Steve wraps up a frenetic two weeks in Hong Kong for the HKJC’s spring feature races
Bubble Below, by Hussonet (Mr Prospector), was bought by Musk Creek Farm in 2013 and she’s on the market again – to be offered in foal to Sebring (More Than Ready) (also, of course, the sire of Lucky Bubbles) at the 2017 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast.
“Racing and breeding has become very much a trading business these days,” Kobritz said.
“We see that through the trade of horses to Asia and the high turnover of mares and weanlings. The market has been very strong at the top end and I’m happy to see how she (Bubble Below) goes. She’s a valuable commodity and we’ll proceed with the sale.”
Musk Creek Farm has a new manager in Scott Williamson who was formerly looking after Yulong Park. “Literally been here for two weeks. It’s a great property in a beautiful part of the world and it’s a terrific opportunity to be involved with a farm which has already built an excellent reputation.
“Bubble Below is still a young mare and a very valuable one. It was great to see Lucky Bubbles get his much deserved win on the weekend but he’s a horse who’s been talked about a lot and it took Chautauqua to beat him in the same race last year, so the mare’s quality was well established even without that win. I’m sure she will be well sought after,” he said.
Coincidentally, the mare’s two year-old filly named Sasuba is scheduled to debut in the second race at Canterbury this afternoon (Wednesday). By Stratum (Redoute’s Choice), she sold for $400,000 at last year’s Inglis Easter Sales to the bid of Woppitt Bloodstock and Mulcaster Bloodstock. She will race for Debbie Kepitis’ Woppitt Bloodstock.
Lucky Bubbles, bred by Rick Jamieson’s Gilgai Farm and offered by Peter Liston’s Three Bridges Farm, was a $90,000 Inglis Premier purchase in 2013. He was knocked down to Hong Kong trainer Ricky Yiu but was left in Australia where he won a maiden at Wyong for Bjorn Baker before his export and transfer to trainer Francis Lui.
Bubble Below is a three quarter sister in blood to Group Two winner Colorado Claire (Hussonet), the dam of brilliant two year-old Gunnison (Not A Single Doubt) who was sold to Hong Kong interests at the inaugural Inglis Chairman’s Sale last month for $1,400,000 and will be trained by John Size.
CONTENTMENT (Hussonet): Won the Champions Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) for Size and provided consolation for jockey Brett Prebble who’d been replaced on Lucky Bubbles. Contentment was purchased by David Price-John Foote for $65,000 at the Inglis Classic Sale in 2012.
“He’s a good horse, who’s now won more than 24,000,000 (Hong Kong dollars), I think we bought well. People were turning their noses up at Hussonet which I couldn’t understand given he’d had almost 100 stakes winners. Sometimes best to think away from the norm,” Price told ANZ Bloodstock at the time of this year’s Classic Sale.
Those earnings have now reached HK$34,000,000 after his second Group One success following the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (Gr 1, 1400m) last year and he may now be bound for the Yasuda Kinen (Gr 1, 1600m) in Japan.
Size also has one of Hong Kong’s most talked about horses, at the moment, in Nothingilikemore (by Hussonet’s son Husson) who is unbeaten in four starts and, like Contentment, was an Inglis Classic Yearling Sale purchase at $40,000 to Foote.
NEOREALISM: (Neo Universe) was a narrow but impressive winner of the APQEII Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) and my information is that trainer Noriyuki Hori will, at the very least, entertain the notion of nominating him for the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m). Racing Victoria ‘scout’ Leigh Jordon has visited Japan and Hong Kong in the past two weeks and is optimistic that Hori wouldn’t rule out the Cox Plate.
However, John Moore’s touted travellers Eagle Way (More Than Ready) and Werther (Tavistock) will stay at home through 2017. Eagle Way won the Queen Mother Memorial Cup (Gr 3, 2400m) while Werther was narrowly beaten in the APQEII Cup despite an internal bleed.
LITTLE GIANT (Swiss Ace): Created a more than favourable impression with his effortless debut win, for David Hall and Zac Purton, in race nine last Sunday. The son of Swiss Ace (Secret Savings) had won his two starts in New Zealand in 2016 when trained by Lisa Latta. He beat the subsequent Group One winner Humidor (Teofilo) on debut in a modest maiden at Tauherenikau. It was also Humidor’s first start that day.
Little Giant was scheduled to appear in Hong Kong last November but a hoof problem delayed his return to the races. It will be surprising now if he does not progress well beyond the class of Sunday’s win.