KEY POINTS:
No one will be busier this week than trainer Stephen McKee.
He has a vendor's hat to wear when the Zabeel-Sunline colt goes through New Zealand Bloodstock's Karaka sale ring tomorrow.
That will be in the millions - it's simply a matter of how many.
At the same time McKee has to be on the Karaka buyers' bench to replenish the big team that has propelled him to within two wins of leading the New Zealand trainers' premiership in his first year going solo.
In a stunning effort McKee is currently on 34 wins, two behind Mark Walker and the Rogerson/Autridge partnership.
And just to keep McKee from dozing off there is the small matter of the six horses he has engaged at Avondale today.
The Karaka sale has changed dramatically in the last couple of years.
The main local interest used to be at what level the New Zealanders could start buying at after the heavy-walleted international buyers had picked over the catalogue.
No more. The Darci Brahma case and a handful of others, coupled with a recent massive financial and public revitalisation in racing, has seen several New Zealand operations competitive with potential stallion colts.
Te Akau boss David Ellis says he has been embarrassed by the number of calls he has fielded from people looking to become involved with Darci Brahma since the stallion's stunning Telegraph win at Trentham last week.
"I've told them all that's impossible, the only way you can get involved is to get in at the yearling stage."
Unquestionably Ellis has his eye on a number of potential Darci Brahmas.
He paid $1.1 million for Darci Brahma, now genuinely valued at $10 million, and last year he left behind $2.2 million for the sale-topping Stravinsky-Grand Echezeaux colt, part of his $7 million spend.
"There's never been a better time to become involved in racing in New Zealand - there is a million dollar 2-year-old race coming out of this sale, there's a $2 million Kelt Capital this year and the Derby and Auckland Cup are both $700,000. There's good money to be won."
Paul O'Sullivan will be a good mate for Stephen McKee - he arrived from his Hong Kong base with only two days to spare to inspect likely purchases.
O'Sullivan, by his high standards, had a relatively slow start to his Hong Kong career three years ago, but is currently flying in second place on the premiership.
Graeme Rogerson, David Hayes, Gai Waterhouse and Bart Cummings are expected to make their usual splash and NZB marketing and PR manager Petrea Vela said the auction company had booked more Auckland hotel rooms for internationals compared to last year. "That's always a good sign," she said.
The premier session of the sale has been reduced from three days to two, although there will be a few more lots each on the two days.
It's a policy most leading breeders seem to agree with.
The Sunline colt will grab a lot of attention because of the depth of devotion by New Zealanders to his mother. And right alongside him is the Stravinsky colt from Caulfield and Melbourne Cup winner Ethereal, another outstanding racemare who captured hearts.
He is guaranteed a spot in the top few lots of the sale.
Vela said although fewer lots were being offered this week at Karaka because of the newly formed sale in March, the auction company is looking to see an increase in the aggregate, relative to the numbers offered.
"A successful sale for us would be a rise in the all-important sale median, which is always a good measure of the strength of the market, and also a good clearance rate."
* Sky Sport 2 will carry a live broadcast of the sale starting at 10am today.
