CELEBRATING 100 YEARS

of the National Yearling Sale Series in New Zealand

Karaka 2026 will mark the 100th National Yearling Sales Series. 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.

It is the beating heart of trade within the New Zealand breeding and racing industry, where breeder meets buyer, where years of careful planning and preparation meets astute judgement and ambition. It is where winning begins.

From this centenary of sales ring moments have emerged many legends of the racetrack, among them the titans Phar Lap, Rising Fast, Tulloch, Dulcify, Octagonal and So You Think.

Let’s raise a glass to one hundred years of rich history, and make it a double, to toast the future of the National Yearling Sales Series as the legacy of the New Zealand thoroughbred continues to unfurl.

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100 Years of racetrack legends: 1937 - 1946
100 Years of racetrack legends: 1937 - 1946

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 1937 - 1946 sales below.

A Century of National Yearling Sales Success: Queensland Derby
A Century of National Yearling Sales Success: Queensland Derby

NZB will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Yearling Sales at Karaka next January. That century of sales has produced countless Derby and Oaks stars across Australasia, including 17 winners of the Queensland Derby.

100 Years of racetrack legends: 1927 - 1936
100 Years of racetrack legends: 1927 - 1936

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.

A Century of National Yearling Sales Success: Australian Derby
A Century of National Yearling Sales Success: Australian Derby

Willydoit (NZ) (Tarzino), Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio) and Shanwah (NZ) (Too Darn Hot) are the three favourites for Saturday’s A$2m Group One ATC Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick, where they will attempt to add their names to a proud record of New Zealand National Yearling Sale success.

A Century of National Yearling Sales Success: New Zealand Derby
A Century of National Yearling Sales Success: New Zealand Derby

The Group One New Zealand Derby (2400m) is perhaps the most prestigious and coveted prize in New Zealand racing, and its illustrious history is littered with top-class winners sourced from the National Yearling Sales.

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WATCH: The first horse through the newly built Karaka auditorium in 1988.

WATCH: The champion, Octagonal (NZ), going through the ring as Lot 121 in 1994

WATCH: 1950 ‘The New Zealand Thoroughbred’ featuring the 1950 Trentham Sale

WATCH: Karaka Sales Centre construction in 1987

100th NATIONAL YEARLING SALE SCHEDULE (KARAKA 2026):

TAB Karaka Millions Raceday: Saturday 24 January at Ellerslie
Book 1 Sale: Sunday 25 & Monday 26 January at Karaka (Lots 1 - 580)
Book 2 Sale: Tuesday 27 January at Karaka (Lots 581 - 870)
Karaka Summer Sale: Thursday 29 January at Karaka (Lots 871 - 1000+)

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