William Nader | Horse Racing Free Tips

An eye-catching half-brother to Group 1 winner Volatile Mix drew a clinching bid of HK$7.2 million (US$929,000) to top the Hong Kong International Sale (July) at the Sha Tin Parade Ring on Friday, July 3, as all 19 lots offered sold for a total of HK$74.3 million (US$9,586,891).

The gelding, cataloged as Lot 8, is by the top Australian sire and noted speed influence I Am Invincible, out of the Group 3-placed High Chaparral mare Utopia. The bay, whose talented sibling won the South Australian Derby, sold to Sze-to Kin Sun.

Wong Kwong Miu, whose red and black silks have been carried previously by the talented galloper Divine Ten, brought the auctioneer's hammer down at HK$6.5 million (US$838,684) for Lot 14, a Zoustar gelding out of a half-sister to multiple G1-winning New Zealand champion Volkstok'n'barrell.

Two more geldings hit the HK$6 million (US$774,187) mark: Lot 6 is a Savabeel full-brother to the G1 New Zealand Oaks heroine Savvy Coup; Lot 2 is a Per Incanto 3-year-old out of the G1 ARC Railway Stakes winner Fleur De Lune.

Mr. William Nader, the Hong Kong Jockey Club's director of racing business and operations, said: “This was a very good sale, it exceeded our expectations. Overall, we have to be pleased with the results and it might be a good sign for the economy in Hong Kong that things could be rebounding, because the money was with us tonight.

“The horses presented well and I don't think anyone was surprised by the sale-topper. There was a good mix of pedigrees, I think the buyers had a lot of variety and hopefully there's some value there for our owners.”

The sale average was HK$3.91 million (US$504,513) while the median came in at HK$4 million (US$516,133).

“Last year we sold 20 lots at the July Sale averaging HK$2.4 million (US$309,680) and this year we had 19 lots averaging over HK$3.9 million (US$503,219), so this sale was very healthy and we're pleased with the results,” Mr. Nader added.

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Team Valor International's Oleksandra came out of her Grade 1 victory over males in the Grade 1 Jaipur Stakes in good shape, except for a nick on a lower front limb as a result of runner-up Kanthaka bearing into her at the break.

Trainer Neil Drysdale has decided to leave her at Belmont Park instead of returning her to Southern California. She will point for the Grade 3 Troy Stakes going 5 1/2 furlongs on grass for a $200,000 purse on the Travers Stakes undercard on Aug. 8 at Saratoga.

The 6-year-old daughter of Animal Kingdom may have one more race before contesting the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland.

“That will be her last race for Team Valor,” said Barry Irwin of Team Valor International. “She will be offered for sale after the BC at an auction in Kentucky with an as-yet undetermined agent.”

William Nader of the Hong Kong Racing Club tendered an invitation to the mare for “the world's richest turf sprint on December 13” so it is possible the mare's new owner could race her there or in Dubai over the winter before sending her off to the breeding shed.

Oleksandra became the first Australian-bred to win a Grade 1 in North America since the Pattern Race scheme went into being in 1974.

Her 101 Beyer Speed Figure was bettered on Saturday's Belmont Stakes card only by runaway Grade 1 Acorn Stakes winner Gamine.

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