Half-brother to Wings Of Eagles breaks International Sale record

A Holy Roman Emperor half-brother to Derby winner Wings Of Eagles set an all-time Hong Kong International Sale record when one of 26 lots put under the hammer at Sha Tin Racecourse on Friday.

The British-bred gelding, catalogued as Lot 17 and a son of the Group 1-placed French mare Ysoldina, was bought by Cheung Kwok Keung for HK$11 million (£1.01m/€1.14m), eclipsing the previous record of HK$10.5m set last year. The grey is poised to join the stable of seven-time champion trainer John Moore.

The record price for an individual lot was one of a number of strong results across the board, with aggregate sales of HK$135.3m at an average of HK$5.2m, both up from the previous year when 29 lots were offered.

There were 11 lots that reached at least HK$5m, with Lot 14 – an Australian-bred Not A Single Doubt gelding out of the More Than Ready mare Heaven Beneath – selling for HK$7.2m. He will be raced by owner Kerm Din, who also bought Pakistan Star, when offered as Lot 14 at this sale in 2016 – the Shamardal gelding having already earned in excess of HK$15m.

Andrew Harding, executive director of racing for the Hong Kong Jockey Club, said: "What a fantastic night, electric and elegant in the fabulous setting of the Sha Tin parade ring. There were many enthusiastic buyers ringside, and the evening was clearly enjoyed by all in attendance."

The Hong Kong International Sale was held in a night-time slot for the third consecutive year and was preceded by a cocktail reception for guests.

"We are very pleased with tonight's results, with a number of new marks" said Harding. "The purchase of Lot 17 speaks for itself and is a credit to the astute work of the [Hong Kong Jockey] Club's buying team.

"They uncovered this horse as a yearling, before Wings Of Eagles soared to Derby glory at Epsom, and tonight, its page justified the price. I congratulate Nick Columb and Mark Richards on their expert efforts.

"This is a unique backdrop for a thoroughbred sale and we couldn't be happier with the atmosphere that was created here or the results achieved. We congratulate all of our new owners."

A second Hong Kong International Sale session is scheduled for June.

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