Hong Kong buyers were active on day two of New Zealand Bloodstock’s Book 2 yearling sale, with four of the five top lots sold earmarked for the Asian racing jurisdiction.
Topping the list was lot 922, the Sweynesse colt out of Kilgravin Lodge’s draft, who was purchased by bloodstock agent John Foote on behalf of Hong Kong clients for $140,000.
“He is by Sweynesse who is a very popular horse in Hong Kong and he is very good-looking, black horse, so he really looked the part,” Foote said.
“He is just a very nice horse and he had a presence and I can’t say much more, really. That was about our limit but we were happy to get him.
“I bought him for David Hall who trains in Hong Kong and David’s making a habit of topping sales these days,” Foote joked, having purchased a sale-topping $625,000 Capitalist colt at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale for Hall last November.
Sweynesse has made his mark in Hong Kong, led by Lucky Sweynesse who has won the Gr.2 Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) and will start amongst the favourites in Sunday’s Gr.1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m), while another son in Solid Impact has placed in the Gr.3 Fairy King Prawn Handicap (1200m) after posting the same results in the Gr.2 Almanzor Trophy (1200m) Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m) in New Zealand.
Kilgravin Lodge’s Eion Kemp was pleased with the sale result and said Sweynesse was a major selling point.
“He is by Sweynesse and Lucky Sweynesse is one of the top horses in Hong Kong, so when those stallions are popular in Hong Kong they sell well,” he said.
“It was a great result for some loyal clients. Pat Lowry has supported us well over the years, so we are thrilled for him.
“He was a nice, strong colt and he fitted the bill well for a horse destined for Hong Kong.
“He was very popular amongst the traders and pinhookers who were looking at him.”
Kemp said he has been happy with sale so far.
“We have had some good results today and the nice horses have sold well,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Foote purchased another high-priced lot for Hong Kong clients when he went to $130,000 to secure lot 802, the Vanbrugh colt out of two-win High Chaparral mare High Tail It. – NZ Racing Desk
