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Many of the yearlings about to be sold at Karaka 2024 have had their profiles boosted with big-race performances by siblings since the catalogues went to print.

Among the most notable of these pedigree updates is Lot 358, a colt from the draft of esteemed vendors Cambridge Stud.

The bay colt is by Savabeel out of Romantic Time (NZ) (Fastnet Rock), which makes him a half-brother to no fewer than three stakes performers. Those include the recent Group Two winner About Time (NZ) (American Pharoah) and Group One placegetter Young Werther (NZ) (Tavistock).

Since the catalogue went to print, About Time has scored an impressive maiden win at Pukekohe, placed in the Listed Trevor & Corallie Eagle Memorial (1500m) and capped her rapid rise with a last-start victory in the Group Two Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2050m) on New Year's Day.

Young Werther was already a four-time Group One placegetter before the catalogue went to print, but he has since added another third placing in the A$3m Group One Champions Stakes (2000m) during the Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington. Lot 358's other stakes-performed sibling is the Listed-placed mare Romantic Lady (NZ) (Power). Lot 1034, a filly from the Highline Thoroughbreds draft, is also a close relative.

Another notable pedigree update belongs to Lot 295, an Inglewood Stud filly who is a half-sister to the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO favourite Velocious (Written Tycoon).

Inglewood Stud also bred and sold Velocious, who was a $190,000 purchase by Go Racing from Book 1 of Karaka 2023. She was unraced when the Karaka 2024 catalogues went to print, but she has since had three starts for two wins and a placing. She impressively won the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m) in November, then finished third in the Group Two Eclipse Stakes (1200m) on New Year's Day.

Lot 396 is a half-sister to one of the leading three-year-olds in New Zealand through the first half of this season, the recent Group Three Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m) winner Lupo Solitario (NZ) (Satono Aladdin).

Lot 393 is an Almanzor filly being offered by Prima Park. She is a full-sister to Mary Shan (NZ) (Almanzor), who has been a consistent performer in elite three-year-old fillies' company since the catalogue went to print. She finished fifth in the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), second in the Group Two Eight Carat Classic (1600m) and a last-start fourth in the Group One Levin Classic (1600m), where she was beaten by only half a length.

Prima Park also offers Lot 391, a Per Incanto colt whose half-sister Coeur Volante (NZ) (Proisir) was already the winner of the Group Two Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) and Group Three Scarborough Stakes (1200m). She went on to finish fourth in the Group One Thousand Guineas (1600m).

Lot 409 is a full-brother to Forgot You (NZ) (Savabeel), who took his career earnings past A$800,000 with his victory in the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) at Flemington in early November.

Haunui Farm's filly catalogued as Lot 442 is a half-sister to To Catch A Thief (U S Navy Flag), who finished third in the Group One New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) in November. He had previously been a two-time Group One placegetter as a two-year-old, finishing third in the Sistema Stakes (1200m) and Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m).

Another significant pedigree update for the Haunui Farm draft is for Lot 464, a Savabeel colt whose full-sister Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel) finished second in the Group Three Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m) before reversing that result with an impressive win on New Year's Day. The classy filly is among the favourites for the Group One New Zealand Derby (2400m) and New Zealand Oaks (2400m) later in the season.

Lot 464 is also from the same family as the recent A$3m Group One Champions Stakes (2000m) winner Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel), while his other relatives Aegon (NZ) (Sacred Falls) and Mazzolino (NZ) (Savabeel) have been recent fourth placegetters at Group One level. This same family is also represented by Lot 492, who is a half-brother to Aegon, along with Lot 610.

Other notable siblings in the Book 1 catalogue include:

• Lot 229 is a full-sister to Lion's Roar (NZ) (Contributer), who won the Group One Randwick Guineas (1600m) as a three-year-old and has recently added a victory in the Group Three Summer Cup (2000m) and a placing in the Group Two The Ingham (1600m).
• Lot 312 is a half-sister to All That Pizzazz (Spirit Of Boom), who won the Listed Bribie Handicap (1000m) at Eagle Farm in early December.
• Lot 338 is a half-sister to the well-performed Sagunto (NZ) (O'Reilly), who has won the Group Three Manawatu Cup (2300m) and placed in the Group Three Trentham Stakes (2100m) since the catalogue went to print.
• Lot 349 has a pair of significant siblings. Half-sister It's Business Time (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) was runner-up in the Group Three Coupland's Bakeries Mile (1600m) in November, while another half-sister is So Risque (NZ) (So You Think), who has recorded metropolitan victories at Caulfield and Flemington since the catalogue went to print. Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) placegetter I Am Unstoppable (I Am Invincible) also comes from this family.
• Lot 150 is a half-sister to Singapore superstar Lim's Kosciuszko (Kermadec), who won the Singapore Gold Cup (2000m) in November.
• Lot 668 is a full-brother to impressive debut winner Cool 'n' Fast (NZ) (Savabeel), who will contest Saturday's $1m Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at just his second career start.
• Lot 673 is a full-sister to another Karaka Millions 2YO contender in Maracatu (NZ) (Ardrossan), who has recorded a win and a placing since the catalogue went to print.

There are also some highly significant siblings in Book 2.

• Recent results have delivered a huge boost to Lot 790, a Time Test colt being offered by Leanach Lodge. He is a half-brother to Pendragon (NZ) (U S Navy Flag), who was a maiden when the catalogue went to print. Pendragon has won all of his three starts since then including the Group Two Auckland Guineas (1400m) and is a leading contender for the $1.5m TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.
• Lot 907 is a full-brother to classy Queensland two-year-old Beau Dazzler (NZ) (Ardrossan), who won the Listed Phelan Ready Stakes (1000m) on December 9 and placed in the Gold Coast Gold Nugget (1100m). Earlier this month. He is set to contest Saturday's $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m).
• The Book 2 catalogue also features Lot 1106, a filly by Darci Brahma (NZ) being offered in the Seaton Park draft. She is a half-sister to Phearson (Exosphere), who collected his first black-type victory in the Group Three Festival Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on December 2.

New Zealand Bloodstock's 98th National Yearling Sale Series will take place from Sunday 28 January through to Friday 2 February at the Karaka Sales Centre. Continuing NZB's traditional sale format, Book 1 runs from Sunday 28 January until Tuesday 30 January from 10am (NZT) each day, followed by Book 2 between Wednesday 31 January and Friday 2 February from 11am (NZT) each day.

The stage is set for a week-long thoroughbred extravaganza in Auckland, kicking off with an extraordinary TAB Karaka Millions race day at the new and improved Ellerslie Racecourse on Saturday 27 January. The six-race card now carries total stakes of $4.45m, including the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), the $1.5m TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) and the all-new $1m Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m) for four-year-olds. All yearlings purchased at Karaka 2024 are eligible for the Karaka Millions Series.