A vibrant Hong Kong International Sale July 3 saw 16 horses sold at Sha Tin, with a Deep Field gelding topping the sale at HK$9.2 million (US$1,196,000; HK$1=US$0.13) for purchaser Alan Hu.
Sold as Lot 2, the bay gelding is by four-time Hong Kong champion sire Deep Field, while his dam is Hussterical. Hu, who also scooped Lot 1—a son of Per Incanto—for HK$4.6 million, set the tone for a night of intense bidding where 11 of the 16 lots returned higher than HK$4 million and six of these surpassed HK$5 million.
Lot 9 was the second son of Deep Field to go through the ring, netting HK$6.6 million from Cheung Kwong Kwan.
A Savabeel gelding, offered as Lot 4, sold for HK$5.2 million to owner Yu Lung before a second son of Savabeel—Lot 10—sold to Qin Fang for HK$5.4 million. Savabeel has more than 60 wins in Hong Kong, led by the likes of seven-time victors Rattan, Flame Hero, and Ever Laugh.
Austin Miu landed Lot 7, a bay son of Dundeel for HK$5.4 million, before a chestnut son of Mehmas, sold as Lot 8, fell to owner Yan Ming for HK$5 million.
Overall, the total sale amount returned from 16 lots this evening was HK$76.2 million (US$9,906,000), up from the HK$45.1 million total of last year from 15 lots, while the average was HK$4.76 million (US$618,800) compared to 2025, when the average was slightly more than HK$3 million. The median price was HK$4.6 million (US$598,000), while in 2025 the median reached HK$2.6 million.
Danny Rolston, executive manager of international sale/owners advisory services for the Hong Kong Jockey Club, said: "We've experienced a really healthy sale here tonight. There's a really good increase in the average price and, I think, we've got a few factors right this year. But the message which comes out of today is the owner's appetite for horse ownership in Hong Kong is really responding well to the bonus structure, increases in prize money, and the initiatives the Club is putting into place.
"The first key indicator we saw towards having a good sale was the large increase in ballot applications this year. So, with a higher application rate for the ballot, more permits in the market and having the sale after the ballot this year—I think we had all of the ingredients right for a good sale. ... We're holding the bar really, really high. We only want to bring the absolute best horses, the soundest horses, and the horses with the most ability and the best temperaments to the market. I think we did that today with a really reinvigorated appetite for ownership—the Hong Kong can do spirit; I think we've seen that come out to play tonight."
