Canberra Guineas winner Steel Giant has been sold to Hong Kong interests for more than $1million.
Trainer Rick Worthington, of Sutton Forest, finalised the deal late yesterday.
The rising four-year-old will be set for the $2million Hong Kong Derby (2000m) in March. :zzz:
Worthington earlier this week said the horse was not for sale as he and fellow owners his wife Dawn Maclean-Worthington and AJC chairman Ross Smyth-Kirk and his wife Denise wanted to target the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups in the spring. But when his phone constantly rang the past three days and the offers continued to increase, Worthington eventually succumbed to the big money and sold.
The trainer three years ago sold promising youngster War Of The Worlds to Hong Kong interests for $1million.
While unwilling to disclose the actual sum of Steel Giant's sale, Worthington said it was ''significantly larger'' than War Of The Worlds' ''but not double''. ''It's happened very quickly,'' he told The Canberra Times yesterday. ''I did plan on not selling it but they kept upping the offer and there comes a point where I thought 'he is a gelding, I can't breed with him and it's a lot of money'.''
Steel Giant has raced eight times for four wins and one minor placing, amassing $102,500. His biggest win was in the $75,000 Canberra Guineas on Black Opal Stakes day earlier this year.
The son of Carnegie was beaten only 1.6 lengths by Weekend Hussler in the Group1 Randwick Guineas in March and 1.6 lengths behind Dealer Principal in the Group1 Rosehill Guineas in April.
Worthington had mixed emotions yesterday once the sale was confirmed. ''I'm not doing cartwheels having sold him but you've got to be realistic,'' he said. ''It's all pretty much gone through, he's had his vet check which he's passed and he'll leave for Hong Kong soon. ''He's a very nice horse and we honestly believed he could mix it with the best of them during the spring so I'm definitely a little sad but happy at the same time.''
Worthington will now place his spring hopes in unbeaten juvenile Whitefriars. Whitefriars, which won his only start by 6.8 lengths at Canberra in January, will trial at Warwick Farm today. Pending how he fares Worthington will either aim him at the $1million Golden Rose on August 30 or traditional three-year-old races such as the Roman Consul Stakes and the Up And Coming Stakes.
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/sport/horse-racing/weight-of-money-sways-worthington/844936.aspx#
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本帖最後由 willandgrace 於 9/8/2008 06:57 PM 編輯 ]
