Memorable Week for Ben Kwok

Media Release - Thursday September 9

It’s been a memorable week Ben Kwok.

The Singapore-based breeder-owner celebrated a handful of stakes victories, including Bellaconte winning the Listed O’Lesry Fillies Stakes (1200m) at Wanganui on Saturday for trainer Chrissy Bambry.

Trainer Chrissy Bambry and jockey Sarah McNab celebrate their success with Bellacontte in the Listed O’Learys Filles Stakes (1200m) at Wanganui on Saturday. Photo: Grant Matthew (Race Images Palmerston North)

He also enjoyed watching Pure Imagination winning on debut for trainer Jamie Richards just an hour prior at Te Rapa.

To cap his pleasing weekend, Flotus, a filly he shares in the ownership, won the Listed Ripon Champion 2YO Trophy (1200m) in England.

While pleased with his results on the track, Kwok was just as excited about Bellaconte’s dam, Devon Doll, becoming the first mare in New Zealand to be served by Windsor Park Stud’s new stallion Circus Maximus.

“I’m so happy about Devon Doll being the first mare to go Circus Maximus,” Kwok said.

“Chrissy has always loved Bellaconte and was always confident she would do well, so for her to get black type at this time justifies our decision to send Devon Doll there.

“I’m very happy and given my relationship with Rodney (Schick) and Steve (Till) it’s very meaningful. I will be sending around 10 mares to the horse along with five mares that I own with Windsor Park. He is a stallion of great appeal his race record is very good and so is his pedigree.”

Ben Kwok has had a great week with his bloodstock investments.

Kwok’s relationship with Windsor Park developed after he had purchased a horse on gavelhouse.com that was based at Windsor Park, and that online auction platform has played a huge part in Kwok’s emergence as a major player in the New Zealand thoroughbred industry.

Devon Doll was sold on gavelhouse.com for $11,000 with Bellaconte at foot, and she is just one of dozens of horses he has purchased from that site. This week he was active again buying another three mares.

When asked how his investment in the thoroughbred industry came about Kwok recalled how in his twenties he raced horses in Hong Kong out of Paul O’Sullivan’s stable.

“I was the youngest registered owner in Hong Kong and one of Paul O’Sullivan’s first clients when he came to Hong Kong, but I gave it away to concentrate on my business,” he said.

He developed a successful business manufacturing electric motors and when he became more established and had time on his hands, he thought instead of racing he might develop an interest in breeding. Due to his previous association with Paul O’Sullivan, he looked to New Zealand as an ideal place to start.

“I like online shopping a lot,” Kwok said. “I didn’t know that you could actually buy horses online until I discovered gavelhouse, and it was in New Zealand, so it was the perfect scenario.

Advertisement

“The first mare I bought on gavelhouse was Angel Del Dinero and I still have her, then I met all the good people from Windsor Park and NZB (New Zealand Bloodstock) and then after that I got involved with David Ellis and the Te Akau horses and I have shares in Sword of State and Amarelinha, and the winner I had last Saturday in Pure Imagination.”

Angel Del Dinero is resident at Windsor Park and Kwok has sold yearlings from the mare at Karaka for the past three years.

Devon Doll is resident at Ross McKay’s Leanach Lodge along with another handful of mares, but the majority of his 50-odd mares in New Zealand are based at Windsor Park Stud, proving that Kwok has really immersed himself in the industry here as an owner and a breeder.

“I just love it, and everybody in New Zealand they are great people,” Kwok said.

“I just love to interact with everyone involved there. A very good friend of mine says I am biased towards everything New Zealand, he’s probably right.

“The industry is actually not as robust as it is in Australia but it’s time for people like me to believe in the core values of the New Zealand industry. We need to look at the long-term values, it’s not just about the money.

“Look at the whole country, everyone is doing a very good job to help improve the industry. In the longer term I think everyone will enjoy the success of the Messara Report and the changes it made.”

Kwok has 30 yearlings going to Karaka in January, but he is all about giving back to the industry as well.

The proceeds of two of those yearlings will be given to the Catwalk Trust and Beyond The Barriers.

“After meeting Sam and Catriona (Williams) I thought Catwalk was a very meaningful charity and hopefully I can provide a good foundation with funds going forward for the charity,” he said.

“And I am very concerned with horse welfare and continue to support where I can. So, I will also donate the proceeds of another filly to Beyond The Barriers for horse rehoming and welfare.”

It’s almost two years since Kwok has been to New Zealand and naturally, he is keen to come back as soon as he can. As it is, being based in Singapore he can only see replays of his horses racing around the globe and will miss Bellacontte’s next start in the Gr.3 Hawke’s Bay Breeders’ Gold Trail Stakes (1200m), and a possible tilt at the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm 49th New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton in November.

“I have to rely on my friends in New Zealand to send me replays on WhatsApp. When my WhatsApp is active its good news, when its quiet I know it’s not,” he quipped. - NZTBA

Advertisment
More Reading...
From FNQ To Sha Tin - Aussie Bred Sprinter Wins G2 Premier Bowl
Some horses arrive in Hong Kong with a very different back story - Fresh from winning the $20million The Everest with Ka Ying Rising, David Hayes was back in the winner’s list at Sha Tin on Sunday when Tomodachi Kokoroe won the Group II Premier Bowl (1200m).
Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click
A quality packed catalogue for the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale (November 12 and 13) is online with breeze up video now in place and in the lead up to the sale we’ll go looking each week for some horses of interest that jump out on pedigree for various reasons.
Melbourne Cup Dream Alive for Kiwi Stayers
Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) dreams are still alive for connections of Kiwi stayers Mark Twain and Trav.
First Winner for King of Comedy
Novara Park Stud stallion King Of Comedy (IRE) is on the board as a sire, with his son Sir Ruby becoming his first winner when victorious over 1300m at Selangor Turf Club in Malaysia on Sunday.
Sires With Winners - Saturday October 25
Here is the full list of 136 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
One to Watch – Sha Tin – You Don’t See That Every Day!
The Mark Newnham stable has been on fire in Hong Kong since the start of the new season and the former Sydney trainer produced a super promising winner at Sha Tin on Sunday by Capitalist that did everything wrong and miraculously still won the race!
Wootton Bassett and Camelot 2YO Colts Win Final French Group Ones
The last French Group I races of their flat season were run on Sunday and Aidan O’Brien produced the winners of both the Group I Criterium International (1600m) and Group I Criterium de Saint Cloud (1800m).
New Cup Goal for Wolfgang
It may not be the Cup target they were aiming for, but Wolfgang put himself firmly into Gr.3 Martin Collins New Zealand Cup (3200m) calculations following his victory in the SkyCity Hamilton Waikato Cup Prelude (2400m) at Te Rapa on Monday.
Impressive First winner for Armory
Mapperley Stud stallion Armory recorded his first winner on Sunday when his two-year-old daughter Silhouette raced to a dominant victory in the Fusion Electrical Two-Year-Old (900m) at Trentham.
Sires With Winners - Sunday October 26
Here is the full list of 74 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.