Friday’s R2,4 million BSA National Yearling Sale Day 1 topselling Vercingetorix colt will join the 2023 Cape Premier Yearling Sale chart-topping R3,8 million Gimmethegreenlight colt as Hong Kong International Sale prospects.
The highest priced colt of Friday was the R2,4 million paid by the Hong Kong Jockey Club for the unnamed Vercingetorix smasher offered as agent by the Boland Stud.
The Vercingetorix colt purchased by the Hong Kong Jockey Club on Friday for R2,4 million (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Justin Vermaak and the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s HKIS Manager Danny Rolston were at the TBA Sales Complex and secured the magnificent specimen after some spirited counter bidding.
At the Cape Town Convention Centre in January, Vermaak, bidding in tandem Danny Rolston on the telephone, paid R3,8 million for Maine Chance Farm’s Gimmethegreenlight colt, Valley Of the Kings.
Both cracking specimens will showcase the quality of the South African thoroughbred at the 2025 Hong Kong International Sale, which is hosted by The Hong Kong Jockey Club. The catalogue comprises yearlings sourced from many of the world’s premier yearling sales and pre-trained in Australia and Great Britain before transferring to Hong Kong.
HKIS graduates include major winners Good Ba Ba, Pakistan Star, The Duke and most recently, 2022 BMW Hong Kong Derby winner Romantic Warrior, who was purchased at the 2021 HKIS.
Justin Vermaak told the Sporting Post on Saturday that three colts he purchased at the 2021 BSA National Yearling Sale would go through the ring at the Hong Kong International Sale on 30 June. He said the 2023 South African purchases would be sent to England and prepped there.
Earlier this month the Hong Kong Jockey Club bought three well-related colts off the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale in Sydney for a total outlay of AU$2,13 million.
