New Zealand breeders may want to take an insurance policy out on their leading buyer David Ellis.

The principal of Te Akau Stud has dominated the New Zealand buying bench for the past decade at the NZ Bloodstock premier yearling sale, but in 2014 he dominated foreign buyers in Karaka as well.

With Australian buyers possibly hampered by an exchange rate much worse for them than last year, Ellis bought 26 yearlings for just under $NZ4.5 million ($A4.31 million).

“We wanted to take our business in the next 12 months to another level,” Ellis said.

“We only finished second in the premiership in Singapore, and our goal is to win the premiership in New Zealand and Singapore.”

The most expensive of his purchases was a Fastnet Rock-Randaroo colt from the Curraghmore Stud draft knocked down for $680,000.

“He’s a colt that I think could be a real Sires’ Produce colt. He’s a very mature, beautifully balanced colt, and I can see him being a real Guineas colt as a spring three-year-old.”

The colt is one of four Ellis plans to syndicate with the aim of turning them into stallion prospects.

He also for the first time bought a horse along with Coolmore Stud’s Tom Magnier, paying $400,000 for an Encosta De Lago-Love Diamonds filly.

Ellis didn’t get his own way on everything however, being the underbidder on the day’s top seller, a Fastnet Rock-Katie Lee colt knocked down for $800,000 to Waikato trainers Graeme and Debbie Rogerson, who trained Katie Lee to eight gRoup wins.

Australian-based buyers were much less dominant than usual, though Magnier made the second-highest purchase, paying $700,000 for a Fastnet Rock filly out of VRC Oaks placegetter Miss Scarlatti.