Qian Zhao and Chengke Sun with their purchase Lot 222 Tavistock/Keeper On colt and Beth Grant
Tara Hughes
A world-renown pigeon racer blazed his way into thoroughbred ownership at Karaka on Tuesday.
Chengke Sun is one of China's most successful pigeon racers, however a $100,000 outlay for a Tavistock weanling colt was his first foray into thoroughbred investment.
The Shandong province native, who is enjoying his first visit to New Zealand as guest of Mr Lang's Rider Horse group, purchased lot 222, a weanling colt by the sire-of-the-moment Tavistock out of Keeper mare Keeper On, for from the draft of Curraghmore.
Sharply dressed in a grey suit and tweed cheese-cutter cap, Sun indicated that the latest edition to his racing team was likely to remain in New Zealand to race.
Sun is ranked in the top 20 pigeon racers in China, one of the fastest growing sports in the republic thanks to China's newly rich.
And the similarities don't end there, pigeon racing is serious business with bird pedigrees and race records laid out in catalogues for auction.
In fact, Sun's $100,000 investment at Karaka could be considered small given he's previously paid $400,000 for a single pigeon.
"I am here for the week and really enjoying my time here," Sun said through an interpreter.
"I love my pigeon racing and think I could find the same love for horse racing. I hope this horse could be my next high-flyer." – NZ Racing Desk
Chengke Sun is one of China's most successful pigeon racers, however a $100,000 outlay for a Tavistock weanling colt was his first foray into thoroughbred investment.
The Shandong province native, who is enjoying his first visit to New Zealand as guest of Mr Lang's Rider Horse group, purchased lot 222, a weanling colt by the sire-of-the-moment Tavistock out of Keeper mare Keeper On, for from the draft of Curraghmore.
Sharply dressed in a grey suit and tweed cheese-cutter cap, Sun indicated that the latest edition to his racing team was likely to remain in New Zealand to race.
Sun is ranked in the top 20 pigeon racers in China, one of the fastest growing sports in the republic thanks to China's newly rich.
And the similarities don't end there, pigeon racing is serious business with bird pedigrees and race records laid out in catalogues for auction.
In fact, Sun's $100,000 investment at Karaka could be considered small given he's previously paid $400,000 for a single pigeon.
"I am here for the week and really enjoying my time here," Sun said through an interpreter.
"I love my pigeon racing and think I could find the same love for horse racing. I hope this horse could be my next high-flyer." – NZ Racing Desk
