What differentiates a horse sale? Lots of things really - quality of horses, quality of buyers, time of year, type of sale ... the list goes on. A number of sales have become brand names in their own right: think Keeneland's September yearling sale (all 14 or so days of it), Keeneland's November breeding sale, Inglis' Easter sale (and also their broodmare sale), Magic Millions' January yearling sales, the Japan foal sale ... and then there's the Hong Kong International sale.

What makes the HK sale special? Well it happens but once a year, it's so select that if you dozed off you'd miss it - just 20 horses go under the hammer, and the fairer sex don't get a look-in - the two year olds on offer are all colts/geldings. The horses are purchased from a multitude of other countries (6 in total) and buying at this sale is as much about 'face' (a unique Chinese concept) as it is about owning a race horse. In years gone past the sale was strictly invitation only and a black-tie affair. This year sees it shift to the new Parade Ring at Shatin which I imagine will ensure the 'black tie' piece of the equation is lost.

If you wish to peruse the catalogue you can do so by clicking on the following link.

Breeze-ups can be viewed as well

Speaking of Hong Kong, only 5 days until the Internationals. The following specialist site has all the latest news and photographs.