Widely expected to be the topper before
setting foot in the ring of Saturday’s Hong Kong International Sale, a
two-year-old Danehill
colt sold for HK$7,500,000, the highest price ever at the auction. The previous
record was
HK$6 million.
Cheng Keung Fai purchased the bay, who entered the ring as Lot 15 and was produced by
the
Secretariat mare Sister Dot. A half-brother to champion Dehere, the Irish-bred
colt was the
final Danehill juvenile to be sold at public auction. He was purchased as a
yearling by the Hong
Kong Jockey Club for 360,000 at the 2005 Goffs Orby Million Sale.
The
second-highest
price at Saturday’s sale was HK$4,400,000 for Lot 30, a gelding by More Than
Ready.
Bought by industrialist Sui Pak Kwan, he will be trained by David Ferraris.
“I have
the only other son of More Than Ready in Hong Kong, and like this horse and sire
very much,” Ferraris said.
Foaled in Australia, the son of Dainty Dancer (Al Hareb) was acquired by
the Hong Kong
Jockey Club for NZ$120,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale.
In all, 28
lots sold for HK$81,200,000, leading to a 63 percent increase in average to
HK$2,900,000.
“It was not a bargain sale, but Thoroughbreds worldwide have become more
expensive and,
combined with the currency weakness here and other factors, it was in line with
overall
trends,” said Winfred Engelbrecht-Bresges, HKJC’s executive director of racing.
“We are
considering the idea of some races confined to horses from our sale so that we
can show our
support for the enthusiasm of the purchasers.”
Complete results are available on
www.cxhkir.com/english/hkir2006/hkis/hkis06_results.asp.