Karaka Consignment Set for Hong Kong Sale
9 December 2009
Having completed breeze-ups at Sha Tin this past Saturday, the consignment of Karaka yearlings purchased by the Hong Kong Jockey Club in 2009 will make up the majority of two-year-olds catalogued in the 2009 Hong Kong International Sale on 12 December.
The annual sale conducted by the Hong Kong Jockey Club is held a day before their Cathay Pacific International Race meeting which attracts many of the globe's best racehorses to Sha Tin for word-class prize-money, and the highest level of competition.
The Hong Kong International Sale of 21 Lots in 2009 allows HKJC permit holders the right to bid on well educated two-year-olds who have been sourced from the world's elite auction houses.
The New Zealand consignment is purchased exclusively at Karaka Premier, with New Zealand Bloodstock and the HKJC having a long standing relationship for over 30 years.
Prepared and presented by Bruce and Maureen Harvey's Ascot Farm, a New Zealand draft of seven colts and geldings by Stravinsky (2), O'Reilly, Encosta De Lago, Commands, Exceed and Excel, and Galileo will be sold at the auction set in the Sha Tin parade ring.
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| �Lot 21, a colt by O'Reilly x Trisha's Belle purchased at Karaka for $240,000 by the HKJC |
The remainder of the catalogue is made up of six Australian purchases, five European purchases, and three United States purchases, with the pre-sale cost of each purchase indicated on the catalogue page of each lot.
New Zealand's most expensive graduate, at HK$2,311,000 (NZ$412,000), is Lot 12, a colt by Encosta De Lago out of stakes-winning two-year-old Miss Helga (Alzao).
The most costly two-year-old for the club is Lot 17, a gelding by Mr Greeley out of Shawklit Delight (Pine Bluff), a half-brother to a Group 2 winner who was sourced in the United States whose pre-sale cost is HK$2,969,000 (NZ$530,000).
At the other end of the spectrum, New Zealand's Lot 7, a gelding by Commands out of Silky Oak (Green Desert), has the lowest pre-sale cost of the entire Sale at HK$1,128,000 ($201,000) thanks to New Zealand's beneficial exchange rate.
The 2009 draft is managed by New Zealand Bloodstock's International Representative John Cameron who is heavily involved in the selection, the purchase, and the education of the HKJC's Karaka purchases.
Of the seven two-year-olds John Cameron remarks, "the 2009 team completed their education at Ascot Farm and were flown to Hong Kong by New Zealand Bloodstock Airfreight on 10 November."
"After delighting me with their progress right through with the manner in which they have developed, I am happy to report that they have arrived in Hong Kong safely and have settled in well."
"They all produced impressive breeze-ups on Saturday. The pairings all hit the line strongly together and each of them looked good in their actions."
"They were purchased with Hong Kong conditions in mind and, given they are all stylish, athletic individuals, I am confident this consignment can add to the superior performance of New Zealand graduates of the Hong Kong International Sale".
Cameron of course alludes to the fact that New Zealand graduates of the Hong Kong Sale have provided many thrills on race day for Hong Kong permit holders lucky enough to secure a graduate of Karaka.
The Sale's second all-time money earner, The Duke (Danehill), is the best of these after earning $HK31,291,500 (NZ$5,600,000) with victories including the Group 1 Cathay Pacific International Mile.
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| �Big Profit�(NZ), the HK$1,000,000 bonus�recipient as the leading earner�of the 2007 HK International Sale |
More recently, remembering that the Sale has around 10 NZ grads each year, star Kiwis to come out of the Sale include last season's Champion Griffin, Big Profit (Howbaddouwantit), who earned the HK$1,000,000 HKIS bonus for being the leading prize-money earner of all graduates from the 2007 Sale, and Unique Jewellery (O'Reilly) who ran fourth in the prestigious HK-1 Mercedes Hong Kong Derby earlier this year after winning the HK-2 Derby Trial.
Cameron concludes, "Hong Kong owners are well aware of the New Zealand advantage and I am sure the Club, along with successful bidders, will benefit again this year with the graduates sourced from Karaka."