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

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...
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
There were six heats for juveniles at Rosehill on Friday that featured some interesting winners including stakes-placed filly Horseshoe Hill, a couple of unraced youngsters by Zoustar and the highest priced yearling by Prague.
In-Demand Stallions Feature in NZB Weanling Sale Catalogue
The catalogue for the 2025 NZB National Weanling Sale features the progeny of a broad range of sires, from proven topliners to exciting up-and-comers as well as the brand-new kid on the block, Profondo.
Kicked out of Australia - Jan Brueghel Wins G1 Coronation
The horse kicked out of Australia last spring as not having suitable scans to race in the Melbourne Cup, Jan Brueghel showed just what we missed out on seeing when taking out the Group I Betfred Coronation Cup (1m4f) at Epsom overnight.
Inglis Ready 2 Race Entries Open
Entries for the Inglis Ready2Race Sale – Australasia’s most progressive 2YO Sale – are now open.
Investing in Fillies Can Pay Big Dividends
We saw it earlier this month at Inglis Chairman’s Sale and we saw it again this week, purchasing yearling fillies that can perform to a high level has the potential to yield a big pay day in the sale ring, so let’s take a closer look.
€1.85million Sale-Topping Frankel Filly Wins Epsom Oaks for Coolmore
The Group I Epsom Oaks (1m4f) had a raging hot favourite in undefeated Godolphin entry Desert Flower, but she came up short in her first try at the classic trip going down to finish third behind the Aidan O’Brien trained duo Minnie Hauk (Frankel and Whirl (Wootton Bassett).
Another Day, Another Stakes-Winner for Wootton Bassett
A homebred for Marc Chan, quality Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Green Impact closed out his juvenile season winning the Group II Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown and he bounced back into the winner’s list at the same venue overnight.
SWs in foal to Wootton Bassett and Snitzel headline the June (Early) Online Sale
Stakes winners in foal to Wootton Bassett and Snitzel, along with a significant number of young, well-bred racing and breeding prospects headline another intriguing catalogue for the Inglis Digital June (Early) Online Sale.
$1500 Weanling Becomes $525,000 Top Lot at MM National Yearling Finale
A colt by Harry Angel set a new benchmark in Australia for his sire and topped the final day of the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale when selling for $525,000 to conclude a hugely successful two weeks of sales.
$850,000 Extreme Choice Colt Equals MM National Yearling Record
A stunning colt by Extreme Choice equalled the all time record price at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast today when he sold for $850,000.