For a thoroughbred auction house to have longevity, it must have success with its graduates on the racetrack. As we reflect on one hundred years of the National Yearling Sales Series in New Zealand, this book pays homage to the talent that emerged from each sale, highlighting the alumnus with the most glittering racing career.

The sheer caliber of the New Zealand thoroughbred that has consistently been brought to market at the National Yearling Sales Series across the span of a century is quite spectacular. Check out the best performed graduates from the 1927 - 1936 sales below.

The full printed copy of this catalogue of best performers will be availble to purchase online soon at shop.nzb.co.nz and at the Pop Up Store during Karaka 2026.

1927: CONCENTRATE (Lot 12)

**Concentrate**

Kilbroney — Oratress, Colt
Breeder — S.J. Gibbons
Vendor — S.J. Gibbons, Marton
Purchaser — H.B. Lorigan (as agent), Wellington
Purchase Price — 800gns
Top Price — 1025gns

Lot 12 at the inaugural 1927 National Yearling Sale was bred by Samuel Gibbons, a hotel proprietor and keen sportsman who bred and raced the colt’s dam Oratress, the 1920 New Zealand Cup winner. A practice adopted by many prominent owners at the time, Mr Gibbons raced his horses under the assumed name of “Mr F. Preston”. The colt was purchased by trainer H. B. Lorigan for 800gns on behalf of Mr R. J. Murphy, a Wellington brick and pipes industrialist and later Wellington Racing Club Committeeman. Given that the average was 558gns he must have been considered one of the more desirable lots.

A testing season at two saw Concentrate break his maiden on Boxing Day and finish third in the autumn in the 1928 CJC Champagne Stakes (L) and the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (L).

Shipped to Sydney at three he won a highweight at Rosehill before returning to New Zealand where he recorded wins in the 1929 WRC New Zealand St Leger (Gr.2), and the ARC Great Northern St Leger (Gr.2). Placings at four in the WRC Harcourt Cup (Gr.2), AJC Metropolitan Hcp (Gr.1) and the CJC Canterbury Gold Cup (Gr.2) preceded taking out the 1929 Auckland Cup (Gr.1) and the Wellington Cup (Gr.1) by two lengths.

In Sydney at five, Concentrate did not win but was twice third to Phar Lap. Returning home he finished second in both the 1930 CJC New Zealand Cup (Gr.1) and CJC Canterbury Gold Cup (Gr.2) to the champion Nightmarch. Returning to Ellerslie for the Auckland Cup (Gr.1) he ran third and ended his season with a third in the 1931 ARC Clifford Plate (Gr.2). The spring of 1931 yielded a handicap win in Sydney, plus a third in Randwick’s AJC Metropolitan Hcp (Gr.1). A second to Phar Lap, in the VRC Melbourne Stakes (L) preceded a courageous third in the 1931 VRC Melbourne Cup (Gr.1).

Back home at seven, he finished third in the 1932 CJC New Zealand Cup (Gr.1) plus recorded a winning double at that Riccarton carnival, the CJC Metropolitan Hcp being the last of his 11 wins.

1928: PHAR LAP (Lot 41)

**Phar Lap**

Night Raid — Entreaty, Colt
Breeder — A.F. Roberts
Vendor — Seadown Stud, Timaru
Purchaser — David J. Davis, Sydney
Purchase Price — 160gns
Top Price — 2300gns

One of the most famous Sale graduates, Phar Lap started life on the Timaru stud farm of breeder Alec Roberts on 4 October 1926. His breeder had imported the sire, Night Raid, from Australia and acquired the mare Entreaty at a Geraldine race meeting for 60 pounds after she raced unplaced.

Roberts sent the big, ungainly, chestnut colt to the 1928 National Yearling Sale at Trentham. Battling ex-Kiwi Sydney-based trainer, Harry Telford had personal knowledge of the female side of Phar Lap’s pedigree and was convinced that the double up of Musket in his bloodlines warranted his brother Henry to inspect the colt. Harry Telford’s owner/backer, American David J. Davis, who had a china and cutlery importing business and a photography business, agreed to bankroll the purchase with a limit of 200 guineas. The colt was knocked down to Davis’s business associate Jack Sullings for 160 guineas. The official records show the purchaser as Mr A. J. Davidson, Sydney.

Phar Lap arrived in Sydney, wart covered and in poor condition after a rough crossing of the Tasman and David Davis declined to be involved. Telford, unfazed, arranged to lease the horse from Davis for three years.

His early races at two were remarkably unpromising but after four starts he eventually won at Rosehill. Another three starts at three were not encouraging but after two blacktype placings he reeled off four wins in succession: the STC Rosehill Guineas (Gr.1), AJC Derby (Gr.1), AJC Craven Plate (L) and VRC Derby (Gr.1) ending the spring with a third in the 1929 VRC Melbourne Cup (Gr.1) behind Nightmarch. The rampage continued in the autumn with a further nine wins.

His 4YO career was equally sublime, with a sequence of 14 wins including the MVRC WS Cox Plate (Gr.1), the VRC Melbourne Stakes (L), despite the failed shooting attempt, and a dominant win in the 1930 Melbourne Cup (Gr.1) carrying 9st12lb (62.5kg).

As a spring 5YO Phar Lap continued to dominate under the joint ownership of Davis and Telford. Phar Lap recorded another eight wins in succession with his final Australian start in the 1931 Melbourne Cup lumbered with 10st 10lbs (68kg), finishing a gallant eighth. Against Telford’s wishes, Davis sent Phar Lap to Mexico for the rich Agua Caliente Stakes (L) which he won. Tragedy struck sixteen days later when Phar Lap did not survive a serious bout of colic and died in strapper Tommy Woodcock’s arms. In a comparative flash of lightning the life of Phar Lap whose exploits had thrilled two countries in the gloom of the Great Depression was over.

1929: VEILMOND (LOT 37)

**Veilmond**

Limond — Veil, Colt
Breeder — G.M. Currie
Vendor — Koatanui Stud, Kai Iwi, Wanganui
Purchaser — George Price (as agent), Sydney
Purchase Price — 575gns
Top Price — 2400gns

Veilmond was bred by legendary breeder George Currie, who at the time dominated

New Zealand breeding and whose support for the concept of a National Yearling Sale was influential in its establishment and success. He had previously sold Veil but purchased her back in 1923 as a broodmare. The colt was bought by leading Sydney trainer and ex-pat Kiwi George Price, for flamboyant gambler E. (Ned) Moss of Sydney.

After suffering a narrow defeat in his first run as a juvenile in the Cannonbury Stakes (L) at Randwick Veilmond then won three in a row as well as recording placings in the AJC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr.1) and AJC Champagne Stakes (Gr.1) which ranked him equal top two-year-old of his year.

The next season Veilmond was acknowledged the best of his age with wins that included the Hobartville Stakes (Gr.2) and a St Leger double, winning both the VRC St Leger (Gr.2) and AJC St Leger (Gr.2). Notable placings included the AJC Derby (Gr.1), VRC Derby (Gr.1), STC Rawson Stakes (Gr.1), AJC Chipping Norton Stakes (Gr.2) and the AJC Cumberland Stakes (Gr.1).

Veilmond’s four-year-old season began with a Rosehill win, and two further back-to-back Sydney handicaps before returning to Melbourne where he ran third to Phar Lap and Concentrate in the VRC Melbourne Stakes (L) and won the VRC CB Fisher Plate (L). His autumn included a win in the AJC Plate (L) and a third in the 1932 AJC Sydney Cup, lumping the top-weight of 9st 11lb (62kg).

In his final 5YO season, Veilmond raced 16 times adding four more wins including the AJC Spring Stakes (L), VRC Essendon Stakes (L) and the VRC King’s Plate (Gr.2) his 17th and final win.

At stud, Veilmond, who was top sire in Australia in the 1941-42 season, sired 11 stakes winners who recorded 25 stakes wins including the Caulfield Cup (Gr.1) winner Velocity, AJC Epsom Hcp (Gr.1) winner Rimveil, VRC Newmarket Hcp (Gr.1) winner All Veil and the dual AJC Sydney Cup (Gr.1) winner Veiled Threat.

1930: SPEEDMINT (LOT 37)

**Speedmint**

Catmint — Serita Thurham, Filly
Breeder — The Auckland Stud Co
Vendor — R.E Clements, Dargaville
Purchaser — R. Mulhern, Pukerua Bay
Purchase Price — 45gns
Top Price — 2400gns

A pinhook weanling purchase from the Dispersal Sale of The Auckland Stud Co by her vendor R. E. Clements, this filly, with the Great Depression having struck in October 1929, was purchased for just 45gns and as a result became another of the great bargains of the National Yearling Sale. Selected by Takanini trainer E. Pope on behalf of R. Mulhern of Pukerua Bay, the filly was raced by A. Courtney, a Hauraki Plains butcher.

Named Speed Mint, she was unplaced in her first seven starts at two. However, she rectified that in March of 1931 by winning three of her last six starts for the season.

At three, wins at Te Rapa and Rotorua and a third in the Franklin Cup set her up for a win in the Great Northern Oaks (Gr.1) by a length and a quarter. Win number eight was the Te Kuiti Cup before running third behind the champion Nightmarch in the Awapuni Gold Cup (Gr.2).

Her 4YO season began with a series of placings at Ellerslie and Te Rapa and in January 1933 she ran second in the Auckland Racing Club Hcp (Gr.3). That was followed by her sole win for the season, in the Goldfields Cup at Thames.

At five, her final season of racing, she recorded a trio of wins that included the ARC Jellicoe Hcp, the principal handicap at the Pakuranga Hunt Club’s meeting. Maintaining her good form she also recording thirds in the ARC Mitchelson Cup (Gr.3), Waikato Cup (L), the 1933 ARC Auckland Cup (Gr.1) behind Minerval, the ARC Summer Cup (Gr.3) and the Thames Goldfields Cup.

At stud she produced ARC Christmas Hcp (L) winner Swift Fox and Shining Night, bought as a yearling at the 1940 National Yearling Sale, who recorded 15 wins including a Sydney Handicap at Randwick.

1931: GOLD TRAIL (LOT 85)

**Gold Trail**

Chief Ruler — Pure Gold, Filly
Breeder — T.H Lowry
Vendor — T.H Lowry, Okawa
Purchaser — D.M Douglas, Hawke's Bay
Purchase Price — 150gns
Top Price — 850gns

This purchase was the first racehorse ever owned and raced by Dennis Douglas from Hawke’s Bay. He was, however, a grandson of prominent racehorse owner William Douglas, the founder of Te Mahanga Stud who formed the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club in 1875. The Estate of Dennis Douglas’s father, W. J. Douglas, raced the champion sprinter of the 1920’s, The Hawk.

Gold Trail raced in the family colours of William Douglas. The impeccably-bred filly, a granddaughter of Desert Gold, the first horse to win 19 consecutive races while racing in New Zealand and Australia, was bred by Thomas Henry Lowry who developed Okawa Stud from a sheep and beef farm into one of New Zealand’s iconic studs.

At starts six and seven Gold Trail recorded juvenile handicap wins on successive days at Ellerslie’s 1932 Christmas Carnival.

At three she scored the ARC Great Northern Guineas (Gr.2) in November, and on Boxing Day she made the first of three attempts in the ARC Auckland Cup (Gr.1) (unplaced on this occasion). Six days later she ran third in the ARC Great Northern Derby (Gr.1) and the following day she captured the ARC Clifford Plate (Gr.2). In March, at Trentham she finished second in the WRC New Zealand St Leger (Gr.2). At four she recorded an open handicap win at Napier Park. In her second attempt in the ARC Auckland Cup she was again unplaced.

Her 5YO season was easily her best, when, as well as winning Trentham’s WRC Pearce Hcp (L) she placed second in the 1934 CJC New Zealand Cup (Gr.1) and third in the CJC Metropolitan Hcp (Gr.3). She also finally claimed the ARC Auckland Cup (Gr.1). The Duke of Gloucester presented the cup to her owner D. M. Douglas. Her rider was the record-setting jockey Keith Voitre. Taken to Australia she won the MVRC Anniversary Welter in Melbourne, however, in Sydney her best runs were fourth in the AJC Autumn Plate (Gr.2) and fifth in the AJC Sydney Cup (Gr.1).

Retired to stud, Gold Trail left six foals. Her grandson Goldmyth took out the Avondale Guineas (Gr.2) and her great grandson Kalgoorlie won 26 races.

In acknowledgement of her wins the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club named a race after her – the Gold Trail Stakes. This race is the first leg of the NZB Filly of the Year Series.

1932: RED MANFRED (LOT 69)

**Red Manfred**

Manfred — Redshank, Colt
Breeder — E.M. Pearce
Vendor — Est. E.M. Pearce, Melbourne
Purchaser — J.W. Chenery, Wanganui (as agent)
Purchase Price — 200gns
Top Price — 650gns

By champion Australian sire Manfred, Red Manfred was conceived in Australia but foaled and reared at Mr H. M. (Hugh) Reeves’ Hororata Stud when his dam Redshank came to New Zealand to be mated with Night Raid. He was bred by the late Ernest Pearce, a Victorian wool buyer and large investor in thoroughbreds in Australia. He was purchased by J. W. Chenery of Wanganui as agent for a prominent Wanganui owner Mrs M. S. (Marion) Curle and trained at Woodville by F. Davis.

At two he broke his maiden in the WRC Wellesley Stakes (L) at Trentham with further notable wins in the CJC Welcome Stakes (L) at Riccarton, WRC Hopeful Stakes and WRC Plunket Nursery Handicap, both at Trentham. He added seconds in the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (L) and CJC Champagne Stakes (L) to his two-year-old record of 11 starts for four wins, two seconds and a third.

At three, he recorded wins in the Wanganui Guineas (L), the WRC Harcourt Cup (Gr.2), ARC King’s Plate (Gr.2) on the second day of the 1933/34 Ellerslie Christmas Carnival and the ARC Great Northern Derby (Gr.1) on New Year’s Day. He concluded his season by taking out the 1934 ARC Great Northern St Leger (Gr.2).

At four he won the Wellington Racing Club Hcp (Gr.3) at Trentham, the ARC Easter Hcp (Gr.1) and the Hawke's Bay Cup (L). Notable placings were in the ARC Mitchelson Cup (Gr.3), Awapuni Gold Cup (Gr.2) and WRC Harcourt Cup (Gr.2).

At five he had three starts in Australia where he seriously injured himself when he slipped on a bitumen road and bolted. He returned to New Zealand for his six-year-old season but after failing to regain his best form on the flat was put to hurdling with some minor success. He was then sold to Australia where he continued racing at seven and eight which resulted in four further wins including the Cranbourne Gold Cup in course record time. In total he won 17 times.

1933: THEO (LOT 17)

**Theo**

Limond — Mirabelle II, Colt
Breeder — G.M. Currie
Vendor — Koatanui Stud, Kai Iwi
Purchaser — E. Moss, Sydney
Purchase Price — 650gns
Top Price — 1175gns

Purchased by Mr E. (Ned) Moss a well-known Sydney sportsman and gambler, the colt, named after the famous architect Theo Marks, won two Derbys and a Guineas, all in succession.

The colt’s dam, Mirabelle II, the winner of 15 races, was bred in Belgium and was imported from England to New Zealand by George Currie of Koatanui Stud in Whanganui.

Theo was tried at two, placing second in three of his first four starts then broke through at start six to score the AJC Wentworth Hcp at Randwick on Sydney Cup Day 1934.

At his third start at three he finished strongly for third in the STC Rosehill Guineas (Gr.1). A half-length win in the AJC Derby (Gr.1) followed in which he caught the pacemaker and warm favourite Silver King inside the final furlong.

In Melbourne he started in the VATC Caulfield Guineas (Gr.1) causing an upset victory at odds of 25 to 1. An obvious choice for the VRC Derby at Flemington he had to endure a straight-long battle with his stablemate, Sylvandale, eventually claiming victory by half a head. This was his last win, his form falling away, beginning with a disappointing 14th in the 1934 VRC Melbourne Cup won by Peter Pan. In the he returned to Melbourne for three starts, his best being a third in the VATC St George Stakes (Gr.2) at Caulfield.

At four, a fourth in the 1935 AJC Metropolitan Hcp (Gr.1) was the best of 11 runs which ended when carrying 10 stone (63.5kg) in a welter handicap. A tendon injury sustained in the Melbourne Cup is believed to have affected his racing performance.

He was sold in 1936 to D. U. Seaton to stand at the Kingsfield Stud in Aberdeen, NSW.

1934: GREEK SHEPHARD (LOT 30)

**Greek Shephard**

Iliad — Dresden China, Colt
Breeder — Mr B. H. Edkins
Vendor — Elderslie Stud, Oamaru
Purchaser — E. Hay, Banks Peninsula
Purchase Price — 300gns
Top Price — 850gns

The breeder of Greek Shepherd was (Captain) B. H. Edkins, a shareholder in the Elderslie Stud and steward at Wellington Racing Club. The purchaser was prominent Pigeon Bay sheep station owner and local government politician Ebenezer Hay. Hay had extensive racing interests, being amongst the leading owners of the time and one of only three owners to have a retained jockey.

Greek Shepherd, representing the first crop of his sire Iliad, was an above average 2YO racing in several premier events. His success included a third in Dunedin’s DJC Champagne Stakes (L), and fourths in Riccarton’s CJC Champagne Stakes (L) and CJC Challenge Stakes (L).

Aged three, Greek Shepherd took three starts to break his maiden, then finished second in the Dunedin Guineas (L) before a trip north to Trentham where he won the 1935 WRC Wainui Hcp. Back across the Cook Strait he finished second in the 1935 CJC New Zealand Derby (Gr.1) beaten a neck by Lowenberg.

Starting on three of the four days of the Ellerslie Christmas Carnival, he was successful on the second day, taking out the open handicap, the ARC Summer Cup (L). On New Year’s Day he easily won the ARC Great Northern Derby (Gr.1) by two and a half lengths. Returning South, he was unplaced in the DJC Dunedin Cup (L) then ran second to the prolific winner Silver Ring in the DJC James Hazlett Gold Cup (L).

At Trentham in March, Greek Shepherd ran second in the WRC New Zealand St Leger (Gr.2) then two days later won the WRC Autumn Hcp (Gr.3). Then at Awapuni he won the weight-for-age Awapuni Gold Cup (Gr.2) and at Ellerslie the 1936 ARC Great Northern St Leger (Gr.2), his last race, which he won in race record time.

He was retired to stud in 1937 with eight wins which included classic and weight-for-age wins. At stud with minimal support he sired 14 winners.

1935: GOLD ROD (LOT 6)

**Gold Rod**

Chief Ruler — Oreum, Colt
Breeder — T.H Lowry
Vendor — T.H Lowry, Okawa
Purchaser — E.J Watt, Sydney
Purchase Price — 350gns
Top Price — 2100gns

This striking chestnut colt, a descendant of the champion Desert Gold, was knocked down to Mrs T. H. Lowry, wife of the breeder Tom Lowry. When her husband learned of the purchase he claimed that there were already enough horses at Okawa without this colt. This prompted negotiations with Mrs Lowry’s brother, E. J. Watt, who agreed to purchase the horse. A member of the AJC committee, Watt had been a notable racehorse owner in New Zealand before he transferred his racing activities to Sydney. Along with his trainer George Price, Watt was a regular purchaser of yearlings at the National Yearling Sale.

Gold Rod was a high-class two–year-old winning the AJC Breeders’ Plate (Gr.3) at his first start and recording wins in the VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr.1) and the AJC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr.1).

At three in Sydney, he won the AJC Hobartville Stakes (Gr.2), the NSW Tatt’s RC Chelmsford Stakes (Gr.2), the 1937 AJC St Leger (Gr.2) and ran third in the 1936 AJC Derby (Gr.1). Three starts in Melbourne resulted in wins in the VATC Caulfield Futurity (Gr.1) and VRC Essendon Stakes (L).

His later successes included the 1937 AJC Epsom Handicap (Gr.1), the 1939 AJC Doncaster Handicap (Gr.1), the STC Canterbury Stakes (Gr.2) and the STC Hill Stakes (Gr.2). As a six-year-old Gold Rod ran second to champion Beau Vite in the Canterbury Park JC Canterbury Stakes (Gr.2) and won his second STC Hill Stakes (Gr.2). He finished his racing career on a winning note in a listed handicap at Canterbury Park.

He retired to stud in Australia in 1942 but died during the sea voyage from Sydney to Wellington when relocating to stand at stud in New Zealand.

1936: ROYAL CHIEF (LOT 57)

**Royal Chief**

Chief Ruler — Modiste II, Colt
Breeder — Mr J Donald
Vendor — Westmere Stud, Wanganui
Purchaser — PGG (as agent)
Purchase Price — 160gns
Top Price — 1200gns

Royal Chief was bred by John Donald who founded Westmere Stud in Wanganui in 1924.

Both the dam Modiste II and the sire Chief Ruler were imported by Donald and both

proved highly successful.

Catalogued as the first living foal, Royal Chief was purchased on commission by Derek Gould for Christchurch businessman, A. K. Firth, who was making his first venture into the racing sport at the encouragement of his wife and daughter.

Under Riccarton trainer Fred Jones, Royal Chief’s five wins as a two-year-old included the 1936 Great Northern Foal Stakes (Gr.2) and an autumn hat trick consisting of the 1937 WRC North Island Challenge Stakes (Gr.3), CJC Champagne Stakes (L) and weight-for-age CJC Challenge Stakes (L).

Six wins at three included the Wanganui and Avondale Guineas, the CJC New Zealand Derby (Gr.1) and the 1938 WRC New Zealand St Leger (Gr.2). He was, however, beaten by Courtcraft in the 1938 ARC Great Northern Derby (Gr.1).

In Australia at four, Royal Chief had three successive stakes wins in Sydney, the Chelmsford Stakes (Gr.2), the Colin Stephen Stakes (L) and the AJC Metropolitan Hcp (Gr.1). Seconds were recorded in the MVRC WS Cox Plate (Gr.1), VRC LKS Mackinnon Stakes (Gr.1) and VRC CB Fisher Plate (L). He also ran fifth in the 1938 Melbourne Cup to Catalogue. Back home he added two wins that included a controversial win in the DJC Hazlett Gold Cup (L).

At five, in Sydney, he claimed his second AJC Colin Stephen Stakes (in a dead-heat), and the AJC Randwick Plate (L). At home he added the CJC Canterbury Gold Cup (Gr.3) then, returning to Sydney, he finished second in the AJC Sydney Cup (Gr.1) to Mosaic carrying top-weight of 9st 5lb (59.5kgs).

Royal Chief’s final season was in New Zealand, marked by wins in the WRC Wellington Hcp (L), WRC Harcourt Stakes (Gr.2), a second CJC Canterbury Cup (Gr.3) and the CJC Metropolitan Hcp (Gr.3) at Riccarton. Retired to stud he sired Group 1 brothers, and National Yearling Sale graduates, Bruce and Royal Tan, who were Wellington Cup winners in 1947 and 1949 respectively.

Karaka 2026 will mark the 100th National Yearling Sale in New Zealand. Celebrate with us at NZB’s Karaka Sales Centre from 25 – 29 January 2026.

A century of thoroughbred excellence has shaped the National Yearling Sales Series, from guineas to dollars, Trentham to Karaka and Wrightsons to NZB.

The full publication of top performers from the National Yearling Sale can be purchased from NZB’s online store, or at the Merchandise Store during Karaka 2026.

100 Years of racetrack legends: 1927 - 1936