GROUP 1 PERFORMER SOLD

It is with both pride and regret we can confirm the private sale of our high-class three-year-old Arrogant.

The son of Ocean Park will join Caspar Fownes in Hong Kong and while Mike Moroney is disappointed to lose a colt of Arrogant’s ability, he is realistic about the situation.

“He’s a lovely colt that we have developed from a yearling into a Group One performer with a big future,” Mike Moroney said.

“However, the offer was simply too good to refuse and he has been sold in a private negotiation brokered by my brother Paul.”

Arrogant has raced 10 times, winning his maiden at Matamata before finishing runner-up in the Group 2 Waikato Guineas and fourth in the Group 1 New Zealand Derby.

At his first start in Australia Arrogant was narrowly beaten by The Autumn Sun in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (pictured) before being unsuited by the Randwick surface last time out when unplaced in the ATC Derby.

Bred by Kevin Hickman, Arrogant was offered for sale as a NZB Karaka Premier yearling where he was purchased by Paul Moroney for $NZ130,000.

Moroney explained the Ballymore New Zealand stable played the major role in developing Arrogant.

“Pam Gerard and the team at Ballymore New Zealand deserve a lot of the credit,” Moroney said. “He’s a horse which showed plenty of natural ability but we gave him time to strengthen and mature.

“It’s a great option we have as a stable to be able to do this and it has paid off in a substantial way when able to bring horses to Australia for the better prizemoney.

“I believe the sale is an endorsement of what we can do with the stables in New Zealand and Australia and it gives our owners the best of both worlds.”

“Of course it’s a disappointment to see him go but it is a seven-figure sale and they don’t come along very often so if it gives clients of the stable a good return on their investment than that’s not a bad thing.

"Both stables have enjoyed excellent seasons so far and the Australian arm is firing strongly at the moment.

“We wish Caspar all the best with him and there will be no-one prouder than Ballymore Stables should he go on to win the Hong Kong Derby.”