First Malaysian digital sale marks new era for regional racing

KUALA LUMPUR – The final digital hammer has fallen on the inaugural Community Horse Project (CHP) 2YO Online Sale, marking a significant milestone as the first digital horse auction ever conducted in Malaysia.

The joint initiative between the Selangor Turf Club and Horse City Sdn Bhd was launched in a bid to establish a new era for a self-sustaining racing ecosystem in the region.

A catalogue featuring 33 two-year-olds listed on Inglis Digital Malaysia generated a high level of engagement from owners, trainers, jockeys and industry stakeholders from Day 1.

After around 100 participants showed up on the viewing day at the Highlands Equine Retreat in Ringlet, Pahang on Jan 26, the same fervour was subsequently mirrored by strong online bidding, which closed on Jan 30 at noon.

The auction format, which featured one-minute intervals between lots and five-minute extensions for late bids, ensured an environment that replicated the intensity of a live sale ring.

The market showed robust demand and a significant interest focused on the offspring of premier Australian and New Zealand sires such as Written By, Brutal, Prized Icon and Tagaloa.

Indian Horse Club secured the highest bid of the sale by purchasing Lot 33, a chestnut by Hanseatic, who drew the most bids (22), for RM210,000 (S$68,000).

Altogether, the Indian Horse Club has invested nearly RM550,000 on three acquisitions.

The event also drew new interest in the sport, welcoming fresh owners such as Messrs Melvin, Danny Ong and Man Ho Tsang from Hong Kong, who collectively purchased four lots.

They were progeny by Showtime (Melvin), Hanseatic and Written By (Ong) and Jonker (Man) for a combined total of RM432,500.

“Today is a historic moment for racing in Malaysia. This inaugural digital sale is more than just a transaction,” said Richard Cham Hak Lim, chairman of Selangor Turf Club.

“It is the foundation of our racing community’s future.

“The participation we’ve seen today is incredibly encouraging, as we work to replenish our equine population and ensure the longevity of the sport.

“We are delighted with the response from the owners and trainers for our first online sale. It was very encouraging.”

Sandra Shaw, managing director of Horse City Sdn Bhd, was also encouraged by the overall response.

“We will be taking positives from this sale and will also be looking forward to improving our future sales,” she said.

Successful bidders will now get an opportunity to enter the CHP ownership pathway and benefit from the exclusive RM1.6 million prize pool and bonus schemes set to begin in August 2026.

Those who have missed out need not fret, as they can still have a last chance with five horses having been “passed in”.

Consistent with the practice of international auction houses, the Selangor Turf Club will be taking private offers for these unsold lots.

Lots 7, 8, 13, 29 and 31 are still available for buyers to submit their offers online.

SELANGOR TURF CLUB