An eye-catching half-brother by I Am Invincible to Group I winner Volatile Mix topped the Hong Kong International Sale (July) at the Sha Tin Parade Ring on Friday night with all19 lots offered sold for a total of HK$74.3 million
The gelding, catalogued as Lot 8, fetched HK$7.2million (AUD$1.338 million) to the bid of Sze-To Kin Sun and was bought originally by the Hong Kong Jockey Club from the Torryburn Stud draft at 2018 Inglis Easter for $1million.
Bred by Linda Huddy, he is the third foal of Group III placed High Chaparral (IRE) mare Utopia.
Wong Kwong Miu, whose red and black silks have been carried previously by the talented galloper Divine Ten, brought the auctioneer’s hammer down at HK$6.5 million for Lot 14 the second highest priced lot.
The Zoustar gelding is out of Baroness Gabriella, a half-sister to multiple G1-winning New Zealand champion Volkstok’n’barrell and as bought by the HKJC for $250,000 at the 2018 NZB Ready to Run Sale.
Two more geldings hit the HK$6 million mark: Lot 6 is a Savabeel full-brother to the G1 New Zealand Oaks heroine Savvy Coup; Lot 2 is a Per Incanto three-year-old out of the G1 ARC Railway Stakes winner Fleur De Lune.
Mr. William Nader, the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Director of Racing Business and Operations, said: “This was a very good sale, it exceeded our expectations. Overall, we have to be pleased with the results and it might be a good sign for the economy in Hong Kong that things could be rebounding, because the money was with us tonight.
“The horses presented well and I don’t think anyone was surprised by the sale-topper. There was a good mix of pedigrees, I think the buyers had a lot of variety and hopefully there’s some value there for our owners.”
The sale average was HK$3.91 million while the median came in at HK$4 million.
“Last year we sold 20 lots at the July Sale averaging HK$2.4 million and this year we had 19 lots averaging over HK$3.9 million, so this sale was very healthy and we’re pleased with the results,” Mr. Nader added.
