The first crop of our young resident stallion Sword Of State received a warm welcome from the buying bench at Karaka.The Group 1-winning son of Snitzel had nine youngsters sell at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Weanling Sale for $347,000 at an average of $38,556 with a top price of $75,000.

Raptors Thoroughbreds secured the highest-priced offering, Lot 134, who was offered by Curraghmore with the colt a son of the multiple winner and group performer Bella’s Court.Raptors also went to $50,000 for Sword Of State’s son, Lot 104, who was presented by Highline Thoroughbreds and is out of a half-sister to the G1 Schweppes Oaks winer Princess Jenni.Our shuttle stallion Almanzor only had two weanlings go under the hammer and Merrick Staunton signed for Lot 126 from Haunui Farm’s draft for $100,000 on behalf of Hong Kong interests.

The colt is a half-brother to the dual winner and stakes placegetter Alchemia while Lyndhurst Farm went to $47,500 for Seaton Park’s Lot 14, whose dam is a half-sister to the G3 Metric Mile winner Gypsy Fair.Hello Youmzain also had two go under the hammer with GTS Bloodstock parting with $44,000 for Lot 81, the Hallmark Stud-offered grandson of the multiple Group 1 winner Katie Lee.

An impressive international pedigree was to the fore at Wangaratta where Guarded Optimist made the perfect start to his career.The son of our triple Group 1-winning shuttle stallion Almanzor and the English-bred Hurricane Run mare A Shower Of Roses was sent out favourite and duly delivered at the first time of asking over 1300 metres.Trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, the three-year-old jumped well to sit in fifth spot near the rail before angling into the clear at the top of the straight and finished off determinedly.“I was able to manoeuvre off the fence and move into it and he was tough to the line,” successful rider Ben Allen said.“He’s got a of improvement to come and I think he’s in for a good prep.”Guarded Optimist was originally purchased out of breeder Valachi Downs’ draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale by Brooks Farm for $150,000.He then changed hands again for the same price when reoffered by KB Bloodstock at the Ready to Run Sale with Freedman Racing and Julian Blaxland Bloodstock signing the ticket.Guarded Optimist’s dam is a half-sister to the G3 Lillie Langtry Stakes winner Gravitation and the family of two-time Group 1 winners Fame And Glory and Legatissimo.

New Level added a first Queensland victory to his previous success in Victoria when he romped home at Doomben.The son of Almanzor broke his maiden for Tony and Calvin McEvoy before relocating to Kelly Schweida’s Eagle Farm operation.“It’s a good result and all of his runs here have been good, apart from Ipswich, and he certainly won well and it will do his confidence the world of good,” Schweida said.Raced by breeders Ron and Judy Wanless, New Level settled in behind the pace on the fence and once into the clear the four-year-old surged clear to space his rivals over 1650 metres in the hands of Ryan Maloney.“You wouldn’t get a better-looking horse and he’s got the sweetest nature, he’s a ripper,” Schweida said.New Level is a son of the Zabeel mare Honeymoon, who is out of the dual stakes winner Bridal Hill with the second dam Stormy Hill adding an international flavour as the winner of the G2 South African Oaks.