KEY POINTS:
If ever there was an example of timing being crucial at a yearling sale it was at Karaka on Thursday.
The Australasian Classic Yearling Sale was the last of three days of standardbred sales during the week and was by far the most successful, with an average of nearly $31,000 - foreign territory for a harness racing sale in this part of the world.
While the sale started slowly and had many disappointing lots the record figures came after an intense last hour in which the three richest lots of sales week came hard on each other's heals.
The top price of $200,000 was paid by Christchurch couple Clive and Rona McKay for a Christian Cullen colt out of class mare Personality Plus, a standout individual who was always going to threaten for the honour of top lot.
But the athletic baby was also a prime example of how timing and a battle of wills means so much come sales time.
The McKays topped the sale 40 minutes before the Personality Plus colt was sold when they paid $150,000 for another Christian Cullen colt, this one by Kliklite. Both colts were offered by Croon Bloodstock.
While happy with their $150,000 purchase Rona McKay was disappointed when five minutes later yet another son of Christian Cullen sold for $150,000, this time to former US trainer Brett Pelling, who now lives in Perth.
"I was disappointed at that because I wanted the top lot," McKay said.
So not to be outdone she went back into the sales ring and shelled out $200,000 for the leading lot, beating out galloping trainer Graeme Rogerson.
While she wouldn't admit to it, there was no doubt that having had the mantle of sole leading buyer taken away added some zeal to McKay's bidding for the top lot.
And the timing factor was also crucial for other lots, with yearlings sold in the last hour on Thursday probably fetching up to 25 per cent more than they would have at Christchurch, where the top end of the sale was weaker and buyers not so desperate.
The bottom line was another record sale which thrilled auctioneers PGG Wrightson but one which should send a warning to many vendors.
While the top lots sold strongly, with the stock of Christian Cullen fetching close to $70,000 at Karaka, there was no love for less commercial stock, much of which was almost given away.
What it spells out is that buyers who come to Karaka in particular are looking for potential age group horses and most are not interested in waiting three years for a return on their investment.
Therefore sires who have proven themselves on the racetrack - top horses like Live Or Die and Badlands Hanover for example - were being ignored over the stock of Christian Cullen, In The Pocket, Falcon Seelster and a precious few others.
With the eagerly anticipated arrival of the stock of Elsu in the sales next year and a huge crop of Bettors Delights the following year, the squeeze on bargain sires is going to continue.
It could get to the stage where only the stock of the leading six or seven sires are even worth entering at Karaka, with yearlings by other sires simply not commercial enough.
That does raise the issue of whether a secondary bargain sale, like the ones held by the thoroughbred industry, is worth investigating for those buyers and vendors who got shut out on Thursday and to a lesser extent in Christchurch.
Thursday's sale definitely confirmed there are more six-figure buyers interested in harness racing than at any other time in New Zealand, with the stake increases and new age group series helping.
"It was an awesome day to cap a massive week and we couldn't be happier," said PGG Wrightson spokesman Bruce Barlass.
"But we realise while the top end prices were great there will be some disappointed vendors at the lower end and I think some of them have to look at the size and type of their yearlings."
"The buyers paying the big money are becoming very astute and they are all looking for that big, strong early-running type of horse."
