Lot 102 may not be the biggest seller on the opening day of the Premier Yearling Sale, but it will be an historic moment nonetheless.
The colt out of Organdy from Cambridge Stud’s draft being sold on Monday is the last yearling to go through the ring by Zabeel, the dominant sire in New Zealand through the late 1990s and 2000s.
Cambridge Stud’s Sir Patrick Hogan ended Zabeel’s active duties in late 2013 after he had difficulty getting any mares in foal, and the Organdy colt is one of just two yearlings going through the ring at the Karaka sales complex, south of Auckland.
Zabeel was a worthy successor to his champion sire Sir Tristram at Cambridge Stud, siring 44 group one winners and winning two Australian sires’ titles, three New Zealand sires’ titles and the Dewar Trophy for Australasian earnings for a NZ-based sire 15 times.
He also provided numerous highlights at the Karaka sale ring, including the sale of a subsequent Australian Derby winner Don Eduardo for a then-Australasian record price of $3.6 million.
Also likely to be in hot demand are the progeny of outstanding Waikato Stud sires Savabeel, a son of Zabeel, and O’Reilly, who died recently.
There are also 16 horses by Australia’s leading sire Fastnet Rock and three by Australia’s second-leading sire Redoute’s Choice.
The Premier Sale runs on Monday and Tuesday.
