The highest priced filly ever sold in New Zealand has become the talk of the annual Karaka yearling sales.
The Savabeel-sired filly sold for an eye-watering $2.4 million following competitive bidding at the auction house south of Auckland on Monday.
She was also a full sister to a champion three-year-old named Orchestral who won the million-dollar race at Ellerslie last weekend, after winning last year's $1.5m Karaka Million 3YO.
New Zealand Bloodstock managing director Andrew Seabrook said the sale of the young filly set the sale alight.
"Not in anyone's wildest dreams did we think that she would make 2.4 [million dollars]," Seabrook said.
"This is a highest price for a filly ever sold in New Zealand."
He said the buzz and atmosphere at the sales was "absolutely amazing".
"People wanted to break out and clap loudly when the hammer came down," he said.
Scoring the highest price for a yearling in 25 years, the filly was sold to a Christchurch buyer who planned to take the horse to the stables of leading Australian thoroughbred trainer Chris Waller in Sydney to continue her career.
"She's the daughter of Savabeel, who has been the leading sire in New Zealand for over 10 years," Seabrook said.
He said interest from New Zealand and Australian buyers had been strong recently, with buyers from South Africa, Japan, England, the Netherlands and Hong Kong also bringing their chequebooks.
"We're really pleased how it's how it's held up and given the weak economy, it's amazing how resilient this industry is."
New Zealand Bloodstock said it was on track to hit $80m of turnover which was on par with last year's successful sale.
