Looks Like The Cat Sold To Hong Kong

Tony Gollan-trained Looks Like The Cat will continue his racing career in Hong Kong after the owners of the talented gelding elected to sell the three-year-old after receiving a sizeable offer.

Looks Like The Cat will no longer race in Australia after he was sold to Hong Kong for an undisclosed figure. Photo by: Daniel Costello

Looks Like The Cat will no longer race in Australia after he was sold to Hong Kong for an undisclosed figure. Photo by: Daniel Costello

Looks Like The Cat was sent to the spelling paddock after he finished a disappointing eleventh in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 11 and Gollan hoped that the Husson gelding would return to racing for an autumn preparation geared towards races like the Group 1 Royal Randwick Guineas (1600m) and Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m), but connections received an offer for the three-year-old from Hong Kong-based racing interests that was simply too good to refuse.

Gollan has had a massive opinion of Looks Like The Cat since he made his racing debut with a comfortable win in the XXXX Gold Handicap (1200m) at Eagle Farm on February 8 earlier this year and the leading Brisbane trainer was clearly devastated to lose the horse that he thought was good enough to run in the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m).

“3 very talented 3yos in the space of a few months lost to HK,” Gollan posted on Twitter.

“Disappointed is an under statement losing the latest Looks like the Cat.”

Looks Like The Cat was purchased for $60,000 at the 2012 Magic Millions National Weanling Select Sale and was immediately set for the major two-year-old races during the 2014 Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival after his impressive race debut.

The son of Husson worked home strongly to finish second behind Brazen Beau in the Group 2 Champagne Classic (1200m) at Doomben on May 10 and he finished third in the Group 2 BRC Sires Produce Stakes (1350m) at the same venue on May 24 before he finished a luckless third behind Almalad and Brazen Beau in the Group 1 J.J. Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm on June 7.

Looks Like The Cat was set for both the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) and Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival and he started his preparation with a close second behind Rich Enuff in the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on September 13 before chasing home the talented speedster again in the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) on September 28.

The three-year-old was one of the best-backed runners heading into the Caulfield Guineas on October 11, but he was trapped wide throughout the race and he tired in the final stages of the race to finish 11th.

The amount of money paid for Looks Like The Cat has not been confirmed, but the promising galloper is expected to be trained in Hong Kong by Caspar Fownes.

About The Author

Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.