Karaka Graduates Well Received at HK Sale

18 December 2009

Four Karaka graduates were amongst the top 10 sellers at this past weekend's Hong Kong International Sale.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club's Sale of 19 breezed-up two-year-olds is staged annually a day before the Hong Kong International races, and in 2009 the New Zealand consignment, sourced at Karaka, again provided the Club with their greatest return on investment.

Seven Karaka yearling purchases at a total pre-sale cost (purchase, education, agistment etc) of HK$12,672,000 (NZ$2.3 million) were offered at the 2009 HK International Sale. Purchased by HKJC permit holders, the seven were sold for an aggregate of HK$28,900,000 (NZ$5.2 million), and an average of HK$4,130,000 representing a 128% return on investment for the Club.

Yearling purchases from Australia (108% ROI), Europe (41% ROI), and the USA (31% ROI) were also offered at the boutique sale.

Full 2009 HKIS result for Karaka graduates:

LOT COLOUR / SEX� �SIRE / DAM (Sire of Dam) PURCHASER HKD Nominated Trainer
2 Chestnut Gelding Stravinsky� -� Diamond Cashel (by Sir Tristram) TUESDAY CLUB SYNDICATE 3,700,000 Caspar Fownes
7 Bay Gelding Commands� -� Silky Oak (by Green Desert) LAW CHEUK 4,500,000 John Size
9 Bay Gelding Galileo� -� Lalika (by Danehill) WONG CHO BAU 4,000,000 Caspar Fownes
12 Bay Colt Encosta De Lago� -� Miss Helga (by Alzao) SIU KIM SUN MARTIN 5,000,000 David Ferraris
15 Bay Gelding Stravinsky� -� Marquise (by Gold and Ivory) WONG SEE SUM JACKIE 3,000,000 Derek Cruz
18 Bay Gelding Exceed and Excel� -� Dubai Express (by Zabeel) TUNG MOON FAI 5,700,000 John Size
21 Bay Gelding O'Reilly� -� Trisha's Belle (by Sir Tristram) FOK YUK TONG 3,000,000 David Hall

The highlight of the sale was Lot 18, a Karaka colt by Exceed and Excel out of Dubai Express (Zabeel) who was purchased by Mr. Moon Fai Tung for HK$5,700,000 (NZ$1,010,000). Mr. Tung has had previous success at the Sale as the purchaser of another Karaka Graduate, Unique Jewellery (O'Reilly), who won the HK-2 Mercedes Derby Trial last season, before placing second at his last start in the HK-2 Cathay Pacific International Cup Trial.

LOt18 exceed HKIS
Lot 18, a Karaka graduate purchased for the top price of HK$5,700,00 by Mr. Moon Fai Tung

New Zealand success at the Sale was backed up by strong performances by New Zealand-breds at Sha Tin on Sunday with third and fourth positions filled by Kiwis in both the Group 1 International Sprint (Joy and Fun (Cullen) and Green Birdie (Catbird)) and the Group 1 International Mile (Fellowship (O'Reilly) and Egyptian Ra (Woodborough).

The 2010 Karaka National Yearling Sales Series ( 1- 8 February) is set to start in six weeks time with over 1600 horses catalogued over seven days of selling.

Catalogues can be viewed online at http://www.nzb.co.nz/. To order your own hard-copy contact [email protected]. For hospitality and travel enquiries please contact Hospitality Coordinator Victoria Vela ([email protected]).