going to make my presence a little more in New Zealand, especially with the inspections coming up, I will be very involved with those. 

“It is a system that we have had up and running for years. I am looking forward to it.”

Kneebone said he is set to remain in New Zealand for the rest of the month.

“For this trip to New Zealand, I am going to stay until the end of June to catch up with a lot of people that I didn’t see earlier in the year,” he said.