Horse racing: Virtual reality – Ready to Run and sure to attract attention – New Zealand Herald

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16 Nov, 2021 07:38 AM3 minutes to read

Sale at Te Rapa because of Covid travel restrictions. Photo / File.

READY TO RUN

What: The world's premier two-year-olds in training sale.Where: Te Rapa, Hamilton and onlineWhen: 1pm Wednesday and ThursdayWho: 260 two-year-old thoroughbreds by a range of world class stallions.Watch: http://www.nzb.co.nz, NZB's Facebook page or Freeview channel 200

By Michael Guerin

Ask any of the agents working at the Ready To Run virtual sale which starts at Te Rapa today what to expect and the answer is the same.

"The good lots will sell well, they always do," says leading agent Bruce Perry.

"Sure, it is different not having the sale at Karaka and having horses on the grounds for people to view but people still want good horses and the same better lots will probably be on most people's lists."

The two-day sale has been moved to Te Rapa because of the Covid travel restrictions at the Auckland border so there will be no overseas buyers present.

There will still be a live auction with agents, buyers and vendors present but plenty of the bidding will be online, either from other areas of New Zealand or for the most sought-after lots from overseas.

That thought would have been daunting 18 months ago but New Zealand Bloodstock has developed the world's premier online bidding platform while Covid has meant purchasing horses online in other timezones is almost the new normal for many in the thoroughbred industry.

With this Ready To Run sale having produced group one winners from Caulfield Cups to Hong Kong Miles, there will no shortage of demand from Asia and Australia, where there seems to be an almost unquenchable thirst for good gallopers as stakes continue to skyrocket.

15 Nov, 2021 05:44 AMQuick Read

The reality is many of those buyers, particularly the ones with the firepower to secure lots north of $400,000, end up looking at the same horses.

"The buyers who buy at top end at this sales regularly have their established criteria and they will tend to gravitate to lots by certain stallions," says Perry.

"So those horses will take care of themselves and sell well.

"What might be more of a struggle are some of the horses without quite as strong a page (pedigree) who might have been spec buys from agents or trainers on the grounds had we been at a normal sale at Karaka.

"That is the end of the market affected by something like this but there is nothing anybody can do about it." Because horses will not be onsite over the next two days those late buying choices, and you would be surprised how often they happen, will lessen but the need for earlier research has been understood by agents and trainers.

There were far more of both present at recent on farm inspections of the 260 two-year-olds to be sold, with many lots then undergoing veterinary examinations as potential buyers refine their lists.

While the top end of the market will take care of itself in the next two days there are bound to be bargains at the lower end the market as vendors work out whether to retain the horses and try to grow their worth at the trials or races or take a price lower than they would like.

Coverage of the sale begins online at 12.30pm today.

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Horse racing: Virtual reality - Ready to Run and sure to attract attention - New Zealand Herald