NZB Graduates Take Seoul by Storm

23 June 2020

Mighty New (NZ) (Red Giant) stormed home to win a Class 4 race over 1200m in Seoul.
Mighty New (NZ) (Red Giant) stormed home to win a Class 4 race over 1200m in Seoul.

Graduates of New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale put on a solid performance in Seoul, South Korea after racing recommenced in the country on 21 June.

After a number of months in COVID-19 lockdown, the resumption of racing on Sunday marked the first win in a new purchasing venture secured by NZB with the Seoul Racing Owners Association (SROA) in 2019.

Kiwi-bred Mighty New (NZ) (Red Giant) blitzed home on debut to win a Class 4 race over 1200m in the opening meeting which took place in the capital.

NZB produced the quinella in the race when Mighty New held out Geomison (NZ) (Helmet) who was runner-up, while another Ready to Run Sale alumnus Changseong Hit (NZ) (Rock ‘n’ Pop) ran fifth.

The prizemoney for the maiden event is worth around NZ$53,000. 

New Zealand Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, Phillip Turner, was thrilled with the result.

“This is great news, the best possible start to the career of these horses purchased from New Zealand,” he said.

NZB’s Director of Business Development Mike Kneebone was delighted by the performance of the graduates.

“This is a massive result for us and it really shows the capability of our horses after entering a new market.

“It has been a great team effort to get NZB graduates into the Korean market and we couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome,” he said.

Seoul Racing Owners Association in Korea purchased nine horses from NZB’s Ready to Run Sale in 2019.

Mighty New was secured for $25,000 from Westbury Stud, while Geomison was a $17,000 purchase from Leanach Lodge.

Vendor Westbury Stud
Purchaser SROA (Expoline)
Breeding Red Giant x Outrage
Sale Lot 109, 2015 Ready to Run Sale, $25,000
Bred by Mrs A S Johnson