Racing: Hong Kong horsemen lead way

This well-related Denman colt from Kate Of Clonmel fetched $200,000 at the Ready To Run Sale yesterday. Picture / Trish Dunell

The action began early at Karaka on the first day of the annual New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale yesterday, when two members of an international buying bench made their mark through a pair of colts that sold for $200,000 apiece.

Hong Kong trainer Francis Lui set the pace when he secured lot five, a Denman colt, from the draft of the Mangatawhiri-based Jamieson Park. The colt is from the Bianconi mare Kate Of Clonmel and features a host of stakes performers in Racing: his extended pedigree including Oakleigh Plate winner Khaptingly.

Lui, a regular visitor to Karaka, was keen to secure the colt after he breezed up before the sale.

"I flew into Auckland on Monday and once I had seen his breeze-up video and inspected him I was very keen on buying him for my clients, as I liked what I saw," he said.

Three lots later, Hong Kong-based agent Chris McAnulty matched that $200,000 mark when he bought lot eight, a Tavistock colt that had plenty of appeal from a pragmatic and emotional point of view.

From the draft of Kiltannon Stables, the showy individual traces from the family of multiple group one winner Our Tristalight, who is the dam of stallion and 2000 Guineas winner Danske, both yearling purchases for McAnulty's father, Rob.

"I guess you can say there was plenty of attraction in the colt as we know the family so well," he said.

The colt is the third foal of Keeper mare Keep Alight, a daughter of Our Tristalight, whose first foal is the stakes placed Midnitemagicman.

His immediate future lies in Australia, with McAnulty indicating that he would join either Darren Weir or Graeme Begg for his early racing before heading to Hong Kong.

Jamieson Park celebrated a royal result when their son of Fastnet Rock topped the opening session.

The South Auckland operation's colt was the subject of spirited bidding before he was knocked down to NZB for $320,000 on behalf of Hong Kong interests. The 2-year-old son of the champion Australian sire boasts an international pedigree and is out of the Irish-bred Bering mare, who was a winner in England.

Meanwhile, Graeme Rogerson has added to his stable arsenal with a Savabeel colt bought for $300,000. He was secured from the draft of Ohaupo-based vendor Blackbridge.

"Everything about him suggests he is top class and Rory Hutchings couldn't speak highly enough about him after he rode him in the breeze-up prior to the sale."

Sales of $100,000 and above included:

B C Denman- Kate of Clonmel Jamieson Park, F Lui, HK, $200,000; B C Tavistock-Keep Alight, Kiltannon Stables, Chris McAnulty, HK, $200,000; Br/Bl C Excellent Art-Le Sillage, Diamond Lodge Poletti Co, NSW, $185,000; Br C Bernardini-Luellen , Kilgravin Lodge, TR Kieser, Singapore, $120,000; Br F O'Reilly-Miss Caruso, Esker Lodge Forest Lodge Racing, Victoria, $150,000; B C Exceed and Excel-Miss Raggedy Ann, Diamond Lodge, G Hennessy, HK, $180,000.

B C Encosta de Lago-Moti, Anzac Lodge, Bridge Racing, Hastings, $100,000; B C Encosta de Lago-Nadege, Regal Farm, Segenhoe Thoroughbreds, NSW, $180,000; B F Exceed and Excel-National Treasure, Mana Park, Australasian Thoroughbreds, Qld, $100,000; Ch C Magic Albert-Nephtys, Kilgravin Lodge, J Shin, HK, $150,000; B C Zabeel-Our Joan of Arc, JK Farm, Segenhoe Thoroughbreds, NSW, $100,000; B C Henrythenavigator-Petite Allegro, Bauhinia Racing Ltd, CM Yung, HK, $200,000; B C Savabeel-Pin Oak, Blackbridge, Rogerson Bloodstock, Hamilton, $300,000; B C Thorn Park-Prompt Payment, Prima Park, Cliff Brown Racing, Singapore, $120,000; Br F Rip Van Winkle-Quatro, Beatson Stables, AW Noonan, Victoria, $115,000.

B C Rip Van Winkle-Rainbow Echo, Kiltannon Stables, M Man, HK, $100,000; B C Fastnet Rock-Rathlin Light, Lyndhurst Farm, Bryce N Heys Ellerslie Lodge, NSW, $150,000.

B C O'Reilly-Royal Isolt, Lyndhurst Farm, Inner Mongolia Rider Horse, China, $100,000; B C Savabeel-Royal Show, Lyndhurst Farm, DC Ellis/J Richards, Auckland, $250,000.

Br C Commands-She's Perfect, Prima Park, Michael J Clements Bloodstock, Singapore, $280,000; B C Tavistock-Singalong, Regal Farm, Hope Racing, Victoria, $100,000; B/Br C Makfi-Spectralia, Mana Park, Rogerson Bloodstock, Hamilton, $140,000; B C Teofilo-Speedos, Leanach Lodge, PL Ho, HK, $230,000; B C Savabeel-Starring, Mana Park, Whitby Bloodstock Trust, NSW, $110,000; B G Encosta de Lago-Starspangled, Lyndhurst Farm, KP Fung, HK, $100,000; Br C O'Reilly-Storm Jewel, Kilmore Farm, Cameron Cooke Bloodstock, Victoria, $100,000; B C Iffraaj-Tenacity, Emily Holmes Racing, PL Ho, HK, $210,000.