Leading vendor Curraghmore was to the fore in New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Online Yearling Sale on Gavelhouse Plus on Wednesday night, selling five of their six yearlings, highlighted by their sale-topping filly, lot 18.

The Sword Of State filly is a half-sister to Group Three winner Force Of Will and stakes performer Smooth Operator, and attracted plenty of interest, with the virtual gavel coming down to the $70,000 bid of Japan’s Golden Orchid Brothers Inc.

Curraghmore sold three of the five top-priced lots, with lot 29, the Satono Aladdin filly out of stakes winner Tabata, selling to Stephen Marsh and Dylan Johnson for $55,000, while lot 37, the Ocean Park gelding out of Vendella, a half-sister to Group One winner Rollout The Carpet, was purchased by Tony Pike for $41,000.

Curraghmore principal Gordon Cunningham was pleased with his farm’s sale results.

“We were confident that we were offering yearlings that physically were up to our usual Karaka standard,” Cunningham said.

“On farm inspection levels were good with genuine enquiries from overseas also. There was competitive bidding for sure. That said, I feel our horses have been bought at value.

“It’s been a good sale, so thank you and all the best to everyone who bid and purchased from us.” 

New Zealand Bloodstock’s Sales Manager Kane Jones was thankful to both vendors and buyers for their patience with the sale after it was delayed by a day following a cyberattack on Tuesday.

“We would like to thank both our vendors and our buyers for their patience and understanding after a frustrating experience on the Tuesday night,” he said.

“It was very pleasing to see the momentum from Karaka 2026 roll into this session, with significant increases across the aggregate, average and median.

“This speaks to the quality that was on offer and the flow on effect of a strong Karaka Summer Sale.

“The Karaka Millions eligibility continues to be a fantastic drawcard for this sale and we look forward to following these graduates on the racetrack and potentially seeing the next Well Written emerge.”

Unbeaten filly Well Written was purchased by trainer Stephen Marsh and his racing manager Dylan Johnson out of Brighthill Farm’s 2024 NZB Online Yearling Sale draft for $80,000, and she has gone on to win all six of her starts this season, including the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) and $4 million NZB Kiwi (1500m).

All yearlings purchased are eligible to be nominated for NZB’s lucrative Karaka Millions Series and can compete for a share of the $1 million TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), the $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) as well as the NZB Mega Maiden Series. Entries close Monday 4 May 2026.