It’s going to be really interesting to see how NZB’s new catalogue structure is going to pan out. What appears to have happened is that Book 1 has become even more attractive for the sort of buyers who constitute the major part of my client base – trainers who are keen to find value for money yearlings for their owners. However, I do suspect that yearlings which appear in Books 2 and 3 are going to struggle and that passings may well be quite high. Let’s hope I’m wrong.
Making selections from Book 1 was the most challenging task I have had since beginning these analyses in 1997. As always, there is a range of lots which you quickly label as “too expensive for New Zealand racing”, but there are hundreds of yearlings with strong pedigrees which are very difficult to discriminate between.
For those of you who haven’t bought an analysis before, I rank yearlings on a value for money basis. A+ yearlings are those with pedigrees which, in my opinion, are significantly better than a quick perusal of the catalogue page would indicate; however, to be an A+, the yearling must also have a reasonable chance of being buyable for a sensible sum. This year there are three A+ Book 1 colts and seven fillies (a record number). If you’re looking for a filly with a strong chance of acquiring significant residual value, this is the year to buy.
Yearlings which gain an A rating are those whose pedigrees aren’t quite as impressive to my way of thinking, or which could possibly bring more money than they are worth. (Yes, there’s an awful lot of opinion involved here and valuing yearlings without actually seeing them is a challenging task). This year I have found 12 A colts and 15 A fillies.
As you’ll have got the point by now, you’ll understand how I select yearlings which I label B+. In the Book 1 catalogue, I’ve found 14 B+ colts and 23 B+ fillies. It’s also worth mentioning that I deliberately do not go to www.nzb.co.nz to see what the yearlings I have chosen actually look like and also that I exclude yearlings for which I have done the matings myself. This year there are three such Book 1 yearlings: Lots 568, 569 and 581.
I charge $450+GST for each of the Book 1 colts and fillies, $200 +GST for each of the Book 2 selections and $150+GST for each of the Book 3. Discounts are available for multiple purchases. Buyers of any analysis are entitled to any further advice they may want on that section of the sale. There’s no charge for such additional advice
