Hong Kong Update

D Whyte now has a 7 win advantage in the Jockey’s Ranking.  D Whyte has recorded 37 wins, 34 seconds, 25 thirds, 26 fourths and 18 fifths from 201 rides. Shane Dye is in third position with 20 wins, 15 seconds, 14 thirds, 13 fourths and 14 fifths from 193 rides. Craig Williams is in eighth position with 13 wins, 8 seconds, 12 thirds, 15 fourths and 7 fifths from 124 rides. D Dunn is in tenth position with 11 wins, 10 seconds, 9 third, 15 fourths and 11 fifths from 150 rides.

Tony Cruz has extended his led to 7 wins in the Trainer’s Ranking.  Tony Cruz has recorded 33 wins, 22 seconds, 15 thirds, 10 fourths and 12 fifths from 154 runners. John Size is in second position with 26 wins, 17 seconds, 16 thirds, 21 fourths and 19 fifths from 182 runners. John Moore is in fourth position with 15 wins, 15 seconds, 13 thirds, 12 fourths and 12 fifths from 160 runners. David Hayes is in sixth position with 14 wins, 13 seconds, 23 thirds, 11 fourths and 12 fifths from 197 runners.

All statistics current to 15 December 2004 .

  The Taree supersonic rocket sizzles to world acclaim again

Supersonic could be an apt description of the power displayed by the Taree, NSW bred Silent Witness in belting leading sprinters from Europe, America, Japan and Australia in taking the A$1,700,000 Hong Kong International Sprint over 1000 metres at Sha Tin on 12 December 2004.  Going to the line with his ears pricked and 1.75 lengths ahead of his nearest rival, the five-year-old gelded son of the Danehill relation El Moxie, a resident at Emirates Park, Digger's Rest, Victoria, and the Bureaucracy mare Jade Tiara, was retaining his unbeaten record and recording his thirteenth success.  The win was his second in succession in the Hong Kong Sprint and took his earnings to over A$5million, a vast return of the $55,000 he cost at the William Inglis Sydney Classic yearling sale.  One of the first horses bred by Ian Smith at his Edinburgh Park Stud, Silent Witness continued the phenomenal success of Australian bred horses in the Sprint. It has been run six times and has been won every time by a horse bred in this country, another to score twice in the event being Falvelon, the Queensland flyer now very popular with mares owners at the Glenlogan Park Stud near Beaudesert.  Australian bred horses finished first and third in this year's renewal of the Hong Kong Sprint, the minor money being picked up by Natural Blitz, a son of the Danzig sire Maroof and Miiharo, a daughter of Bletchingly and Golden Slipper winner Century Miss. Natural Blitz was passed in at $7500 when offered by the Mungrup Stud at the Magic Millions 2002 Perth yearling sale.  Silent Witness was one of three winners on the spectacular Hong Kong program bred in Australia with the first two events falling to Zero In and then Noble Crusader, both sons of the Arrowfield Stud based Danehill Golden Slipper winner Danzero.  Sold at the William Inglis Melbourne yearling sale through the Chatswood Stud for $52,500, Zero In was recording his second Hong Kong win. He is from Onbellera, a winner of nine races including one in Melbourne .  Danzero's second winner Noble Crusader was bred by Flame Tree Stud, Scone and sold through the Byerley Stud draft at the 2002 Magic Millions Gold Coast sale for $220,000. He is from Suburban Blues, a Melbourne and Adelaide winner related to Demus, the sire of Dandy Kid, the winner on Saturday of his thirteenth Moonee Valley race and his seventeenth race all told.  The richest race at the Hong Kong meeting, the A$3million Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup over 2000 metres, was taken out by Alexander Goldrun, an Ireland bred filly who could gain the title of Europe 's best three-year-old filly of 2004. She has won two Group1 races this year, the Hong Kong Cup and Longchamp Prix de l'Opera, finished second in two other Group 1s in Ireland , the One Thousand Guineas and Pretty Polly Stakes, and fourth in the French Oaks.  Alexander Goldrun's successes have been part of a very good year enjoyed around the world by representatives of the Nureyev male line. She is from the first crop of 1999 European champion older miler Gold Away, a son of the Nureyev French Two Thousand Guineas second Goldneyev.  As Goldneyev is from a Riverman mare, he is bred on the same cross as Breeders' Cup Mile winner and Coolmore shuttle sire Spinning World and the stakes winning Dance Dreamer, a newcomer in the 2004 season to Di Hill's Foxes Hollow Stud, Oakdale, NSW.  Alexander Goldrun won the Hong Kong Cup by a head from Wild Vintage, a winner earlier of three races in that country and two in Great Britain at two under the name of Al Moughazel. Bred in America , he is by a Coolmore shuttle sire in Royal Academy and from Wild Vintage, a daughter of Alysheba and a great grandaughter of Margarethren, a half-sister to the third dam of King Charlemagne, the Nureyev Group 1 winner who visits Blue Gum Farm, Euroa and who is to have first crop yearlings at 2005 Australian sales.  Two other Group 1 races on the Hong Kong program, each valued at A$2.4million, were the Hong Kong Vase over 2400 metres and the Hong Kong Mile and they were taken out by the England entries Phoenix Reach and Firebreak, respectively.  The Vase winning Phoenix Reach is by 1995 unbeaten European champion two-year-old and subsequent good miler Alhaarth, a son of the good Northern Dancer sire Unfuwain, and Firebreak is by Charnwood Forest , a former Widden Stud shuttle sire.  Two Australian bred horses, Perfect Partner (Quest for Fame - Stockings, by Whiskey Road ) and The Duke (Danehill - Mer du Sud, by Bluebird), were second and third in the Mile, a race in which only a length separated the first three.  Bred and raced here under the name of Masked by the Inghams of the Woodlands Stud, Perfect Partner won six of eight starts in Sydney at three including a Listed event before making his home in Hong Kong .

(This article courtesy of Brian’s Russell’s Racing & Breeding News)

  The 2004 Hong Kong International Sale

The 2004 Hong Kong International Sale which was held at Sha Tin on 11 December 2004 in the new state of the art parade ring, saw gross proceeds of HK$43 million, an average price of HK$2,263,150, a median of HK$2 million and a new record price of HK$6,000,000 being achieved.  The record priced yearling was Lot 13 a bay gelding by King’s Best out of Georgiana sold to Mr Shun So, a yearling originally bought out of the Karaka Premier Yearling Sale.  The top five lots for the sale were:-

The Hong Kong International Race Day was conducted at Sha Tin on Sunday 12 December 2004 with the running of the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint, the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile, the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup and the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase the highlights on a nine event program.

TBNSW members had a great day recording 3 wins (in the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint as well as two of the supporting races), a second placing and 2 third placings on the day.

  The Black Type Events

The Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint 1000 metres

a winner for TBNSW members

1. Silent Witness (AUS) (El Moxie( USA )-Jade Tiara) bred by Mr I K 

     Smith

2. Cape of Good Hope (GB) (Inchinor-Cape Merino)

3. Natural Blitz (AUS) (Maroof( USA )-Miiharo(NZ))

The Group 1 Hong Kong Mile1600 metres

a second placing for TBNSW members

1. Firebreak (GB) ( Charnwood Forest (IRE)-Breakaway(GB))

2. Perfect Partner (AUS) (Quest for Fame(GB)-Stockings) bred by 

     Woodlands Stud

3. The Duke (AUS) (Danehill( USA )-Mer Du Sud(IRE))

The Group 1 Hong Kong Cup 2000 metres

1. Alexander Goldrun (IRE) (Gold Away-Tenashaan)

2. Bullish Luck ( USA ) ( Royal Academy ( USA )-Wild Vintage)

3. Touch of Land (FR) (Lando-Touch of Class)

The Group 1 Hong Kong Vase 2400 metres

1. Phoenix Reach (IRE) (Alhaarth-Carroll’s Canyon)

2. Sights on Gold (IRE) (Indian Ridge-Summer Tysting

3. Vallee Enchantee (IRE) (Peintre Celebre( USA )-Verveine( USA ))

  The Supporting Races

The Dubai Handicap 1200 metres

a winner and third placing for TBNSW members

1. Noble Crusader (AUS) (Danzero-Suburban Blues) bred by Flame 

     Tree Stud

2. Tchaikovsky(NZ) (Snippets-Ultima Vita)

3. Lucky Galloper (AUS) (Canny Lad-Order) bred by Woodlands Stud

The Tokyo Handicap 1400 metres

a third placing for TBNSW members

1. Dave’s Best (GB) (Bishop of Cashel-Brightside)

2. Sanbenito (IRE) (Elbio-Inter Madera )

3. Triumphant Unicorn(AUS) (Danzero-Have Love) bred by Ruane 

     Menangle

The International Day Cup 1400 metres

a quinella for TBNSW members

1. Key to Success (AUS) (Geiger Counter( USA )-Getting Up( USA )) 

     bred by Mr I Johnson

2. Town of Fionn (AUS) (Snippets-Ballyfin) bred by Mr I Johnson

3. Planet Ruler (AUS) (Danehill( USA )-Sequenza)

  Hong Kong Update

D Whyte now has a 9 win advantage in the Jockey’s Ranking.  D Whyte has recorded 35 wins, 29 seconds, 24 thirds, 23 fourths and 17 fifths from 185 rides. Shane Dye is in third position with 20 wins, 15 seconds, 13 thirds, 12 fourths and 14 fifths from 183 rides. Craig Williams is in eighth position with 12 wins, 7 seconds, 12 thirds, 13 fourths and 6 fifths from 114 rides. D Dunn is in tenth position with 11 wins, 9 seconds, 8 third, 14 fourths and 11 fifths from 141 rides.

Tony Cruz maintains his 5 win lead in the Trainer’s Ranking.  Tony Cruz has recorded 29 wins, 18 seconds, 14 thirds, 10 fourths and 12 fifths from 140 runners. John Size is in second position with 24 wins, 16 seconds, 15 thirds, 19 fourths and 17 fifths from 170 runners. David Hayes is in fifth position with 14 wins, 11 seconds, 22 thirds, 11 fourths and 12 fifths from 184 runners.  John Moore is in seventh position with 13 wins, 14 seconds, 12 thirds, 12 fourths and 11 fifths from 148 runners.

All statistics current to 8 December 2004 .

  Hong Kong Update

D Whyte has maintained his 10 win advantage in the Jockey’s Ranking.  D Whyte has recorded 34 wins, 29 seconds, 22 thirds, 23 fourths and 15 fifths from 178 rides. Shane Dye is in third position with 20 wins, 14 seconds, 12 thirds, 11 fourths and 14 fifths from 169 rides. D Dunn is in eighth position with 11 wins, 8 seconds, 7 thirds, 13 fourths and 11 fifths from 132 rides. Brett Prebble is in ninth position with 10 wins, 10 seconds, 13 third, 9 fourths and 16 fifths from 136 rides.

Tony Cruz now has extended his lead in the Trainer’s Ranking to 5 wins.  Tony Cruz has recorded 27 wins, 17 seconds, 14 thirds, 10 fourths and 11 fifths from 134 runners. John Size is in second position with 22 wins, 16 seconds, 15 thirds, 19 fourths and 17 fifths from 165 runners. David Hayes is in fourth position with 14 wins, 10 seconds, 22 thirds, 11 fourths and 12 fifths from 175 runners.  John Moore is in sixth position with 12 wins, 13 seconds, 12 thirds, 12 fourths and 8 fifths from 136 runners.

All statistics current to 1 December 2004.

  Keeneland Catalogues 2,073 Horses for January Sale

Keeneland has cataloged a record 2,073 horses for its 2005 January Horses of All Ages Sale beginning on Monday, January 10 and continuing through Saturday, January 15. This compares to the previous record of 1,992 horses cataloged for the 2001 sale and 1,917 horses cataloged for last year's five-day auction.  Sale sessions begin at 10 a.m. each day.  The total number consists of 996 broodmares and broodmare prospects, 796 yearlings, 255 horses of racing age and 26 stallions or stallion prospects.  Sires represented by broodmares in foal or yearlings include Cherokee Run, Deputy Minister, Dixie Union, Dynaformer, Forestry, Fusaichi Pegasus, Giant's Causeway, Gone West, Storm Cat, Tale of the Cat, Thunder Gulch, Tiznow, Unbridled's Song, Wild Again and Yes It's True. Stallions whose first foals arrive in 2005 that are represented in the sale include Aldebaran, Empire Maker, Harlan's Holiday, Hold That Tiger and Vindication.  The 2004 auction produced substantial increases in gross sales, average price and median price. Gross sales totaled $49,344,900 for 1,258 horses. The average price was $39,225 and the median was $13,000. Two stallion seasons brought an additional $17,700. Top price of the sale was $850,000 paid by BBA (Ireland) for the dam of 2003 Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Cajun Beat. Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency, as agent, sold Becky's Shirt, a 13-year-old broodmare who was pregnant to Woodman.

(Keeneland News)

  Breeding Stock Sale Ends With Record Average and 

     Record-Equaling Median

Keeneland’s November Breeding Stock Sale ended with a record average, a record-equaling median and the third highest gross in the history of the auction.  Keeneland sold 2,873 horses during 12 days for $279,680,200, an increase of 18.5 percent from $236,070,900 for 2,614 horses last year. Total sales were third only to $317.67 million in 1999 and $302 million in 2000.  The average this year--$97,348--was up 7.8 percent from $90,310 last year and topped the previous record of $96,605 set in 1983. The median of $32,000 equaled the previous highs set in 1999 and matched last year.  “The sale started strong and continued strong to the very end,” said Director of Sales Geoffrey Russell. “There was a strong premium on young mares and for weanlings by freshmen sires.”  Eaton Sales, as agent, paid the highest price of the sale--$4.8 million –for Santa Catarina, a graded stakes winning 4-year-old mare who is pregnant to perennial leading sire A.P. Indy.  Craig Bandoroff’s Denali Stud, as agent for Robert B. and Beverly J. Lewis, sold Santa Catarina, who is by Unbridled out of Purrfectly, by Storm Cat.  A total of 35 horses brought $1 million or more, including three for $4 million or more. By comparison, 23 horses sold for $1 million or more during the 2003 breeding stock sale.  During the concluding session, 188 horses brought $1,300,400, an average of $6,917 and a median of $4,200. There was no comparable session during the 2003 sale, which spanned 11 days.  An 8-year-old broodmare who is pregnant to A Fleets Dancer brought $41,000, top price of the final session. Classic Bloodstock bought Mist On the Hill from Windfields Farm, as agent.

(Keeneland News)

  2005 Karaka Sales Catalogue Launched

The much anticipated catalogues for New Zealand Bloodstock's National Yearling Sales Series at Karaka are hot off the press.  Thousands of catalogues for the three sales sessions, Premier, Select and Festival have gone in the post this morning to buyers and sellers around the world.  This year sees 1,479 yearlings catalogued for sale over the seven sale days from 31st January to 7th February 2005. In a change from previous years, all sale days will commence at the earlier time of 11am.  New Zealand Bloodstock Marketing & PR Manager Petrea Vela commented, "It is exciting to see the catalogues starting to be distributed, and the build up to January starting in earnest. Some of the New Zealand Bloodstock team headed to Australia on Friday in the first part of their international canvass to promote the Sales, and will then visit most parts of Asia including Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, plus South Africa, in the coming weeks."  This year's Premier Sale (31st Jan to 2nd Feb) sees 64 sires represented, including 33 shuttle sires, making this catalogue the most international ever offered at Karaka. Included amongst those are 12 first season (or first southern season) sires, with the total number of yearlings they are represented by across the three sales sessions:

Bertolini - Group 1 performer for three consecutive seasons in Europe (33 yearlings)

Black Minnaloushe - A dual group one winning son of Storm Cat (75 yearlings)

Fantastic Light - Twice Emirates World Champion (11 yearlings)

Galileo - Champion European 3YO and triple Group 1 winner (5 yearlings)

Giant's Causeway - Six times Group 1 winner (7 yearlings)

Keeper - Group 1 winning sprinting son of Danehill (50 yearlings)

Minardi - Champion European 2YO (19 yearlings)

Show A Heart - Group 1 winner at two, three and four (2 yearlings)

Spectatorial - By the classic winner, Spectrum, (17 yearlings)

St Petersburg - Group winner by Nureyev (25 yearlings)

Traditionally - Group 1 winner in the United States (29 yearlings)

Viscount - Champion 2YO & 3YO on the Australasian Classification (7 yearlings).

Plus first season sires represented in the Select and Festival sessions including Aristotle (IRE), Black Hawk (GB), Danzighill (AUS), Diatribe (AUS), Indian Danehill (IRE), Magic Albert (AUS), Mull Of Kintyre (USA), Painted Black (JPN), Postponed (USA), Rossini (USA), San Luis (AUS), Sudurka (AUS), Val Royal (FR).  The Select Sale will be conducted over two full days on 3rd & 4th February, with the Festival Sale on 6th & 7th February. To request catalogues contact Julian Phillips (julianp@nzb.co.nz)

(NZTM Update)

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