Hong Kong mogul steps up for son of Zoustar on day-two spending spree at Karaka

New Zealand Bloodstock will head into next year’s 100th National Yearling Sale full of optimism after its Ready to Run offering broke through $41 million in trade for the first time.

This week’s 480-lot two-year-old sale closed out with six of the top 10 horses, led by an $825,000 son of Zoustar and a $775,000 colt by Written Tycoon, sold during a surging second session.

The year-on-year increase in the median to $100,000 and average of $156,278 was most pleasing as NZB managing director Andrew Seabrook assessed two-days of trade at Karaka.

“The two highlights for me were with the Australian spend (going up). Australia has really embraced the sale of the last couple of years and why wouldn’t they with the success of the graduates in Australia over the last 24 months, with some serious Group 1 horses,” Seabrook told The Straight. 

“Off the top of my head, I think (Australians) went from $12 million to $15-odd million, so they’re up three million dollars and China was huge. 

“We’ve been doing a lot of work over China for a long time, so it was great to see it pay off over the last couple of days with some with some big Chinese money. 

“They bought some big lots and it was led by some members of the (Hong Kong) Jockey Club (from) mainland Chinese.”

Hong Kong buyers accounted for more than $17 million of the total spend, while Australian buyers spent for more than $15 million.

The leading buyer was Hong Kong’s Yeung Kin Man, who came away with the $825,000 sale-topping Zoustar colt sold on Thursday, among his haul of 15 horses that were selected with the help of prominent agent Willie Leung.

Magus Equine’s Leung often bids for the horses himself, flanked by the trainer-designate. 

But in the case of prolific Hong Kong owner Yeung – the founder of the world’s largest producer of smartphone screens, Biel Crystal Manufactory, which supplies Apple and Samsung – he performs that task himself, extravagantly lifting his left hand high in the air.

There’s no risk he’s not seen by the bidspotters, nor by his rival buyers who often retreat in the knowledge they are facing a formidable opponent.

Yeung was relatively conservative on Wednesday, buying four horses (his day at Karaka was interrupted by an important business meeting), but free of distractions he upped the ante on Thursday with an additional 11 lots.

Yeung, whose Hong Kong horses carry the “Patch” moniker, bought 24 horses at last year’s sale, doubling his 2023 tally in what was his first visit to the Ready to Run Sale.

“He enjoys the sale very much because the first year we got two winners and they have won nine races, which was a good result,” Leung reasoned for Yeung’s attendance at the NZB sale. 

“And last year we brought more and we are ready to bring 10 (new horses) to Hong Kong.

“He wanted to stock up a little bit more and then pick the quality ones to go to Hong Kong for racing.”

The sale-topping Zoustar colt, who was bought for $200,000 by vendor Kit Brooks at the Inglis Easter sale in April, is by the same sire as the Yeung-owned and Francis Lui-trained Patch Of Theta.

The sale-topper is also a half-brother to Hong Kong winner Champion Method.

“(Mr Yeung has) got a very nice Zoustar in Hong Kong who ran second in a Group race (in May), so he was looking for another Zoustar and he loved this one,” Leung said. 

“He looks big and strong and an early type. So, it is likely that we’ll bring him to Hong Kong earlier (than normal).”

Leung, one of Hong Kong’s leading bloodstock agents, manages his clients, owners and roster of trainers which includes Lui, Manfred Man and Jimmy Ting, in much the same way as a football coach.

He marshalls his clients, bringing them in when their short-listed horses are about to enter the sales ring or has them on the phone if they’re not present at the auction.

“All the trainers have their own selection process and they know what suits their training methods,” Leung said. 

“We pick the ones that suit their purposes or an owner’s expectations. Maybe they are looking for a miler or maybe they are after a sprinter and some dream about a (Hong Kong) Derby.

“So, there is no contradiction or conflicts between them because they know what suits their client.”

The second-highest-priced two-year-old, the Yulong-bred and owned colt by Written Tycoon, was bought by soon-to-be Hong Kong trainer James Cummings.

The $775,000 price tag justified Yulong’s decision to pass him in at the Magic Millions in January with a $320,000 reserve.

NZB is expected to release its catalogue next week for the 2026 Karaka Yearling Sale, the country’s 100th national thoroughbred yearling sale.