Hong Kong Win for Record Priced Deep Field

Tara Madgwick - Monday July 14

Not all expensive colts stay on the right track even when they win a stakes race on debut.

Purchased from Segenhoe Stud for $1,050,000 at Inglis Easter in 2023 by China Horse Club / Newgate / Go Bloodstock / Trilogy, good looking Deep Field colt won the Listed MRC Blue Diamond Preview on debut as High Octane.

High Octane won the Blue Diamond Preview on debut, but is now a winner in HK racing as Celestial Hero - image Grant Courtney

The most expensive yearling ever sired by Deep Field, he failed to win again in six more starts in stakes company before he was gelded and sold to Hong Kong where he is now trained by Douglas Whyte and racing as Celestial Hero.

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Eighth in his first HK run in May and then fourth at Sha Tin last month, Celestial Hero stepped out at the penultimate meeting of the season on Sunday and won by a short head in a thriller over another promising Aussie bred three year-old in Little Paradise, who started favoutite.

Winner of two of his three previous starts, Little Paradise looks another rising star for Toronado (IRE) in Hong Kong and both horses will be worth following next season.

Bred by Segenhoe, Celestial Hero is the first winner from stakes-winning Not a Single Doubt mare Granny Red Shoes, who produced her second winner last Saturday when two year-old Zoustar gelding San Giovanni saluted at Newcastle.

San Giovanni won on debut at Newcastle - image Bradley Photography

A $550,000 Inglis Easter purchase, San Giovanni powered home to win on debut in a quality juvenile maiden beating Fangirl’s half-sister Bella Wahine, so both horses might have more to offer.

Segenhoe sold a colt by Capitalist from Granny Red Shoes at Magic Millions this year to Kendrick Racing for $220,000.

Footnote: Now pensioned Deep Field is well on track to claim his fourth consecutive Champion HK Sire title with another super successful season where he has accumulated nearly double the amount of prizemoney of the next best sire Shamexpress (sire of Ka Ying Rising).

He is also leading sire by winners with 27 on the board led by his multiple Group I winner Voyage Bubble, who was awarded the Champion Miler and Champion Stayer in Hong Kong this season.

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