NZB Premier Sale Graduate Tops HK International Sale

New Zealand provided the highlight of the Hong Kong Jockey Club's prestigious International Sale at Sha Tin on Saturday, with a son of NZ resident sire O'Reilly equalling the highest price in history at the Sale.

The colt by O'Reilly from the Centaine mare Centa Belt was knocked down to the bid of prominent owner Tommy Yeung Kin-wing, a loyal owner of kiwi expat trainer Paul O'Sullivan, for HK$7.5 million (NZ$1.3 million).

A graduate of the 2009 Karaka Premier Sale, the colt was bought by the Hong Kong Jockey Club for $230,000 from Garry and Mark Chittick's Waikato Stud.

Danesis, the top lot at the 2006 sale, is the only horse in the Hong Kong International Sale's history to have matched the HK$7.5 million purchase price, but such was the depth of yesterday's bidding, that the sale also boasted the fourth highest priced lot at HK$7 million.

The sale saw 20 horses go under the auctioneer's hammer, with six of the entries sourced from the New Zealand Bloodstock salering.

O'Reilly had the most entries of any of the internationally acclaimed sires, with three of his sons on offer.

O'Reilly's other progeny included the gelding from Zoilus (Maroof), a $230,000 purchase by the HKJC from Whakanui Stud at the 2010 Karaka Sale. The yearling proved an astute purchase as it was knocked down for HK$4.7 million (NZ$822,000).

Another of O'Reilly's offspring to feature was a gelding from Paolino (Housebuster) which was bought by the HKJC from Pencarrow Stud at the 2010 Karaka Premier Sale for $230,000, and made HK$4.2 million in the sale (NZ$734,000).

Other NZ results included:

• The $425,000 purchase by the HKJC from Belvedere Farm at the 2010 Karaka Premier Sale, the gelding by Fastnet Rock from the Rainbow Quest mare Haibah was sold for HK$5 million (NZ$874,000);
• The Dehere gelding bought from Whakanui Stud at the 2009 Karaka Premier Sale for $115,000 was sold for HK$3.5 million (NZ$612,000);
• �The gelding by Cape Cross, bought from Cambridge Stud at the 2009 Karaka Premier Sale for $135,000, was sold for HK$5.2 million (NZ$909,000).

"Obviously it has been another outstanding result for the sale, but what I was most happy about this morning was the spirited and competitive bidding we saw in the auction ring," commented Mark Richards from the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

"We have built a reputation for being very selective, and our record over the years has shown buyers that they can turn up and buy a high-quality racehorse with maximum confidence."

The Hong Kong Jockey Club bought 12 horses from the 2011 Karaka Premier Sale for an aggregate of $3.4 million. Among their purchases was progeny by High Chaparral, O'Reilly, Encosta de Lago, Fastnet Rock, Pins, Keeper and Exceed and Excel.

This year's Hong Kong International Sale posted a record average of HK$4,705,000 across the 20 lots entered.

"We are delighted with the results of the sale as you would expect," said Hong Kong Jockey Club Executive Director of Racing, William A Nader afterwards. "The record average reflects the fact that the lots were beautifully presented and all looked terrific, and in that respect I think the prices paid were a compliment to the Club."

The 2011 average was almost exactly HK$1 million up on the average for the most recent HKIS held in December 2009, and the median up HK$600,000.