THIS year’s Hong Kong International Sale at Sha Tin, conducted by John O’Kelly, saw 29 of the 31 lots catalogue presented and all of them sold. The turnover, average and median all advanced from the 2016 figures, with the aggregate rising by some 30%.

Two of the lots, all three-year-olds and available to buy only by Hong Kong Jockey Club members, sold for the equivalent of €1 million or more, an Australian-bred son of Hussonet and a French-bred son of Holy Roman Emperor. All lots catalogued have their total costs up to the time of their sale – purchase price plus all costs since – published, allowing for an incredible degree of transparency.

The son of Hussonet set a new Hong Kong International Sale record, being sold to Peter Lau for HK$10.5 million (€1.255 million), a new high for any Hong Kong sale and beating the previous record of HK$9 million set in March 2012. This year’s group sold for an aggregate of HK$130.9 million (€15.65 million) and for an average of HK$4.51 million (€540,000), up 8% on last year’s figure from 24 lots. Nine horses sold for HK$5 million (€600,000) or more.

Mark Richards selected the sale topper at the Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale for AUS$160,000 and his sale price this time was the equivalent of AUS$1.76 million – 11 times his original ring price. The gelding’s dam was the Al Mufti mare Almah, a champion in her native South Africa.

Irish-breds Designs On Rome, Beauty Only and Rich Tapestry are among the many offspring of Holy Roman Emperor to have distinguished themselves in Hong Kong and his only son in the sale equalled the previous record price when he was knocked down to Liu Yu Wen for HK$9 million (€1.076 million). The same purchaser bought last year’s sale-topper for HK$8.5 million and that was Pakistan Star, the German-bred son of Shamardal who will be one of the favourites for this weekend’s BMW Hong Kong Derby.

The Holy Roman Emperor three-year-old was pinhooked previously, being bought as a foal at the 2014 Arqana December Sale for €60,000 and resold the following years at the Goffs Orby Sale for €200,000.

Two lots sold for HK$7.5 million (€900,000). First to the mark was the Australian-bred More Than Ready gelding out of the Redoute’s Choice mare Zingaling and his yearling purchase price of AUS$450,000 soared to the equivalent of AUS$1.26 million. Also selling for HK$7.5 million was a son of Street Cry and he was bought at the same Inglis Yearling Sale two years ago for AUS$460,000.