Karaka Colt Tops Hong Kong's International Sale

New Zealand Bloodstock provided the highlight of the Hong Kong Jockey Club's prestigious International Sale at Sha Tin on Saturday for the second year in a row, with a son of Fastnet Rock breaking the Sale's previous record price.

The gelding by Fastnet Rock was knocked down to the bid of Chiu Yung for the record breaking price of HK$9 million (NZ$1.4 million).

The two-year-old is from the Covetous mare Undercover, a half-sister to the stakes winner Ain't Seen Nothing (Nothin' Leica Dane) and from the family of Group 1 Golden Slipper winner Polar Success (Success Express).

A graduate of New Zealand Bloodstock's 2011 Karaka Premier Sale, the gelding was purchased by the Hong Kong Jockey Club from Ascot Farm for $300,000.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club's 2011 International Sale also saw a Karaka Premier Sale graduate, the O'Reilly colt from the Centaine mare Centa Belt, top the sale and equal the previous record price of HK$7.5 million.

The Hong Kong International Sale topping colt by Fastnet Rock was sold at the 2011 Karaka Premier Sale

The 2012 International Sale saw 26 lots offered, 10 of which were geldings sourced from New Zealand Bloodstock's 2010 and 2011 Karaka Premier Sales.

Other New Zealand results included:

• A $420,000 purchase by the HKJC from Westbury Stud at the 2011 Karaka Premier Sale, the Exceed and Excel colt from the Group 1 winning mare Grand Archway was sold for HK$5 million ($780,000).
• The Pins gelding bought from Waikato Stud at the 2010 Karaka Premier Sale for $350,000 was sold for HK$5 million ($780,000).
• The O'Reilly gelding from Lightning Tree bought from Ardsley Stud at the 2010 Karaka Premier Sale was sold for HK$4.5 million ($703,000).

Mark Richards, Executive Manager of the International Sale, was delighted with the auction.

"It was a very pleasing sale and what was most pleasing was that the horses that made good money deserved to do so," commented Richards. "The star lots brought in the star prices and now they need to go on and prove themselves on the racecourse. I hope they do that and reward their owners with success."

To view the full results from Hong Kong's International Sale, click here.