3 minute read
In September 2014 the Macau Jockey Club introduced a brilliant new innovation with the launch of the first Online Horse Auction by a Racing Club in Asia.
In a unique arrangement with the vendors of Australia's three Premier 2YO Sales Groups, The Magic Millions, Inglis and New Zealand Bloodstock, Macau buyers were able to bid for the horse of their choice in the comfort of the MJC Members lounge at the Taipa Racetrack. The sales were complete with buyer's access to breeze ups, full sales catalogues and a Vet's corner in place to answer any queries regarding their purchase.
It was a bold move that became an instant success and since then the annual Online Sales have become a major source of our horse imports into the enclave.
The very first winner from the original Online Sales Mission Gdragon won his ninth race on June 28, and has racked up another 21 placed efforts from his 75 starts in the enclave picking up over $3 million HKD in prize money for owners Mr. and Mrs. Cheng Wing Bor.
Trainer Patrick Lee purchased the son of Jet Spur (Aus) for just A$32,000 at the 2014 Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YO's in Training Sales. The rising eight year is still racing with plenty of zest and his days in the winner's circle are far from over.
The trend continues and on Saturday Patrick Lee combined with owners Mr. and Mrs. Cheng Wing Bor and Mr. Chan Ho Man both long serving clients, to win the first two races on the card with Mission Dragon and Partners Fortune both products of Online Sales.
Mission Dragon under Peter Ho made it win number two when he found the line strongly to win the Class 5 & 6 over 1500 metres.
The gelding is a son of Reliable Man (GB) who won the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth at Randwick in 2013 as well as the Group 1 Prix Du Jockey Club at Chantilly and the Group 2 Prix Niel at Longchamp. His dam is the Commands (Aus) mare Skeena.
Mission Dragon was an NZD $60,000 purchase at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run 2YO Sales of 2018. His pedigree suggests he will run a lot further then Saturdays 1500 metres.
Partners' Fortune gave Peter Ho and Patrick Lee and quick double in picking up the next event the Class 4 & 5 over 1200 metres, when he pulled out all stops to beat Chi Chai Sin Sang (Eric Cheung) by a neck to make it back to back wins from only six starts.
Like Mission Dragon, Partners Fortune is another Online Sales purchase this time from the 2018 Inglis Premier Sale and was a A$68,000 buy. The three year old gelding is by Better Than Ready (Aus) from the Manhatten Rain dam Bright Planet and is raced in partnership by Mr. and Mrs. Cheng Wing Bor and Mr. Chan Ho Man. Both Mission Dragon and Partners Fortune have already recouped their purchase price.
Oriental Joyful must rate as one of the best buys to hit the enclave for many years. The three year old gelding destroyed his opposition in winning his fourth race in ten starts, when he bolted away under jockey Roger Yu with the Class 3 over 1350 metres on the sand Saturday.
Oriental Joyful has proved to be a real steal for owner Mr. Chiang Chon Kai who purchased the three year old son of Redwood (GB) at the 2018 New Zealand Ready To Run Sales, for the giveaway price of NZD $26,000.
Along with his four wins for trainer Danny Wong, Oriental Joyful has placed on another four occasions and has only been out of a top three spot twice in his ten runs. After Saturday the gelding's prize money tally is now nudging the three quarter million mark.
The bay's run time on Saturday of 1.20.8 equaled the Class Record set by Korean Dream back in 2015.
With the onset of the Covid – 19 Virus, international travel plus large crowed gatherings are going to be on hold it would appear indefinitely. Online Sales streamed around the world are here to stay, the new norm where buyers can bid from the comfort of their home for the horse of their choice.
