Little Avondale Stud’s Per Incanto has again staved off global competition to end another Hong Kong racing season as the most prolific source of individual winners and delivering the highest tally of wins.
The Wairarapa-based stallion took that honour in 2021 with 17 winners of 30 races and successfully defended his title when the curtain fell on this season’s action on Saturday evening with 19 winners claiming 30 wins.
“It has just been phenomenal and to do it on the international stage in Hong Kong where they can pick and choose from all stallions from around the world is great,” Little Avondale Stud Principal Sam Williams said.
“The bloke who kicked his career off at $4000 from Masterton down in the Valley of Paradise here in the North Island has managed to kick a goal for the second year in a row.”
Per Incanto boasts a cosmopolitan background with the son of Street Cry foaled in the United States with the bulk of his racing in Italy where he was a Group Three winner.
“Some breeds in the thoroughbred game cope with it up there in Hong Kong, so go the American/Italian/Wairarapa stallion,” Williams said.
A past Little Avondale stalwart in Towkay also enjoyed success in Hong Kong and Williams can see similarities between the late son of Last Tycoon and Per Incanto.
“He finished in top five in the premiership on a couple of occasions. At the height of his career, he stood for $10,000 and had New Zealand’s highest rated horse in the world in Armada,” Williams said.
“When I look at Per Incanto and look at Towkay there are two things that really stand out, unbelievable temperaments and incredible constitutions.
“Towkay was a little fatty and so is Per Incanto, during the breeding season we have to pull him off the grass at lunchtime because he will just keep eating.
“He can get quite big during the season so we have to give him plenty of exercise, otherwise he just puts on weight and his progeny do that as well. That’s certainly a trait he thrown into his stock.”
While Per Incanto enjoys a high profile in Hong Kong, he has also maintained a strong Australasian presence at the top level.
“Asia supplies that Ready to Run Sale market and tried horse market and that has proved to be beneficial,” Williams said.
“The only downside to it is that you lose those better colts and geldings from New Zealand and they go to Hong Kong and don’t get to see them in Australia.
“With the numbers Per Incanto has, some have fallen through the cracks and got to Australia or they haven’t passed the vetting for Hong Kong.
“Lost In Running is one of those horses who didn’t pass the vet and stayed in Australia and now he’s created a market for us over there.
“You just need one or two good horses in Australia and, bingo, you’re away and Per Incanto has got there with that quality of horse.”
The sire of six individual Group One winners, Per Incanto is rising 18 and remains a happy and healthy customer.
“He is in great order, he looks fantastic and has been on the water walker every day since the middle of June, we are rapt with him,” Williams said.
Per Incanto continues to attract quality books of mares in his future bid to maintain his hold in Asia and across New Zealand and Australia.
“Last year, a close relation to Beauty Generation and half-sister to Werther, Golden Sixty and Glorious Days all came to him and they were all at the top of their games in Hong Kong,” Williams said.
“He will have a wonderful crop of horses going to the yearling sales again and to the ready to runs sales and his book this year will be fantastic again.”