The Hong Kong International Sale (HKIS) is one of the annual highlights of the Hong Kong horseracing season and Friday night’s (30 June) auction was no exception with 15 quality lots going under the hammer.
The HKIS is a service to owners and provides the opportunity for our permit holders to purchase well-bred, well-educated horses from both the northern and southern hemispheres with a mix of quality staying and sprinting types.
We saw a slight increase in the average price from HK$4.176 million in 2022 to HK$4.773 this year and I think the owners appreciated how extremely well prepared the horses were and I would like to congratulate Angela Yeung for securing the Zoustar-Fortune of War gelding for a sales-topping HK$8.6 million.
Peter Lau, who bought multiple Group 1-winner and also BMW Hong Kong Derby winner Romantic Warrior out of the 2021 HKIS, was also prominent with the purchase of the No Nay Never-Laganore gelding for HK$8.4 million.
I wish all the successful owners on Friday night the very best of luck for the future.
At Sha Tin on Saturday, the feature race is the Hong Kong Reunification Cup, which is carded as Race 4 at 5.35pm. Run under handicap conditions over 2000m for Class Two horses, the race carries prizemoney of HK$2.9 million.
The speed in the race will be good with All For St Paul’s stepping to the distance for the first time but he is a natural leader and will set the pace from his rails draw. Sword Point and Champion Dragon also race on speed, with Meaningful Star and Erimo likely to settle in the forward division.
A strong pace will be key to the chances of the back markers. Five G Patch went back to the tail of the field in the Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup over 2400m on 28 May. He came widest in the straight and was closing quickly for third behind Russian Emperor and Romantic Warrior. Five G Patch drops in class here and has won at the course and distance this season. He is a place chance.
Ching went back from a wide gate when coming from last at the bend to run down Helene Feeling in the final stride over 1600m on 28 May. He has been consistent this season, finishing in the top four at all nine starts, winning four times. Ching is up in class and extends beyond 1600m for the first time. Lyle Hewitson will likely take him back again from the outside draw but he is a win and place chance with his light weight.
Sword Point ran well when sixth in the BMW Hong Kong Derby and then fought hard to go down narrowly to Straight Arron in the Queen Mother Memorial Cup (2400m). He had a torrid three-wide run when fifth to Meaningful Star over 1800m on 31 May when running at Happy Valley for the first time. Zac Purton will have Sword Point close to the speed from his good draw and is a place chance.
Meaningful Star sat outside the leader and came away for an easy win over 1800m at Happy Valley at his last run beating Butterfield on 31 May. Meaningful Star should get a good run behind the leader from his inside gate and is a place chance for Matthew Poon.
Several other runners have chances, including Alacrity, Natural Storm, Sweet Encounter and La City Blanche, who all can be placed without surprising.
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