Son of Deep Field tops Hong Kong International Sale
The popularity of Deep Field in Hong Kong went to another level on Saturday, as a 2-year-old by the stallion was snapped up by Yue Yun Hing for HK$7.8 million (AU$1,400,000) at the Hong Kong International Sale.
The Sale, which takes place in the Sha Tin parade ring, had 17 lots realise a total of HK$71 million (AU$13,190,000) and they also included a chestnut gelding by Snitzel out of Encosta De Lago mare Houston Benefactor, who was snapped up by Yip Wing Kui for HK$5.8 million (AU$1,078,000).
Lot 11 - Deep Field x Bousquet (gelding) sold for HK$7.8 million (AU$1,400,000) at the Hong Kong International Sale | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
Meanwhile, a gelding by Fastnet Rock out of Northern Meteor mare Diana’s Star – was secured by Philip Liu Chun Hang for HK$5 million (AU$929,000).
“With significant increases in average and gross turnover, the Club is overall really happy with the outcome of the Sale – the strong results are a reflection of the Hong Kong Jockey Club members’ confidence in the horses that have been selected for the Sale, the results of the graduates that have come out of the Sale but most importantly the confidence and strength of Hong Kong racing and this is a reflection of the significant increases in prizemoney for next season,” said Danny Rolston, the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s executive manager, international sale/owners advisory services.
“I think the two top lots were fairly obviously going to be the highlight horses, they breezed particularly well and they’re both by stallions that are very popular. Beyond that it’s really hard to predict what the horses are going to sell for and just how much the turnover will be but we’re very happy to see such a significant increase in gross turnover.”
Tattersalls July Sale concludes
The entire turnover for the 2022 Tattersalls July Sale rose by a whopping 36 per cent to 16,743,285gns (AU$29,370,000) from 12,301,300gns (AU$21,581,000). The median was also up by 25 per cent, from 12,000gns (AU$21,000) to 15,000gns (AU$26,300), and the average rose 41 per cent to 32,199gns (AU$56,500), but the clearance fell slightly (two per cent) to 92 per cent.
The Day 3 stats were also on the rise as turnover this year ended up at 4,168,500gns (AU$7,313,000) compared to 2,904,100gns (AU$5,095,000) in 2021. That equates to a 44 per cent rise. The median for Day 3 was up 25 per cent to 15,000gns (AU$26,300) and the average was up 62 per cent to 29,989gns (AU$52,600) while the clearance rate fell by two per cent to 96 per cent.
The top lot on the final day of trade at Park Paddocks was Crystal Estrella (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}), who sold to Team Valor for 275,000gns (AU$482,000).
Five winners for Nicconi
Widden Stud-based sire Nicconi sired five winners on Saturday, headed by a double at Fannie Bay provided by Akoni and First Crusade.
Nicconi | Standing at Widden Victoria
The stallion was also represented by a winner at Gawler when I’m A Legend added a fifth win to his record, before 4-year-old gelding Jungle Blaze chalked up his second career win at Beaudesert. The stallion was also handed a winner at Broome when Powerful landed his fifth career win.
Nicconi’s most successful progeny is multiple Group 1 winner and reigning The Everest hero Nature Strip, and the stallion will stand at Widden’s Victoria base for a fee of $22,000 (inc GST).
Kooled gets the better of Inundation
The Mick Price and Mick Kent Jnr-trained Inundation (Headwater) had been touted as one of the up-and-coming sprinters of the winter, winning three races in a row, including a dominant 3l win last start but he finished a well-beaten fifth at Caulfield on Saturday as Kooled (Frosted {USA}) ran out a strong winner.
Ridden by Alana Kelly, Kooled tracked the speed set by Inundation and Rock Artist (Wandjina) and pounced in the straight to win by a 1l over Rock Artist, Inundation fading to finish fifth, beaten over 6l.
"He's done a great job, we've hit the post a few times in the last couple of weeks, but this fellow presented beautifully today," the winner’s trainer Ben Brisbourne said.
"Obviously, we knew the favourite (Inundation) was going to go to this race and it might kick up a bit, we were just hoping for the rain to come, and we knew he'd relish it."
Edison breaks drought
Edison (Fastnet Rock) hadn't won a race since December 2020 when racing for Bjorn Baker but Nick Ryan, as he's done plenty of times before, has succeeded with a tried horse and coaxed another win out of the 5-year-old.
Ridden aggressively by Brett Prebble to lead, Edison kept on, eventually beating Zoltan (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) and race favourite He's Our Bonneval (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) in third, with Nick Ryan suggesting the drop back in trip was a key factor to winning.
"It was brilliant, a brilliant ride from Bretty (Prebble), we obviously ran him last Saturday (in the Winter Final) because it was the race we bought him for and set him for but we were mindful that he'd never won at a mile, he'd only won at 1500 metres but he needed a good gallop for today," Ryan said.
"The blinkers went back on, the tactics change (to go) forward, and I think the horse really peaked today. It was a great ride and a great performance.”
Bigger targets lie in wait for Waihaha Falls
The John O’Shea-trained Waihaha Falls (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) could be destined for bigger things, trouncing his rivals at Randwick on Saturday to remain unbeaten this preparation.
Apprentice Reece Jones, indentured to winning trainer John O’Shea, has ridden the horse at his past two starts and believes the 4-year-old has the potential to progress to better races.
"Things didn't go to plan early and I ended up a bit further back than I wanted to be," Jones said.
"Runners held their spots and I didn't want to be wide, so I let him get back and get a bit of cover for a while, got him to switch off but as soon as I felt I needed to start rolling into the race he cruised around effortlessly.
"When I asked for a bit more of an effort, he put them away very well. He has come back a lot stronger horse and hopefully he goes to that next level now."
Suspensions continue at Caulfield
The massive amount of jockey suspensions in Victoria continued at Caulfield on Saturday when another three - Craig Newitt and apprentices Celine Gaudray and Matthew Cartwright - were sidelined by Racing Victoria stewards.
The trio join another 16 riders suspended for either careless riding or for whip infringements since the start of July.
Gaudray was suspended for 10 meetings for careless riding aboard runner-up Zipping Boy (Squamosa), while Newitt drew an eight-meeting ban and $200 fine for striking his mount Belsielle (Brazen Beau) with the whip 10 times (five more than permitted) before the 100 metres in the same race.
Meanwhile Cartwright was suspended for a total of 14 meetings after pleading guilty to careless riding aboard No Way Ever (No Nay Never {USA}) in Race 6.
Clipperton celebrates career-best season
Sam Clipperton has put the icing on the cake to a remarkable season, surpassing his previous best tally of Sydney metropolitan winners with an early double at Randwick.
Clipperton guided 2-year-old Midnight In Tokyo (Kobayashi) to victory in the opening event to equal his previous mark of 43, which he achieved in 2015/16, before going one better when successful aboard La Chevalee (Written Tycoon) in the Chandon H.
He racked up the milestone despite spending a chunk of the season sidelined with injury and also managed to celebrate success at the top level, capturing his third Group 1 in the Doomben 10,000 on Mazu (Maurice {Jpn}) and finishing runner-up on Best Of Bordeaux (Snitzel) in the G1 Golden Slipper S.
"It has been a good season,'' Clipperton said. "I missed three months of it with my jaw wired up so I might have got to 50.
"It does give me confidence going into the next season. I'm having two weeks off after today but then it's full swing for the spring."
Inspiral handed first defeat
The John and Thady Gosden-trained filly Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was handed the first defeat of her career when she came out second-best behind the Ralph Beckett-trained Prosperous Voyage (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) in the G1 Falmouth S. at Newmarket on Friday.
John Gosden was inclined to believe that Inspiral’s reversal was down to backing up too fast from the Royal Ascot meeting.
“You don’t normally come here after a big win at Ascot, but she hadn’t run all year so we did and I just thought she ran a little flat,” he said.
“The ground has quickened up, but I think it's more the turnaround. You could tell early on that she was a little bit flat, so we’ll freshen her up and away we go again. She seems happy enough.”
