Strong market demand for Almanzor

Almanzor again had widespread appeal at Karaka with his youngsters finding strong favour with New Zealand buyers and were also craved by the Australian market.He had 34 youngsters go under the hammer during Book 1 at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale at an average of $131,617 with a top price of $400,000.That was outlaid by our good friend David Ellis, head of the powerful Te Akau operation, who wasn’t to be denied our filly, the first foal of Snitzel’s stakes winning daughter Bavella.“We rated her as the best Almanzor filly in the sale and to have that backed up by Snitzel and Zabeel on the dam line is hard to beat,” Ellis said.“She has plenty of quality and strength, been beautifully prepared by Cambridge Stud, and has everything in the right place.”Almanzor had a further quartet of other yearlings sell during Book 1 for $250,000 or more.Our colt out of Respin went to trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou with Andrew Williams Bloodstock for $260,000 and that figure was matched by John Foote Bloodstock for our son of Almanzor and Vanity Queen.Weighing in with successful bids of $250,000 were leading trainers Ciaron Maher and the triumvirate of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott with Chris Rutten Bloodstock.Maher bought his colt out of Carlaw Park’s draft while Waterhouse, Bott and Rutten made their successful play for our son of Almanzor and Vera Drake.