Danehill colt tops International Sale

Widely expected to be the topper before

setting foot in the ring of Saturday's Hong Kong International Sale, a

two-year-old Danehill

colt sold for HK$7,500,000, the highest price ever at the auction. The previous

record was

HK$6 million.

Cheng Keung Fai purchased the bay, who entered the ring as Lot 15 and was produced by

the

Secretariat mare Sister Dot. A half-brother to champion Dehere, the Irish-bred

colt was the

final Danehill juvenile to be sold at public auction. He was purchased as a

yearling by the Hong

Kong Jockey Club for 360,000 at the 2005 Goffs Orby Million Sale.

The

second-highest

price at Saturday's sale was HK$4,400,000 for Lot 30, a gelding by More Than

Ready.

Bought by industrialist Sui Pak Kwan, he will be trained by David Ferraris.

"I have

the only other son of More Than Ready in Hong Kong, and like this horse and sire

very much," Ferraris said.

Foaled in Australia, the son of Dainty Dancer (Al Hareb) was acquired by

the Hong Kong

Jockey Club for NZ$120,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale.

In all, 28

lots sold for HK$81,200,000, leading to a 63 percent increase in average to

HK$2,900,000.

"It was not a bargain sale, but Thoroughbreds worldwide have become more

expensive and,

combined with the currency weakness here and other factors, it was in line with

overall

trends," said Winfred Engelbrecht-Bresges, HKJC's executive director of racing.

"We are

considering the idea of some races confined to horses from our sale so that we

can show our

support for the enthusiasm of the purchasers."

Complete results are available on

www.cxhkir.com/english/hkir2006/hkis/hkis06_results.asp.