Hope trans-Tasman travel bubble will be in place in time for Australasian yearling sales
Prime Ministers Morrison and Ardern in talks to allow people to commute between countries
There is growing optimism of a trans-Tasman travel bubble being in place in time for the 2021 Australasian yearling sales that would enable agents and trainers to easily attend auctions in Australia and New Zealand but stakeholders warn the floated plans are not over the line.
Such a move between the two governments would, in particular, provide a significant boost to the prospects of a relatively healthy New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale next January.
For months, NZB had debated whether to delay its national sale to April next year in the hope of more favourable economic conditions and a loosening of travel restrictions relating to the Covid-19 pandemic but in the end chose to maintain its traditional slot following the Magic Millions offering on the Gold Coast.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern, who is facing an election on October 17, have this week pledged support towards an outcome that would allow travel between the two countries.
New Zealand’s foreign affairs minister Winston Peters, who also acts as racing minister, has also publicly backed calls for the bubble to be implemented which would also facilitate buyers being able to attend the respective Inglis sales in Sydney and Melbourne next year.
Andrew Seabrook, NZB’s managing director, yesterday welcomed the speculation but stopped short of suggesting Australian participants will definitely be on the ground at Karaka next year.
“That would be fantastic for Karaka if they were, but I am not as confident as what they are saying on TV,” Seabrook told ANZ Bloodstock News yesterday.
“It’s not just the horse industry (who wants the borders open), but every industry. Tourism is our biggest industry in New Zealand and you would hardly find a person who isn’t desperate for the borders to be open and it’s great to have Winston, as the racing minister, speaking on the subject of getting the borders open.
“I’m cautiously optimistic, so fingers crossed we do get a bubble in place, but we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves just yet.”
Ardern and Morrison discussed the travel bubble issue on Tuesday night and the New Zealand Prime Minister yesterday suggested the ability to trace and prevent travellers located in Australian Covid-19 hotspots remains as a sticking point on the trans-Tasman bubble proposal.
“Essentially what a hotspot system would do, it would shut down those areas where there were heightened cases, while allowing the rest to be open. And so absolutely, we can also make that work,” Ardern told AAP.
“What we just need to hear a bit more from Australia on is what the definition of a hotspot will be, how they’ll manage the state borders in those situations, but we’re working that through.”
Ardern suggested that even if concerns over hotspots could not be resolved, New Zealanders may be allowed to travel to Australia in the very near future.
“There is a chance that we could have Australia simply open to New Zealand because of our status and where we are right now, which is pretty good,” Ardern told AAP.
“They could just say, ‘Well, look one-way (travel from New Zealand to Australia) is fine by us’ until we work through some of the detail, and it’s a possibility.”
Seabrook yesterday maintained NZB’s position that the auction house had made the right call by keeping the national sale in January.
“If they come out now and say, ‘look, the border’s going to open in April’ we still believe January is the time to go, rather than going after 3000 yearlings have been through in Australia and $300-odd million already being spent,” he said.
“It would be a very nice bonus if the borders did open come January … because the Australians I have spoken to say they are keen to come to the sale. It would be massive if it did happen.”
There is no suggestion, however, that a travel bubble will be in place in time for the upcoming Inglis Ready2Race Sale or the Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YOs in Training Sale, nor the NZB Ready to Run Sale on November 18 and 19.
“Auckland will be going to Level 1 (Covid-19 restrictions) shortly, I’m sure, as long as everything stays the same and it will still be a physical sale with all the Kiwis live on site, of course, and people from around the world will be bidding via online,” Seabrook said.
“The great thing about the Australians, most of them have got good relationships with people over here who they can rely on to look at horses and do the necessary groundwork for them.
“That statistic of 20 Group 1 wins in the last five years coming from ready to run sales in Australasia, 19 of them are from Karaka, should make buyers realise that it is head and shoulders the best two-year-old sale in the southern hemisphere on performance.”
Meanwhile, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian also weighed in on the trans-Tasman travel bubble yesterday, saying she would endorse any plan that would allow New Zealanders to travel to the state.
“NSW is saying to every part of Australia, except for Victoria, and understandably, to WA, to Queensland, South Australia, ‘you are welcome to NSW’,” Berejiklian told Channel Nine.
“We believe our system is resilient enough. If we are saying that to other states and New Zealand is about the same situation, I think it is important for us to consider those opportunities. I would also hope that it’s reciprocal.”
Atlantic Jewel’s orphan foal an ‘outstanding colt’
Six weeks on from the devastating death of champion mare Atlantic Jewel (Fastnet Rock), who made her name on Australian racetracks and was building a reputation as a high-class broodmare, her sixth and last foal, by unbeaten US Triple Crown winner Justify (Scat Daddy), is a picture of health. “It was a very sad day for everyone at Coolmore when we lost the great mare Atlantic Jewel while foaling,” Coolmore stud manager John Kennedy said yesterday. “We were fortunate enough to save her Justify colt who has continued to go from strength to strength on his foster mother, which is great for his owners Laurie Macri, Mathilde Texier and others. He is an outstanding colt, one of the best bred on the farm so far this year, and we look forward to presenting him at the sales in the future.” Atlantic Jewel’s best-performed offspring to date is this year’s Royal Ascot Hampton Court Stakes (Gr 3, 1m 2f) winner Russian Emperor (Galileo). She also has an unraced filly and colt by Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) in Europe.