b4breeding

A great sunshiney day and a good turnout at Alabar’s Waiau Pa property.  You’d have to be a bigger risk taker than I am to pinhook in the current economic climate, particularly weanlings that are from okay but not recently performing families, and you would need to look for potential to develop into a standout individual over the next 10 months, regardless of breeding. That’s a real gift! However weanling sales do offer the opportunity for owner/trainers to pick up something at a very reasonable cost and have a go. The cheaper initial cost takes some of the pressure off and gives leeway to let them develop at their own pace. Kym (who has an eye for young horses and their potential that I will never have) has bought three weanling fillies from the Alabar draft over the past couple of years, and all are developing nicely. It was interesting to see their half sisters/brothers as part of this year’s weanling draft.

I did my usual first walk around the weanlings “blind” i.e. picking out what appeals on type before I know what the breeding is.  I don’t judge on size until I can check the foaling dates, as there were some very early and several late foals in the mix.

Lot 32, Art Major-Heather Laurique filly

Overall, I came up with number 32, an Art Major filly out of Heather Laurique as my top choice – she’s a December foal and so lacks size but was attractive, nicely proportioned, lovely neck and head. She had a spring and energy about her – an athletic type (photo).  I would not normally seek out Art Majors as a personal preference, so it was interesting to find I’d picked her! At the other end of the spectrum in looks, but almost as appealing to me, was number 8, a Real Desire filly out of an American bred mare. A late October foal, she was already showing size and had good strong body and legs, but I reckon she will go through a tall and lanky stage before maturing and probably not a truly early type even though she might get up and running at 2. Compared to 32 she was a plain type, but from the brief encounter I would say she’d have a good temperament.  Number 4 is the Santanna Blue Chip filly out of Alta Magari I mentioned in my last blog – she was smaller than I expected although not a late foal – the dam’s influence perhaps, but very correct.

Lot 21, Shadow Play-Dunbeath colt

Of the colts, I’d take home number 16, a lovely compact but strong looking Grin, and number 21 a Shadow Play out of a Falcon Seelster mare. But there were several colts – and particularly some of the Santanna Blue Chips – that were very appealing.

In fact the overall impression of the Santanna Blue Chip weanlings was  favourable. I thought they looked good correct types, straight in the leg, decent length of body and upstanding.

Lot 25 Shadow Play – Esha colt

Shadow Plays were also on my list to check out on type – overall they looked a finer,  perhaps athletic type. Not leaping out at me in the same way that most of the Santanna Blue Chips did. Number 25 was a stockier, more solid type and an earlier foal than some of the other Shadow Plays. He has thrown in markings to his damsire Elsu (including a blaze) and perhaps Elsu mares will give a bit more ‘solid body’ to their foals.

The sale itself is on this Sunday 20 May when offerings from Woodlands and others will join these weanlings – and of course some mixed aged horses/broodmares.

We are not buying this year, and I may not make it to Karaka this time, but I welcome any comments and observations from those who do.