Sons of Frankel, Kingman and Scat Daddy on offer at Hong Kong International Sale

Progeny of big-hitting sires Dark Angel, Dubawi, Frankel, Kingman, Kodiac, Scat Daddy and Siyouni are among those set to go under the hammer as the Hong Kong Jockey Club hosts its International Sale this week.

The lots, who have been sourced by HKJC representatives from auctions in Europe and Australasia, were breezed at Sha Tin racecourse on Saturday and will sell in the track's parade ring from 7.45pm local time (11.45am GMT) on Friday, two days before the BMW Hong Kong Derby takes place.

The European-breds in the catalogue were bought at Arqana, Tattersalls and Goffs and had to pass the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s veterinary team before going into pre-training with Malcolm Bastard in Britain.

The southern hemisphere recruits were purchased at Inglis, Magic Millions and New Zealand Premier Sales and have been prepped by Bruce Harvey in New Zealand.

Mark Richards, HKJC executive manager, International Sale, reported a small change in emphasis for this year’s renewal.

Prospective buyers assemble to watch the lots be put through their paces at Sha TinCredit: Hkjc

“We’ve tried to do a little bit more with the horses coming in this year, purely because we want to try and produce a more finished article,” he said.

“You can’t do that overnight – in fact, it takes months – but we’ve tried to do a little more gate work and take them a step further in their education without putting them under undue pressure.”

Frankel has a habit of hogging the headlines and the two geldings by the unbeaten dual world champion in the International Sale catalogue have been among the most talked about. Especially as the sire's prowess in Hong Kong has been advertised to good effect by five-time winner Simply Brilliant.

The first (lot 12) is out of Noelani, a multiple Group 3-winning Indian Ridge half-sister to champion sprinter Namid, bought from the Arqana August Yearling Sale for €300,000, and the second (lot 30) is a half-brother to Group 3 scorer and Hong Kong Vase fourth Chemical Charge bought at the same sale for €310,000.

“Lot 12 already weighs in at over 1150lb and still looks like he needs time to fill his big frame,” Richards said. “He’s got the physique and speed in the pedigree, being from the family of top sprinter Namid.”

Of the other Frankel gelding, he added: “Malcolm believes this is a quality individual and I’m hoping he can follow in the footsteps of Simply Brilliant.”

The Frankel gelding out of Noelani strikes a poseCredit: Hkjc

Frankel's Banstead Manor studmate Kingman made a big splash with his first two-year-old runners in 2018, including Coventry Stakes winner Calyx and Autumn Stakes scorer Persian King, and he is also doubly represented at the sale.

His two entrants are a gelding out of the Grade 3-placed Beat Hollow mare Janicellaine (lot 8), a half-sister to champions Chriselliam and Very Special, bought for €360,000 in Deauville; and a son of the Group 3-placed Victory Gallop mare Don't Forget Faith (lot 16) who cost €180,000 at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale.

“Kingman’s record on the track meant he suggested himself as a first-season stallion and what his first crop achieved after we bought these two was very impressive,” said Richards.

“Lot 8 was a lovely specimen when we bought him at Arqana in 2017, good-looking and beautifully balanced. We didn’t geld him until quite late and he’s still a bit cheeky, but he’s a good-quality individual from a family full of winners including the champion filly Chriselliam.

“Lot 16 was also from Arqana, though he was from the 2018 Breeze-Up Sale, and he breezed very nicely. He’s going to benefit from more time, but he certainly has something about him.”

Also available to buy in Hong Kong on Friday is a gelding from the final crop of Scat Daddy, source of 26 Group/Grade 1 winners including Triple Crown laureate Justify and Royal Ascot victors Acapulco, Caravaggio, Con Te Partiro, Lady Aurelia, No Nay Never and Sioux Nation.

He is out of the Dynaformer mare Oxbow Lake, a relation to Flying Childers Stakes winner Raah Algharb, and was a 375,000gns Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale acquisition by the HKJC.

The other European-sourced lots are:

2) An Acclamation gelding out of an Averti half-sister to talented sprinter Priceless and useful Hong Kong performer Helene Brilliant; a 260,000gns Tattersalls October Book 2 yearling buy.

4) A son of Big Bad Bob from the brilliant family of Miesque; bought for €110,000 from the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale.

6) An Exchange Rate gelding out of a winning Mizzen Mast half-sister to Prix du Jockey Club hero New Bay; a €140,000 Arqana October Yearling Sale purchase.

14) An Exceed And Excel half-brother to Group 3 winner Regal Reality out of the dual Group 3-winning Medicean mare Regal Realm; secured from Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale for 220,000gns.

18) A Kodiac gelding out of the Listed-winning mare Inyordreams, who is by Teofilo out of Flying Childers and Molecomb Stakes winner Wunders Dream; a 450,000gns Book 1 purchase.

20) A son of Siyouni out of a half-sister to that sire's Listed Prix Yacowlef winner Mocklershill; signed for by the HKJC at €100,000 at the Arqana October Yearling Sale.

24) A Farhh gelding out of a half-sister to Group/Grade 1 winners Ancient World and Jilbab from the family of top level-winning two-year-olds Dunbeath and Saratoga Six; a 180,000gns Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale graduate.

26) A Dubawi half-brother to Prix de Psyche winner Be My Gal out of a Listed-placed daughter of champion Palacegate Episode; a 200,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling.

28) An Olympic Glory gelding out of a winning Dylan Thomas half-sister to high-class pair Bankable and Cheshire; a €55,000 Arqana August Yearling Sale buy.

32) A son of Dark Angel from the family of elite winners Mount Abu and Serious Attitude; bought for £250,000 from the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale.

Sires of southern hemisphere-sourced geldings in the International Sale catalogue include Choisir, Exceed And Excel, Fastnet Rock, Hinchinbrook, I Am Invincible, O'Reilly, Pierro, Savabeel, Snitzel and Written Tycoon.

Previous graduates of the auction include Hong Kong superstars Good Ba Ba and The Duke, as well as fan favourite Pakistan Star, who famously commanded a HK$6 million price-tag despite having displayed his mercurial nature in the breeze.

View the Hong Kong International Sale catalogue (PDF)