George Moore is one of the most accomplished agents in Hong Kong with purchases including the likes of Able Friend who was crowned Longines World Champion in 2016, 4 YO Triple Crown Winner Rapper Dragon, Horse of the Years Military Attack and Designs on Rome and Queensland 3YO HOYT Eagle Way. As the son of leading Hong Kong trainer John Moore, George needed no introduction to the world of high-quality bloodstock. He has been professionally selecting horses for more than 13 years Impact had the opportunity to speak to leading international bloodstock agent, George Moore about Inglis’ 2019 Easter Yearling Sale catalogue and the Australian bloodstock industry:
Q: What do you think of this year’s Easter Yearling Sale offering? Does any first crop you are keeping an eye out for?
A: After this year’s trip to the hunter valley I am over the moon with the quality on offer at the sale. As usual, the top end stallions such as Snitzel, Redoute and Not a Single Doubt are represented by many high-quality individuals and classy movers with big actions. For first season stallions, I want to purchase one Vancouver colt as I was a big fan of the horse when he won the Golden Slipper and feel with time, they could be very suited to Hong Kong.
Q: How often do you attend the Easter Yearling Sales?
A: I attend the sale every year as it’s our main sale being that we have bought most of our group horses from there.
Q: How important are the black type and race record in your evaluation of a yearling prospect?
A: Obviously before the sale, I study the catalogue closely however we put a high level of emphasis on type and a good driving horse. There are obvious family lines that we flock to that we have had success in the past however the selection is mainly on the type. We also like to buy out of younger mares.
Q: What stallions do you like as broodmare sires?
A: Depending again on the stallion and best nicks with the broodmares however I am a fan of Anabaa mares as there are not that many on the grounds now and they have done well for us in the past.
Q: Do you prefer Australian to Asian or International sires? Or vice versa?
A: The Easter sales and Australian sales are my favourites as this is where we buy our majority of horses. Also, the progeny tend to be more precocious and early which suits our target market.
Q: What characteristics do you think the most talented horses have in common?
A: Our best horses such as Able Friend had a presence at the sales and in the case of Able Friend he was always a good moving individual for his size with good drive behind and a sizeable hip.
Q: Do you study pedigrees?
A: I go through the catalogue extensively before I even look at a yearling.
Q: In terms of sire power, do you lean toward what is more commercially popular? Or do you run more strictly along the lines of how you think the pedigrees will best complement each other? Or is it a more of a balance?
A: There is a balance however we need to work closely with the needs of our clients. Certain pedigrees and stallions have seen to do well in Hong Kong, therefore, sticking to these sire lines is smart. It is a lot easier to sell progeny to Hong Kong that has already been seen to work here. Selling a horse by an unproven stallion is a little more of a challenge at the yearling level however as a private purchase it doesn’t really come into account much as the horse has already proven himself in races.
Q: Do you find the market has changed over the years with more emphasis being placed on the top end where you could possibly find a Group winner?
A: I space my purchases all over the world to not reduce my supply of good horses. If you stick to one racing jurisdiction then you reduce your supply to the market and good horses come from all over the world. The key to buying a good horse is to place them with the correct trainer in Hong Kong to give them the best chance and to match their racing needs. I buy an equal amount of tried horse to yearlings as certain clients have different appetites.
Q: Which markets do you selling into other than Hong Kong?
A: I have clients all over the world including stallion syndicates in Australia that want to racehorse there and then eventually place the horse into the stud. These clients target the higher-level yearlings at the sales. I also have clients in Macau, Singapore and Europe.
Q: How has technology affected and influenced your business?
A: Technology has made it so much easier to send information in a timely matter to clients as applications like Whatsapp allow me to transfer horse videos directly to owners. Also, it helps to reduce the lead times in the sale of a horse that can be very important. Putting in a bid in a timely manner can be the difference between losing or buying a horse.
Q: If you had a personal Inglis highlight reel what would be on it?
A: Most likely my best accomplishment at the Inglis sale would be the purchase of world champion Able Friend as a yearling.
Published in The Impact 9 Issue, 2 Vol
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Q: What are you currently reading?
A: Homo God
Q: Coming in from Hong Kong, what are your top go-to spots after a sales day?
A: Amalfitana in Repulse Bay beach – I love a good pizza with a good view.
Published In The Impact 9 Issue, 2 Vol
Click To view the complete The Impact Library - http://theimpact.secretariatsworld.com/