HK Buyer Swoops on $400,000 Deep Field Colt

Media Release - Thursday November 18

Hong Kong trainer Ricky Yiu and New Zealand-based bloodstock agent Dean Hawthorne have teamed up once again to secure a couple of colts at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale at Te Rapa this week.

On Wednesday, the opening day of the sale, the pair went to $320,000 to secure lot 103, the Capitalist colt out of Kilgravin Lodge’s draft, while a day later they went to $400,000 to purchase lot 238, the Deep Field colt out of Riversley Park’s draft.

Lot 238, the Deep Field colt out of Riversley Park’s draft, was purchased for $400,000 by Dean Hawthorne and Ricky Yiu. Photo: Photo: Mike Walen

Hawthorne said he has done a fair amount of business with Yiu over the last few years, with the Hong Kong horseman unable to be in New Zealand, and he said the two colts will follow their established system in New Zealand before heading to Hong Kong.

“We have done a fair bit of work for Ricky over the last couple of years, particularly as he can’t get down here,” Hawthorne said.

“They will stay around for a while, they go to Ken Kelso and Ken does all the prep work and trials them and jumps them out.

“When Ricky is ready for them to go up, they go up.

“It is a good system and it has been working well for the last few years.”

Hawthorne was pleased with his purchases for Yiu, and said they meet the quality of individual required to make it in the competitive Hong Kong market.

“The standard of horse in Hong Kong is very high because they pay big money for them to get them there in the first place,” Hawthorne said.

“You have got to have a quality horse that has got good action.”

Advertisement

Hawthorne said lot 238’s sire was also a big selling factor.

“Deep Field is on a sire wave (in Hong Kong), he is currently going very well up there. The permit holders are happy to get those sires,” he said.

Hawthorne said the strength of the top-end of the market was a little bit surprising.

“It is very strong for the good horses. It has surprised me,” he said.

“When everyone is back in New Zealand (when the borders open), and you have got 150 people looking over them (horses), the middle market will strengthen, so it will only get better.”

Hawthorne was also full of praise for the vendors, particularly the pinhookers like Riversley Park, who initially purchased the Deep Field colt for A$150,000 as a yearling on the Gold Coast earlier this year.

“It is great to see the pinhookers going well,” Hawthorne said.

“The thing that holds this sale up is the pinhookers that do this for a living. They are very good at it. They produce good horses and that is why the top-end of this sale will always hold up.” – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Inglis Digital - Darby Swoop on Amazing Eagle for $310,000
Scott Darby believes today’s Inglis Digital sale-topper Amazing Eagle (Capitalist) can continue along the same successful mould as the likes of former online Darby acquisitions Robusto, Caballus and Imperial Force and progress on to become a future racetrack star.
First Win for $2.1million Magic Millions Sale-Topper
It was a full-circle moment for Te Akau Racing at Te Aroha on Wednesday when Avantaggia, the filly that topped the 2024 Magic Millions Yearling Sale, broke through for her maiden win in the Donaghys Moxipor (1150m).
2025 G1 Spring Champion – Pedigree Preview
A lot of attention is paid to the sprinting three year-old division and much less so to the stayers, but with $2million in prizemoney the Group I ATC Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on Saturday has attracted a full field of 14 and all of them are on trial at the trip.
End Of An Era - 2025 G1 Cox Plate
“There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still” - Franklin D Roosevelt.
One To Watch – Belmont
We look far and wide to highlight Breednet’s ‘One To Watch’ and today’s winner of the first race at Belmont, 3yo D’Argento filly Ladies Pro, won in the manner of a horse with a nice future and in the process shone a spotlight on her sire who recorded his ninth winner so far this month.
Henry Longfellow Pedigree Gets an Update
Group I winning Dubawi stallion Henry Longfellow (IRE) is covering his first Australian book of mares at Rosemont Stud this spring and overnight in Ireland his two year-old sister-in-blood landed her first Group race win.
Consistency Key On Day One of 2025 Breeze Ups
After the rescheduling of dates for NZB’s anticipated 2025 Ready to Run Sale Breeze Ups, Day One kicked off on Monday at Te Rapa Racecourse with consistent times, weather and track conditions.
Bold Showing Tipped for Yes Yes Yes 2YO
Speed Demon will be given every opportunity to live up to his name when he makes his debut at Ellerslie.
Autumn Boy Half-Sister for Inglis Digital
A winning half sister to last weekend’s G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Autumn Boy and a host of other interesting racing prospects headline a diverse catalogue for the Inglis Digital October (Late) Online Sale.
Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click
A quality packed catalogue for the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale is now online 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.