Kingman colt makes NZ$650,000 at Karaka Book 1

The Hong Kong Jockey Club made a late move to secure Lot 210, a six-figure Kingman colt from Sir Peter Vela's elite breeding operation at Pencarrow Stud.

Taken from The Thoroughbred Report AUS/NZ, 29th January 2024, by James Thomas:

The sole offering by Kingman in the catalogue, the colt is the first foal out of the mare, who remained a maiden after eight starts in Britain for Sir Mark Todd but boasts an eye-catching European pedigree. Marsden Cross is a sibling to the Listed-winning Many Colours, who in turn is the dam of 1000 Guineas and Prix Rothschild heroine Mother Earth. Many Colours has also bred the Italian Group 2 winner Night Colours and the Gr.3 Ballycorus Stakes scorer Ocean Jewel.

"He was one of my main targets at this sale on type," said Boomer Bloodstock (FBAA) agent Craig Rounsefell, who was on duty for the Hong Kong Jockey Club. "Obviously, Kingman's a fast young stallion over in Europe and there's no reason why he's not going to do well in Hong Kong."

"This horse had a great temperament and he's a rock-solid horse from a good farm. On type, he's just a smashing horse I thought. We had a go at a few others earlier at lower prices that we missed out on but he was our top pick of the day, and one of our top picks of the sale."

The Hong Kong Jockey Club also made six purchases at the recent Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for an outlay totalling $3,165,000. Rounsefell reported the Karaka buy would head into the same program before shipping to Hong Kong in due course.

"They'll head to Limitless Lodge with Tim Boland to join the team," he said. "We've got the crew going up there fairly soon, the three-year-olds, for the sale in March and the two-year-olds are all going well, so they will join our team from Magics and hopefully we'll build on that over the next few days and next few months."

Marsden Cross was bred by Lynch Bages and Clarecastle Farm and bought for Sir Peter by Hubie de Burgh at the 2019 Arqana August Yearling Sale, where she cost €130,000.