New Zealand’s leading trainers and big-spending owners are set to descend upon the Otago-Southland region to check out its yearling sales contenders.

The annual Southern Bred Southern Reared yearling sales tour is on Wednesday, January 31.

The bus tour will break from its usual two-day format and change to a one-day, nine-hour feast of the region’s blueblood standardbreds.

Among the classy lineup of yearlings is a full brother to West Australian star Chicago Bull. The yearling is the only offering being prepared by Katrina Price of Winton.

Macca Lodge will present a Majestic Son yearling from former classy trotter One Under Kenny. This season that broodmare has produced Kenny’s Dream. who looks to be on a path towards the country’s best three-year-old trotting races.

Arden Lodge will present another strong draft of eight yearlings including a colt by Somebeachsomewhere from broodmare gem Winter Rose.

The tour will take in six stops starting at Shard Farm near Invercargill and finishing at Wingatui racecourse.

To book your space on the bus tour RSVP to Katrina Price; katrina.price@xtra.co.nz ph 021 369 097.

The south’s largest breeding farm, Macca Lodge, is about to close the curtain on another successful breeding season.

The Northern Southland property has served more than 300 broodmares and enjoyed good in-foal rates, studmaster Brent McIntyre said.

“The results have been very pleasing with mares getting in foal,” he said.

A Rocknroll Dance was the most popular stallion choice with southern breeders this season.

“He was available at quite a competitive deal so a lot of breeders took that up.

“Plus, it helped that he’s doing a job in the states and the feedback from trainers has been pretty good, too.”

Southland favourite Franco Ledger attracted a good book of 22 mares, standing his first season at stud at a zero service fee.

That fee has seen some breeders that would have otherwise left their mares empty mate them with the stallion, McIntyre said.

Macca Lodge has foaled more than 200 mares this season and there have been some bluebloods among them.

Three times Jewels winner Venus Serena foaled an Art Major colt and a full brother to Interdominion heat winner Galactic Star was welcomed from dam Petra’s Star. A full brother to New Zealand Cup winner Arden Rooney, by Bettor’s Delight from Tosca Hanover, was also born. All three colts are owned by Arden Lodge.

The stud’s resident stallion Net Ten EOM was mated with Wave Runner, the dam of Bonnie Joan, and they left a striking colt, McIntyre said. (courtesy Harness News)