New Zealand Bloodstock and the Inner Mongolia Rider Horse Industry Co Ltd have partnered together to introduce the New Zealand Bloodstock Cup to be held in Inner Mongolia, China next year.
The race is open to horses purchased by any Chinese buyer at this year's New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale in November. To be held in July 2016 at Korchin, Inner Mongolia, the New Zealand Bloodstock Cup is worth RMB500,000 and will be run over 1800m.
NZB's Co-Managing Director Andrew Seabrook is excited about the formal partnership reached between NZB and Rider Horse Group.
"NZB is delighted to partner with Mr Lang Lin and the Rider Horse Group to put on such a valuable race in Inner Mongolia," commented Seabrook. "The racing industry in China is still in its infancy but thanks to people like Mr Lang it is growing at a rapid rate and we are privileged to be a part of it.
"This new race is a step in the right direction for racing in the area and is also a great asset to NZB's Ready to Run Sale. Mr Lang has indicated he is bringing a group of interested people to this year's Sale and hopefully this will give them, along with other Chinese based buyers, an incentive to buy a horse to win the New Zealand Bloodstock Cup.
"New Zealand has played a key role in getting thoroughbred racing in Korchin up and running and it has been great to see the success Mr Lang and Rider Horse Group have achieved in both China and New Zealand through the likes of Mongolian Khan. With this new partnership we hope to be involved in the continued growth of the industry in years to come."
The Rider Horse Group, headed by Mr Lang Lin, purchased 26 two-year-olds from NZB's Ready to Run Sale in 2013 and 2014. Among the horses purchased and raced by Rider Horse Group is dual Group 1 Derby winner Mongolian Khan (Holy Roman Emperor), New Zealand's Horse of the Year last season.
"The Inner Mongolia Rider Horse Industry Co. Ltd is delighted to have NZB sponsor at this important day in Chinese racing," commented Mr Lang Lin.
"Rider Horse Group will host a three-day 'International Mongolian Culture & Tourism Racing Carnival' in the middle of July, 2016," said Mr Lang Lin. "There will be 18 races altogether, making this carnival the largest ever in China. Overseas jockeys and trainers will also be in attendance.
"The carnival will not only showcase the rich Mongolian culture and history, but several performances will be held as well."
NZB's Ready to Run Sale is the leading Sale of its kind in Australasia, producing double the number of Group winners of any comparable Sale in the past three seasons. In that time, nine graduates of the Sale have won Group 1 races, the only sale of two-year-olds in Australasia to achieve a Group 1 winner.
The NZB Ready to Run Sale is on 18 & 19 November at Karaka with Breeze Ups held at Te Rapa Racecourse on 19 & 20 October.
To view the catalogue for NZB's Ready to Run Sale, click here.
