Northern Meteor’s sire of sires influence in Hong Kong

Cover image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club

At the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Hong Kong based buyers bought 22 yearlings at an average of $224,300, just a touch under the sale average of $269,000. This made them the fifth largest buying group after NSW (337), Vic (229), Qld (98), and NZ (32).

The pathway to Hong Kong often comes through the breeze up sales, trials, and via tried horses, and as such, there will be pinhookers from across Australia and New Zealand hunting out the right type of horse for a future sale to Hong Kong.

So which stallions are doing well in Hong Kong currently?

The impact of the International meeting

With the big international meeting run and won in December, the stallion table in Hong Kong is dominated by the sires of the major winners. Deep Field, sire of G1 Hong Kong Mile winner Voyage Bubble, leads with Voyage Bubble contributing 53% of Deep Field’s HK$39.8 million (AU$76.2 million) progeny earnings for the 2025/26 season to date.

More starkly, Romantic Warrior (Ire)’s historic fourth victory in the G1 Hong Kong Cup means his earnings for the season to date account for 92% of his sire Acclamation (GB)’s progeny earnings. Similarly, Ka Ying Rising (NZ)'s G1 Hong Kong Sprint win resulted in his Hong Kong earnings for the season making up 94% of progeny earnings for Shamexpress (NZ).

Sosie (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) who won the G1 Hong Kong Cup that night is the only winner for his sire in Hong Kong so far this season.

Every owner in Hong Kong wants to win one of these four races, or the Hong Kong Derby, won last year by Cap Ferrat (Snitzel). Outside these five majors, there are plenty of races to be won and much prizemoney to be competed for. Hong Kong only runs twice a week, which means that in 2025/26 there have been 343 races run up to this point in the season. Those races have been won by the progeny of 145 different stallions, and of those 18 stallions have progeny with at least five race wins this season.

Table 1: Hong Kong Sires by races won in 2025/26 to 11 Jan 2026

Northern Meteor’s influence

The top two sires by individual races won in 2025/26 are both sons of Northern Meteor. The son of Encosta De Lago only had four crops, but his influence will flow through the generations thanks to Australian Champion Sire Zoustar and Hong Kong Champion Sire Deep Field.

In 2024/25, Deep Field won the Hong Kong Champion Sire title with Voyage Bubble making up 51% of his progeny earnings of HK$121 million (AU$). Deep Field lead by number of individual wins, with his stock winning 41 races in the season; streets ahead of his nearest rival Capitalist whose stock won 24 races in 2024/25.

In 2025/26, Written Tycoon and his son Capitalist are collectively responsible for 10 winners of 14 races so far.

It is the same story again in 2025/26. Deep Field leads on earnings and on number of individual wins with 14 individuals winning 17 races so far. With Deep Field’s final crop of seven foals currently 2-year-olds, it will be time to Deep Field to pass on the mantle in Hong Kong soon.

Deep Field has four sons at stud in Australia; Portland Sky, Cosmic Force, Aysar, and Sweet Ride. Of those Cosmic Force is the only one with runners in Hong Kong, and he’s only had four runners so far. Cosmic Force has 10 yearlings in the Gold Coast sale, while Portland Sky has five. It’s early days for this cohort in the region and it would be no surprise to see several of Deep Field’s son being sought after by Hong Kong buyers who adore his stock.

It is another son of Northern Meteor who currently has the second highest number of wins in Hong Kong. Zoustar.

Zoustar’s 19 runners in Hong Kong in 2025/26 have won 12 races, led by Stellar Express (Fr) whose earnings for the season of HK$3.3 million (AU$631,000) are only 20% of Zoustar’s progeny total of HK$16.9 million (AU$3.2 million). Zoustar has 34 entries at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale who are likely to dominate headlines, such is his commercial acumen.

Hong Kong buyers aren’t known for looking for a bargain, but for pinhookers looking to chase breeze up opportunities at better value, there’s Zoustar’s son Zousain. This season Zousain makes the leaderboard with three wins in Hong Kong this season by his progeny. He has 16 yearlings in the Gold Coast sale.

Zoustar has plenty of young sons coming through the ranks, such as Growing Empire, Lightsaber, Ozzmosis, Schwarz, Starlust (GB), and Sun City whose 2-year-old Itchintogo looks quite exciting.

There’s one other son of Northern Meteor with runners in Hong Kong, and that’s Deep Field’s full brother Shooting To Win, whose had enjoyed three wins in the region this season from 8 runners.

The effervescent Danehill line

Danehill (USA)’s influence on global racing shows no signs of abating and on the 2025/26 sire table there have been 82 races won by the progeny of sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons of the mighty Danehill.

All Too Hard, a stalwart for Vinery Stud, tops the list with 8 races won this season to date by his progeny. He’s a son of Casino Prince, a son of Flying Spur, who is a son of Danehill. All Too Hard’s 4-year-old gelding Patch Of Stars is headed to the rich 4-Year-Old series. All Too Hard has 11 yearlings in the 2026 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Starspangledbanner, a son of Choisir, sits in eighth this season by progeny earnings with his stock winning seven races so far. He’s enjoyed his best ever season in Europe last calendar year with both the Champion 2-Year-Old Colt and Champion 2-Year-Old Filly. He is represented by eight yearlings at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Retired Danehill sons, Darci Brahma, Fastnet Rock, Holy Roman Emperor (Ire), and Exceed And Excel, have 17 race wins between them this season. Fastnet Rock sons are responsible for seven wins, while six sons of Redoute’s Choice, being Ardrossan, Burgundy (NZ), Not A Single Doubt, Snitzel, The Autumn Sun and Coats Choice, have sired the winners of fifteen races this season.

Invincible influence to the fore

The sireline that is showing great progress in Hong Kong, and globally, is that of Invincible Spirit (Ire). Sons of Invincible Spirit with winners in Hong Kong this season are led by Charm Spirit (Ire) with nine races won, while Australian Champion Sire I Am Invincible has sired three individual winners there this season who’ve won a singe race each so far. I Am Invincible is a hugely commercial sire who has 40 yearlings in the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Cable Bay (Ire), Profitable (Ire), and Royal Meeting (Ire) all have sired winners in Hong Kong this season. Royal Meeting has one yearling for sale at the Gold Coast this year.

I Am Invincible’s influence in Hong Kong is more richly felt through his own sons. Hellbent, Brazen Beau, Overshare and I Am Immortal all have sired winners in Hong Kong this season. Brazen Beau has two yearlings in the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Hellbent, in particular, is having a breakout season. Last season, he concluded the Hong Kong season in 91st place by earnings, and this season, he currently sits in 15th. His stock have won nine races so far, with a double on Sunday night, and his son Invincible Ibis is one of the favourites for the 4-Year-Old Series. Hellbent has 21 yearlings catalogued for the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

High Chaparral’s big heart keeps on going

High Chaparral (Ire), who won ten of his 13 starts including two victories in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic, was known for his massive will to win, and so it is not surprising to see several of his sons performing well in Hong Kong.

Toronado (Ire), Dundeel (NZ), Wrote (Ire), So You Think (NZ), Tivaci, Contributer (Ire), Alpine Eagle, and Redwood (Ire) all have winners this season in Hong Kong. Toronado has 22 yearlings at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, while Dundeel has 13. So You Think, who sadly died in October this year, has 18 yearlings on offer.

Table: 2025/26 Hong Kong Sires' Table by Sire Of Sires with number of races won up to 11 Jan 2026