Haunui celebrates successful Weanling Sale

The 2026 New Zealand Bloodstock Weanling Sale proved a successful venture for Haunui Farm where their statistics included a 100 percent sale rate, consigning the sale's top lot and finishing in the top three vendors for aggregate and average.

The highlight lot was courtesy of the Chaledean - Novashow colt, secured by a group including Mike Fleming's Bhima, for $250,000.

It was the highest price paid at NZB’s National Weanling Sale since 2022, when a Savabeel-Bohemian Lily colt from the Valachi Downs dispersal was knocked down for $360,000. 

This year’s sale-topping colt was only the second Chaldean weanling to be offered at auction in the southern hemisphere, following on from a filly that fetched A$180,000 at the Inglis Great Southern Sale earlier this month.

“I bought a couple here a few years ago and I’m always happy to come over for the right horse that’s forward and well-moving,” Fleming said.

“This colt’s a lovely horse. I came in yesterday, and with the rain, I didn’t get out yesterday so I waited until this morning. He was right at the top of my list.

“A few other people have come in with us on him, and we’ll get him back to New South Wales and see where he heads over there next year.”

Fleming was not surprised to have to go to $200,000 and beyond to secure the colt, who was catalogued as Lot 3. He is the second foal out of the Showcasing mare Novashow, who won twice and finished fourth in the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m).

“It’s always hard to know when you’ve got someone on the phone, but we were thinking that, with the horse he was and how he stacked up with the others, he was the sort of horse that was always going to make his 200,” Fleming said.

“I suppose, when you get to 200, you start converting it back to Aussie dollars. You know, in the end, he probably landed at about 200,000 Aussie.”

Haunui Farm's Mark Chitty had plenty of positives to reflect on following the sale, crediting the success to a combination of hard work from the team and owners who were willing to meet the market.

"We were confident going into the sale that we had a nice draft with weanlings to suit those wanting to pinhook, or purchase and put aside to race at a later date," he said. "Our weanlings have a two month prep and the team put in a lot of effort to ensure they are well handled and present well on sale day.

"I'm pleased for our owners who trusted us to consign their stock and glad we got some good results accross the board."