Piaget
Hong Kong International Sale
RECORD INDIVIDUAL
PRICE AND GROSS AT PIAGET HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL SALE 2001
A bay colt by Danehill out of the
stakes-producing Darshaan mare, Caraniya (Ire), fetched a record
price of HK$4.5 million at Friday evening's Piaget Hong Hong International
Sale 2001. The sale was conducted before a black-tie gathering
at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Thirty-eight juvenile colts and geldings
were sold for record gross receipts of HK$56,350,000, a 14.8%
increase over the previous record gross of HK$49,100,000, which
was set last year.
This year's average price, HK$1,482,895,
was down 30.5% from last year's average of HK$2,134,783. However,
whereas 23 horses were sold at the 2000 'Piaget HK vendue, 38
were sold this year, making for a catalog that was 65.2% larger
in 2001.
"I am absolutely thrilled
with this year's results," said Simon Cooper, International
Racing Manager and sales manager for the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
"The quality control system the HKJC
has established for selecting horses for this sale has proven
itself once again," Cooper said. "Buyers are confident
that they are bidding for very worthy products. This has been
an exceptionally satisfying evening for me."
Horses for the sale were obtained in Europe,
the United States, Australia and New Zealand. For the third consecutive
year, the sale was conducted by Keeneland Associated, Inc. of
Lexington, Kentucky, the world's most prominent thoroughbred auction
house.
"Bidding was aggressive from first
hip number offered to the end," said Geoffrey Russell, Keeneland's
director of sales. "The buyers in Hong Kong have keen eyes
for good horses. Participation was excellent. We're extremely
happy about how well this year's sales horses were received."
The
sale topper, hip number 29, broke the old standard of HK$3.8 million,
which was set by another son of Danehill, a gelding subsequently
named Green Century, who was catalogued in last year's sale.
Green Century went on to accumulate the
highest purse earnings of any 2000 Piaget HK sale graduate who
raced in Hong Kong this year. His owner, Lee Wing Hon, thus received
a bonus check of HK$1 million last night, along with a trophy
and Piaget watch.
This year's record-breaking sale topper
was purchased by a partnership consisting of Jacky Chan Cheung
Ming and Mr. and Mrs. Sammy Chan Cheong Yuk. The colt will be
conditioned by Francis Lui, who is currently the second leading
trainer in Hong Kong. Lui had strongly recommended the colt's
purchase.
Hip number 18, a bay gelding by Danehill
out of the Irish River (Fr) mare, Spell On You, brought a price
of HK$3.8 million Friday evening, equaling Green Century's previous
record bid.
Possessed of the same pedigree cross as
Green Century, hip number 18 was purchased by Edmond Yue Kwok
Yin. Still another Danehill gelding, this one out of the Darshaan
mare, Darlya, brought the third highest price of the 2001 sale,
HK$2.5 million.
All told, nine sons of Danehill were sold
Friday evening. They fetched a gross of HK$19.5 million, which
worked out to an average price of $2,127,778. Without question,
Danehill, who does stud service in both the Northern and Southern
Hemispheres, is the most popular stallion at the Piaget HK vendues.
But progeny of other stallions also lured
impressive closing bids this year. An Entrepreneur gelding, the
first foal out of the Be My Chief mare, Trading Aces, brought
HK$2 million; as did a Dynaformer gelding out of the Irish River
mare, Irish Starlet; and a Polish Precedent gelding out of the
Group 1 producing Mill Reef mare, Mill Line (GB).
"There were some very nice
individuals sold in Hong Kong this evening," said Tom Goff
of England's internationally prominent Blandford Bloodstock Agency.
"This year's Piaget HK sale held up very well, in common
with many of the top European sales this autumn."
"Having a sale such as this
is a risk in today's fluctuating economy," concluded Winfried
Engelbrecht-Breges, the HKJC's Executive Director, Racing. "But
the results continue to be splendid. Our owners are seeking horses
of quality, and the HKJC is determined to make them available
- - all to the benefit of our sport in Hong Kong."
The Hong Kong
International Sale 2001 - Introduction
Under a stringent pre-purchase guideline,
led by the HKJC Executive Director of Racing Mr. Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges
and a team of experts, yearlings are bought from various sales
from around the globe for this gala event.
A record number of 40
juvenile geldings and colts have been catalogued for the 2001
Piaget Hong Kong International Sale, one of the highlights of
Hong Kong International Races Week. The sale will be held on Friday,
December 14, in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre,
and will commence at 5:30 p.m.
Keeneland Association, Inc., the most
prominent auction house for Thoroughbreds in the world, will once
again conduct the sale. Headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky,
Keeneland is sending a team to Hong Kong led by Director of Sales
Geoffrey G. Russell and Head Auctioneer Ryan Mahan.
"We're very excited about this year's
Hong Kong consignment," Russell said. "The catalogue
includes ten sons of outstanding Coolmore stallion, Danehill,
along with sons of such top sires as Dynaformer, Quiet American,
Desert King and Danasinga. It is an absolutely splendid collection
of two-year-olds, and I fully believe the bidding for them will
be very aggressive."
The 2000 Piaget HK Sale set a record in
gross receipts of HK$49.1million, smashing the old record set
in 1999 by 57.9%. "Twenty-two of the 23 horses sold last
year fetched prices in excess of HK$1-million," noted Russell.
Horses consigned to this year's sale have
been obtained from major vendues in both the Northern and Southern
Hemispheres. The Piaget Trophy, along with a bonus of either HK$1-million
(or ten percent of a horse's total earnings, whichever is higher),
will be awarded to the owners of the 2001 Piaget HK Sale horse
who accumulates the largest racing bankroll at the time of the
2002 sale.
Certainly, there promises to be many contenders.
Lot 29 is a bay colt by Danehill out of Caraniya, an Irish-bred
daughter of Darshaan. Caraniya's produce already includes Cajarian,
who has twice been a Group 3 winner in Ireland, and Dancer and
Son, who is stakes-placed in France.
Then there is Lot 7, a bay gelding by
Danehill out of Dance Date, a daughter of Sadler's Wells. Dance
Date's produce includes Decamerone, a stakes winner in Germany,
along with five other winners.
The contingent of Piaget HK Sale horses
from North America includes Lot 11, a bay gelding by Dynaformer
out of Irish Starlet, a daughter of French-bred Irish River. Irish
Starlet is also the dam of Irish Fantasy, who placed in this year's
Miss Woodford Stakes (Listed) at New Jersey's Monmouth Park.
New Zealand's representatives at the sale
include Lot 5, a bay gelding by Danehill out of Gimmick, a winning
daughter of Sir Tristram. During her own racing days, Gimmick
was also Group 3-placed in Australia. The Piaget HK sale consignee
is her first foal.
"I anticipate the 'Convention
and Exhibition Centre will be packed, and that our bid spotters
will be busy from the first auctioneer's call to the end,"
Russell said.
Location Map /Floor Plan of major venues:
