New Zealand-breds continue promise in Hong Kong but region’s investment a ‘pass mark’ at Karaka
Sunday’s racing in Hong Kong, as is often prevalent on the tracks of Sha Tin or Happy Valley, saw New Zealand breds shine with three-year-old newcomer Smiling Collector (Turn Me Loose) winning on debut, while four-year-old Swiss Ace (Secret Savings) gelding Flying Ace remained unbeaten in four starts over 1200 metres for trainer David Hall.
Bred by Gerry Harvey, Flying Ace was snapped up by Hong Kong connections after winning a trial at Taupo in April last year, while Smiling Collector, a son of the red-hot sire Turn Me Loose (High Chaparral), is a New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka yearling sale graduate, having been purchased by Upper Bloodstock for NZ$110,000 at the 2020 auction.
That sale in January, two years ago, was the last semblance of normality at the picturesque Karaka sales complex, before Covid-19 presented itself to the forefront of our conversations in the weeks following.
Hong Kong had typically been a strong, and increasingly lucrative, market for New Zealand vendors. At the 2020 sale, buyers based in Hong Kong snapped up no less than 40 lots from the Book 1 catalogue at Karaka, spending NZ$6,520,000 on replenishing their stocks, while the 2018 auction saw Hong Kong buyers part with in excess of NZ$10 million on 66 lots.
After two days of Book 1 trade, with a final session remaining today, at this year’s delayed Karaka yearling sale – held in March as opposed to its regular late January slot – Hong Kong buyers have signed for just 15 of the 440 catalogued lots.
For Singapore, too, the New Zealand market has been a popular well for those sourcing new stock. However, since 2018, in which buyers from the Lion City purchased 20 lots for NZ$1.895 million, those figures have dwindled to five lots and NZ$435,000 in 2020, while with the onset of the pandemic just a single yearling went to Singapore last year.
Danny Rolston, New Zealand Bloodstock’s director of sales, was matter of fact regarding the realities of the buying potential at the auction for Hong Kong and other Asian buyers due to the prevailing impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, with four days of trade remaining.
“I’d call it a pass mark, without going either way to being disappointed or ecstatic,” Rolston told Asia Bloodstock News.
“Obviously we would have liked more, but it’s great to see the Hong Kong Jockey Club buy a nice horse today. But, just given the challenges of the pandemic and the state of the pandemic in Hong Kong at the moment, it’s no surprise that it’s a little bit quiet.”
The Hong Kong Jockey Club once again led buying from the region with the highest-priced lot, securing a Savabeel (Zabeel) colt for NZ$290,000 on day two, having in 2021 purchased a colt buy the same sire for NZ$720,000, while in 2020 the HKJC bought four lots for up to NZ$400,000.
Meanwhile, across the two days of selling so far, Hong Kong-based owner Pui Kwan Kay has purchased three lots for a total outlay of NZ$710,000, led by a No Nay Never (Scat Daddy) colt for NZ$280,000.
Also buying at the sale was Dullingham PTY Ltd, who purchased a NZ$230,000 Per Incanto (Street Cry) colt from the Little Avondale draft, while Thurlow Bloodstock, Price Bloodstock Management and Tartan Meadow Bloodstock were also active, snapping up colts by Satono Aladdin (Deep Impact), Proisir (Choisir) and More Than Ready (Southern Halo). Trainer Ricky Yiu, often a supporter of the New Zealand sales, has so far come away with a colt by Darci Brahma (Danehill) for NZ$80,000.
“We’re certainly getting some good support from the region regardless,” Rolston said.
“New Zealand Bloodstock and New Zealand in general has been the leading supplier of Hong Kong Derby winners since the turn of the century and the New Zealand-breds have been going well, so we feel like we’re holding our own in the region.”
Recent New Zealand-bred winners of the Hong Kong Derby (Listed, 2000m) have included last year’s ill-fated victor Sky Darci (Darci Brahma), as well as 2019 winner Furore (Pierro), 2018 scorer Ping Hai Star (Nom De Jeu) and Werther (Tavistock), the Derby winner in 2016.
This year’s race will take place a week on Sunday, with leading contenders Money Catcher (Ferlax) and The Irishman (Tavistock) lining up for the Kiwis.
However, Sunday was a turn for the New Zealand-bred sprinters to show their prowess – a sphere dominated by their Australian counterparts – but Windsor Park stallion Turn Me Loose got off the mark with his first Hong Kong winner from just his second runner, after Smiling Collector won the Marigold Handicap (1200m) by a head.
“He’s a nice horse. He did a lot of things wrong today and the jockey said he was very green,” said his trainer, Jimmy Ting. “He was looking around everywhere, so I think he will improve off this run.”
Snapped up from the Mapperley Stud draft by Upper Bloodstock, Smiling Collector is the fifth living foal out of the Listed-winning Howbaddouwantit (Rahy) mare Comme Tu Veux and is the half-brother of six-time Hong Kong winner Racing Fighter (Mastercraftsman).
Flying Ace, meanwhile, has continued to surprise his trainer David Hall, as he went four from four in his Hong Kong career when beating Rock Ya Heart (I Am Invincible) by a short-head in the Freesia Handicap (1200m), with all his successes coming over 1200 metres.
“It certainly wasn’t a big margin, but he’s still not getting all the favours, is he?” said Hall.
“I know the horse can race a hell of a lot closer. He’s having to make up ground and do it the hard way and he had more weight today. He wasn’t as impressive at the finish because it was quite close, but to win four in a row in a preparation – for any horse in Hong Kong is great – he’s doing his job very well.
“He’s, mentally, not there yet – he still does plenty of things wrong. He’s a bit of a quirky horse with his mind. He’s got that potential and will get there eventually.”