It took no time at all for Hong Kong buyers to make their presence felt at yesterday's third round of the William Inglis Australian Easter Sale in Sydney, with a half-brother to Elegant Fashion causing a Hong Kong bidding war.
The colt, by Precision's sire Anabaa, was the first lot into the ring and it was obvious from the outset that Elegant Fashion's trainer, David Hayes, was the man to beat.
However, after a frenetic duel, Hayes' final bid of A$725,000 was trumped by that of an undisclosed Hong Kong buyer. 'He was a lovely horse and I would have loved to have got him,' Hayes said, 'but we extended ourselves to A$725,000 and that was our final bid. We had to let him go.'
Hayes' fellow Australian, John Moore, denied being the mystery buyer. 'I agree he was a very nice colt but he was a bit too expensive for me,' Moore said. 'For that sort of money, I'd prefer to buy a proven horse like Tiber, where there's a lot less risk.'
Identifiable Hong Kong buyers bought 23 lots across the three days of the sale, with a combined outlay of A$5,970,000 ($33.3 million). But there may well have been more, hidden behind the names of the plethora of bloodstock agents that worked this major sale.
The most prolific Hong Kong buyer was Causeway Bay agent Willie Leung, who signed for seven lots totaling A$1,945,000. Leung's top-priced purchase yesterday was a colt by first-season sire Fusaichi Pegasus, winner of the 2000 Kentucky Derby, for A$500,000.
The Jockey Club bought two lots, which will both be prepared for the International Sale in December. The first was a colt by Fusaichi Pegasus from Impulsive Rhythm, secured cheaply early in the sale for only A$100,000 - equal to the stallion's service fee in 2001 and less than half the average price for the sale.
