KEY POINTS:
Rod Croon could be favourite for the title of harness racing's busiest man during the industry's busiest week.
Croon is vice-president of the Auckland Trotting Club, who tomorrow night launch their new Woodlands Stud Derby format with two preludes at Alexandra Park.
Croon was one of the key ATC officials behind the radical changes to the Derby and Auckland Trotting Cup which look certain to provide the strongest Auckland Cup carnival in two decades.
While organising that would be enough to drive most people mad, Croon will don a different hat today when he turns vendor for some of the top lots at the Australasian Classic Yearling Sales at Karaka.
The sale will end three days of buying action, the first two in Christchurch, and today looks set to top even those outstanding results.
The Karaka average is routinely better than the Christchurch one, with a smaller catalogue with more yearlings from professional breeders rather than smaller family operations.
There was a feeling some of the big buyers in Christchurch still had plenty more to spend and the top 30 or 40 lots today will sell extremely well.
"There was a lot of interest in the parade today and I can see it being a very strong sale," said Croon.
"But it has been a crazy time for a lot of people. I was looking at yearlings today and then started fielding inquiries from a trainer about whether his horse would get a start in the Auckland Cup.
"I had to tell him I wasn't really sure right at the moment. So everybody has a lot on their plate."
Among the lots Croon Bloodstock will sell are five yearlings by Christian Cullen, including a filly.
One of them is a half brother to exceptional 3-year-old filly Top Tempo, out of great mare Kliklite, as well as an athletic colt from Personality Plus.
Croon will also offer a half-sister to Waitfornoone and St Barts.
Those yearlings sum up what Karaka will have today which Christchurch was sometimes lacking - yearlings with relations starring on the track right now.
Another powerful vendor today will be Cambridge's Jubilee Park, who rocked last year's sale and are back with two truckloads of beautifully-bred yearlings all bearing the last name Maguire.
Perennial top vendors and preparers like Yarndley Farms and Top Notch Lodge are joined by the increasing powerful draft from Stonewall Stud, all ensuring high quality stock.
And there are smaller drafts sure to capture interest, with a Sundon colt out of our greatest ever trotting mare Pride Of Petite and a standout Christian Cullen filly from 3-year-old filly of the year OK Rock, a half-sister to potential star pacer Big Dog.
"It really is a consistently strong catalogue and I don't think anybody would be surprised to see us get close to, or above, last year's $30,000 average," said PGG Wrightson spokesman Peter Lagan. "The standard of yearlings is exceptional, both in breeding and presentation and every year the sale gets better and better."
One of the most interesting aspects today is several of the key lots sure to appeal to an array of the top bidders.
Many established trainers were blown away by the big-spending of galloping maestro Graeme Rogerson in Christchurch but he may find it harder, and more expensive, to get what he wants today.
* The sale starts at 11am, and will be shown live on SkySport 2.
