A NZ$1,300,000 colt from champion racemare, Ethereal, topped a day of highlights which included a record median of NZ$120,000, up 50% from NZ$80,000 last year, and 33% up on the previous record of NZ$90,000 in 2005. At the same point in the Sale last year (after 230 lots), the median was NZ$90,000.

The Sale average - with half the Premier catalogue still to come - is currently NZ$146,898, up from a final Premier Sale average of NZ$127,072 and an average at the same point in the Sale last year of a shade under NZ$120,000.

At the end of Day One the session clearance rate was 81.6%, in line with a final session clearance rate of 81% last year.

New Zealand Bloodstock Marketing Manager, Petrea Vela, commented on the strength of demand at the half-way point of the Premier Sale: "The day has exceeded our pre-sale expectations and we are delighted that we have been able to achieve such successful figures this early in the Sale. Demand got stronger and stronger over the course of the day with the average and median climbing steadily to post the strongest opening session results ever recorded at Karaka."

"The buying bench is as large as we have seen at Karaka for some time, particularly from Australia, with a strong presence from Hong Kong in addition to active buyers from England, Ireland, Singapore and Japan. Overall it has been a great start to the 2007 Premier Sale and bodes well for the week ahead."

Leading New Zealand buyer, David Ellis, secured the only seven-figure lot of the day, the Stravinsky colt from Melbourne and Caulfield Cups winner, Ethereal (by Rhythm) offered by Pencarrow Stud. One of the most prominent lots in the build up to the Sale, the colt joins the successful Te Akau Racing team to become the fourth million dollar sale graduate to come under the guidance of leading trainer, Mark Walker.

Te Akau principal, David Ellis, said he has been a fan of the colt since he was a foal: "I have visited this colt many times and he has been a beautiful colt since day one. Mark and I have had insider knowledge since his half-sister, Uberalles, is in our stable and is a sensational filly and certain to win a Group 1 race. So we are thrilled to have secured her half-brother, one of the top colts of the Sale."

"I had unprecedented interest from new and existing owners wanting to share in him and he has been embarrassingly over-subscribed. But I am delighted to have retained him for the New Zealand industry."

Ellis was the leading buyer for the day with 10 lots purchased for NZ$3,082,500. Second was the Hong Kong Jockey Club which has bought 16 yearlings for NZ$2,525,000, including a top price of NZ$270,000 for Lot 166, a colt from Gaysutina by Towkay, sire of last night's Hong Kong Group 1 Steward's Cup winner, Armada.