Leung buys up at Karaka
Prominent Hong Kong-based agent Willie Leung of Magus Equine is a familiar face at the Ready To Run Sale and he made his presence felt once again at the auction when he purchased a colt by Swettenham Stud’s resident stallion Toronado (High Chaparral) on behalf of Sha Tin-based trainer Francis Lui for NZ$625,000.
It was no surprise to see buyers from Hong Kong tussle to buy progeny by Toronado given the success the stallion has enjoyed in the jurisdiction.
The stallion has sired 22 winners from just 37 runners in Hong Kong and they are headlined by Centenary Sprint Cup (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Victor The Winner, Helios Express, winner of both the Hong Kong Classic Mile (Listed, 1600m) and Hong Kong Classic Cup (Listed, 1800m), and Group 3 winner Senor Toba, who was also placed in the Champions & Chater Cup (Gr 1, 2400m).
“I rated that colt one of the best horses in the sale,” Leung said. “Toronado is going very well in Hong Kong, and it’s great to secure such a high-quality son of that stallion for Francis [Lui, trainer].”
Francis and I have had some great luck at this sale in the past with horses like Golden Sixty, so let’s hope for some more
Leung and Lui are hoping they have hit a gold mine for the second time at the sale, with the pair having purchased subsequent Hong Kong champion Golden Sixty (Medaglia D’Oro) for NZ$300,000 at the 2017 edition of the auction.
“The type of horse that he is, the dream is a race like the Hong Kong Derby,” said Leung. “He’ll probably stay here in New Zealand through until the end of next winter, and then we’ll take things from there.
“Francis and I have had some great luck at this sale in the past with horses like Golden Sixty, so let’s hope for some more.”
Like Thursday’s top lot, the Toronado colt was sourced as a yearling at the Premier sale with Shane McGrath forking out $97,000 in March to secure him from the Newhaven Park draft.
The youngster was then educated at Cranbourne by Clinton McDonald and was consigned for sale by Barry Donoghue’s BMD Bloodstock. He clocked 10.75 in his breeze.
“The Toronado is a big robust colt, a nice mover and ideal for Hong Kong. He gave us no problems from the moment he stepped off the plane. He is just a gentleman,” Donoghue told ANZ Bloodstock News.
“We prepared him for clients and were honoured to be given the opportunity to present him. The Toronados are very popular in Hong Kong.”
The colt is out of Attractive, a twice raced daughter of Zabeel (Sir Tristram), who hails from a successful extended family, being a half-sister to Group 1 winner Velocitea (Volksraad) and the Group 2-placed winner Maastricht (Mastercraftsman), better known as the dam of dual Group 1-winning sprinter Loving Gaby (I Am Invincible).
Over the two days of trade, BMD Bloodstock sold ten juveniles for NZ$2,120,000 including a Per Incanto (Street Cry) colt they purchased at the Karaka National Yearling Sale with Ed Stapleton Bloodstock for NZ$85,000 which they sold to Lindsay Park for NZ$260,000 on Thursday.
A few lots before, Leung parted with NZ$400,000 for a colt by Newgate Farm’s Russian Revolution (Snitzel) from the draft of Ohukia Lodge, before securing a gelding by Cambridge Stud’s young stallion Embellish (Savabeel) from Riversley Park for NZ$180,000.
Reflecting on the two days of trade, Leung said: “It’s been a strong sale. There are some very good quality horses here, and you have to be prepared to pay quite a bit of money to get the ones that you want.”
Under this Magus Equine banner, Leung bought five lots for total receipts of NZ$1,865,000.