Irish bred son of Kodiac tops the Hong Kong International Sale

The Hong Kong International Sale on Friday was topped by an Irish bred Kodiac gelding hammered down to Johnson Chen for HK$4.8 million (£490,000/€546,000).

The April-foaled youngster had been sourced for €200,000 at the 2017 Baden-Baden September Yearling Sale, and auctioneer John O'Kelly took a flurry of bids for the gelding who had impressed during the pre-sale breeze.

The sale-topper was bred by Patrick Cassidy of Nafferty Stud in County Louth and is a sibling to eight winners out of the Listed-placed Mining mare Mine Inning, with the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida Handicap scorer Ramazuti among her brood. Mine Inning in turn is out of a Listed-placed half-sister to the Grade 1 American Derby winner and sire Pocket Zipper.

Kodiac, who has fielded seven winners to date in Hong Kong, was one of two sires to have an offered lot pass the four-million mark with the Frankel gelding out of the Indian Ridge mare Noelani signed for by Vincent To Wai Keung at HK$4.5m.

The youngster, whose dam was a multiple Group winner, was bred by Framont Limited and David Redvers in France, and was previously bought by the Hong Kong Jockey Club for €300,000 at the 2017 Arqana August Yearling Sale.

Frankel's best performer in Hong Kong to date is the Group 3 HKJC January Cup scorer Simply Brilliant.

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