Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions
The New Zealand-bred gelding was one of 21 lots offered as part of the TFI (Tony Fung Investments) Gelding Unreserved Reduction Sale, a draft that also included the second top lot, Merchant Prince (Written Tycoon).
Trained by Kacy Fogden, Lammer has been in good form recently, having landed the 1350-metre handicap at the Gold Coast on August 13, before bringing up his second career win with a triumph in the Functions at Tattersall's H. at Doomben last weekend.
Lammer was purchased by his former trainer for NZ$35,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale in 2021 and she is out of the placed More Than Ready (USA) mare Sainted, who is a half-sister to Listed scorer Kakakakatie (Zeditave).
Tsang is the owner of another son of the Westbury Stud-based sire Swiss Ace in the shape of Flying Ace (NZ), who is unbeaten in four starts in Hong Kong.
Merchant Prince also headed to Hong Kong
Meanwhile, Merchant Prince, will also continue his career in Hong Kong after he was purchased by the jurisdiction’s newest trainer Jamie Richards, Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA) and Lucky Forever Syndicate for $250,000.
A winner of one of his seven starts for trainer Peter Moody, the son of Written Tycoon was purchased by Tony Fung Investments and Phoenix Thoroughbreds for $525,000 at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Merchant Prince
Richards said Merchant Prince will have a good break in Queensland before heading to Hong Kong later in the year.
"He's a really nice type of horse and we're delighted to get him," Richards said from Hong Kong. "I'd been in discussion with the TFI team about the horse when the sale was announced.
"Thankfully we had a group of people up here that were looking for a PP, so it worked out really well. These type of reduction sales, when the horses have been gelded, do present a genuine opportunity for Hong Kong buyers to get involved."
"These type of reduction sales, when the horses have been gelded, do present a genuine opportunity for Hong Kong buyers to get involved." - Jamie Richards
TFI's Racing and Breeding Manager Sally Williams said she was delighted with the results of Friday's sale.
"We are absolutely delighted with today’s results," Williams said. "The Magic Millions team have done a terrific job reaching a diverse buying bench.
"The online format complemented by our on-site inspections has proved to be incredibly successful and the prices we achieved today were reflective of that.
Kacy Fogden and Sally Williams | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
"Thank you to everyone who expressed interest in our offerings and we wish the purchasers the very best of luck with their new acquisitions. We look forward to following them and no doubt will see many winners.”
Rip Em Up sells for $248,000
Meanwhile, away from the TFI offering, Group 2-placed mare Rip Em Up (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) handed New Zealand-based syndication operation Go Racing a good result after she was secured by Trilogy Racing for $248,000.
A NZ$160,000 purchase at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale in 2017, the daughter of Rip Van Winkle (Ire) landed four races and finished second in the G2 Travis S. and she is out of the unraced mare Bak Da Princess (NZ) (Danske {NZ}).
Rip Em Up (NZ) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Bak Da Princess is the dam of eight other winners, headed by G1 Easter H. winner Pondarosa Miss (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}) and Listed winner Ecuador (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}), while she also produced stakes-placed gelding Dodgy One (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}).
Further back, Bak Da Princess is a half-sister to Bak Da Chief (NZ) (Chief Bearhart {Can}), the dam of dual Group 1 winner Te Akau Shark (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}), Rip Em Up’s three-quarter brother.
"We are rapt with today's sale of Rip Em Up," Go Racing's Racing Manager Albert Bosma said. "Selling online has not affected the result, with so many good judges having the confidence to bid on her through this platform."
"We are rapt with today's sale of Rip Em Up. Selling online has not affected the result, with so many good judges having the confidence to bid on her through this platform." - Albert Bosma
"Magic Millions marketed her very well and our thanks go to them and all of the people involved in getting her to sale.
"She has a terrific pedigree and I think the buyers will do very well with her in their broodmare band.”
Ferguson's draft well-received
Earlier in the sale, the "50 per cent off" draft of fillies offered by owner and breeder Rob Ferguson was well received by buyers across Australasia.
The top seller of the draft was a Lonhro filly who was bought by John Galvin's Fortuna Racing for $80,000.
Lonhro x Adria (filly) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Earlier in the month it was reported by Magic Millions that the 22 fillies Ferguson had purchased under the ‘Louis Bloodstock’ banner for just shy of $1 million at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale in June, were bought by the breeder during a ‘medical episode’ and was therefore choosing to re-offer them via the online platform.
Brett Howard of Randwick Bloodstock, representing the Ferguson draft, was pleased with the results achieved by that draft of unbroken 2-year-olds.
"It's been a big effort by Magic Millions to put a sale like this together and they've bent over backwards to not only have the horses on site, but to also get the buyers to inspect them,” he said. "We couldn’t have been happier with how it all came together and the overall results.”
Brett Howard | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Across the sale 75 of the 94 lots were sold at a gross of over $2.6 million. The average price was almost $35,000 and the clearance rate is currently 80 per cent.
At the close of trade, Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch said he was pleased with Friday's results.
"We are absolutely thrilled with the results of this week's sale, ending with some fierce bidding through to the conclusion," Bowditch said.
"We are absolutely thrilled with the results of this week's sale, ending with some fierce bidding through to the conclusion." - Barry Bowditch
"New registrations and outstanding interest clearly shows that with the right product the Magic Millions Online platform can give our sellers the very best results. We look forward to building on the September Online Sale and gaining further confidence with local sellers and buyers.”