After looking over all the horses, Zhang Jun marked the catalog and left the stables to find Luo Yong.
Luo Yong had also just finished talking with an acquaintance at the café beside the stables. Seeing Zhang Jun come out, he waved him over.
"Come, Ajun, let me introduce you." He called Zhang Jun over, slung an arm around his shoulders, and said to the man sitting opposite them, "This is my younger brother, Zhang Jun. Our families have been friends for generations. He just became a horse owner this year, so please look after him in the future."
"This guy is Hong Yun," Luo Yong introduced, extending a hand. "He's the heir to a ranch in Mindu. His ranch has a good relationship with ours, so just call him Brother Hong Yun."
Zhang Jun took the initiative to extend his hand to Hong Yun. "Brother Hong Yun."
Hong Yun shook his hand as well. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Hong Yun left behind a business card and took his leave.
Luo Yong called over a waiter, paid the bill, and took Zhang Jun back to Jianzhou Ranch.
Back at the ranch, the two sat down in the living room. Luo Yong poured himself a cup of coffee and gestured for Zhang Jun to help himself to a drink.
"So? See anything you liked? I'll help you analyze them."
Zhang Jun poured himself a glass of juice, took the marked catalog from his bag, and handed it over.
"I looked around, but I don't know any methods for judging horses, so I just went by feeling. I marked all the horses that felt pretty good."
Luo Yong took the catalog and flipped through it. When he saw the horses Zhang Jun had marked, he could not help being surprised.
He clicked his tongue, somewhat moved. "Tsk, tsk, tsk... I'd heard before that some horse owners didn't know a thing about racing, yet had incredibly sharp instincts. They bought horses entirely based on first impressions, but always ended up getting excellent ones. I'd never seen it before. Now I have."
Luo Yong took out his own auction catalog and laid it beside Zhang Jun's on the table, turning through them page by page.
"The horses you marked are few in number, and some aren't even on my list, but most of them are the same ones I marked. They're all yearlings with relatively outstanding pedigrees and conformation at this auction."
"Your instincts really are... ridiculously enviable."
Luo Yong picked up his freshly served coffee. "Come on, tell your brother what you're thinking for this auction. How many horses are you planning to bring home? What's your budget? Is there one horse you think you absolutely have to get?"
Zhang Jun thought about it. Aside from the house in Jian'an, his father's inheritance had all been converted into shares by Liu Yong at his father's request. This year's dividends had been handed over to him along with the inheritance. Together with the money his father had left behind, he had around 1.8 million.
But he could not spend all of it. For one thing, the dividends from the shares were paid only once a year, and he would need to live on this money for the rest of the year.
For another, Zhang Jun needed to set aside money for future horse purchases, boarding, and registration fees.
Zhang Jun asked Luo Yong, "At an ordinary auction like this, how much do horses usually sell for?"
Luo Yong answered, "Usually between 100,000 and 300,000. The highest has reached 350,000, but normally they go for around 150,000 to 200,000."
"Selected horse auctions are much more expensive. The lowest prices start above 300,000, and the average is approaching a million. Of course, that's mostly for the first batch of selected horses. At the third auction in July, prices are usually around 500,000."
Zhang Jun hesitated for a moment before making up his mind. "Let's set the budget at 400,000. That should be enough to buy two horses at an ordinary auction."
Zhang Jun flipped to the page for Breezy Red Hound 2021 and pointed at the chestnut filly. "Brother Fei, I'm planning to get this one. Let's cap the budget at 250,000."
"Also, I want to buy another horse, preferably a filly, with a budget of around 150,000. If that isn't enough, then forget it."
Listening to Zhang Jun's plans, Luo Yong moved to sit beside him and began writing and marking on Zhang Jun's catalog. "Preferably a filly? Are you already preparing a bride for Shadow Hunter, kid? Let's see..."
"Breezy Red Hound 2021. Her dam, Breezy Red Hound, had two wins from nine Central races and earned more than 1.2 million in prize money. She entered breeding after retirement. Of her four foals so far, one has not been registered for racing, and only one has raced. That one currently has three wins from five starts, including a local open race..."
In the blink of an eye, the next day arrived. The day before, Luo Yong had helped Zhang Jun make some plans based on his budget and the horses' pedigrees. More than half of the few horses Zhang Jun had marked were crossed off, leaving only five, including Breezy Red Hound 2021.
According to Luo Yong, Breezy Red Hound 2021's maternal line was fairly good, but her sire had not performed well as a stallion. Influenced by her sire, her price should not exceed 200,000, and would most likely be around 170,000.
But the other fillies were more uncertain. The fillies Zhang Jun liked all had very good pedigrees by auction standards, and their prices would most likely exceed his 150,000 budget. Still, there was a chance that no one else would fancy them, allowing Zhang Jun to pick them up after they failed to sell.
Zhang Jun followed Luo Yong into the auction venue, found seats near the middle, and took out his phone to pass the time.
After a while, the announcement came over the speakers. "Thank you all for attending this year's Eight Min Third Yearling Auction. To avoid errors, we will now announce the numbers of horses absent from this auction in their order of appearance."
Zhang Jun put down his phone, picked up the catalog, and crossed out the absent horses according to the numbers announced. Most were horses he had not liked before, but some of the foals he had marked had also withdrawn from the auction. One was a filly Luo Yong had picked out for him, one that might have been bought for 150,000.
Zhang Jun inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Breezy Red Hound 2021 had not withdrawn. As for the other horses, it did not matter.
After the absent horses had been crossed out, the auction staff took the stage. They first spoke of the achievements of outstanding horses sold at auctions in previous years, then commended their exceptional owners and trainers. Only after the red-faced owners accepted their trophies and left the stage did the auctioneer, seated in the middle of the platform, announce the start of the auction.
The first horse, a brown bay, entered the venue reluctantly under the lead of a groom. After briefly introducing its pedigree, the auctioneer began his chant.
"Horse number one, Long River Flying Swallow 2021. Colt, brown bay, foaled March 21. Sired by Mindu Miracle. His dam, Long River Flying Swallow, won a local Grade 3 race during her career. Half-blood..."
"How about starting at 150,000... 150,000..."
As the auctioneer droned on, the lots quickly passed number 200. The other three horses Zhang Jun liked had all appeared as well, but unfortunately, their prices were too high, all exceeding the 150,000 budget Zhang Jun had set.
But none of them were bought by anyone else. Luo Yong believed Zhang Jun had keen instincts for a horse's ability. At the ranch, he had immediately taken a liking to Shadow Hunter, then still called Jianzhou Flying Shadow, whom Jianzhou Ranch had highly valued. At the auction, he had also picked out quite a few foals chosen by Jianzhou Ranch's experienced staff. So after their prices exceeded Zhang Jun's budget, Luo Yong bought them himself.
The same went for some horses Zhang Jun had marked but that had not made it onto Jianzhou Ranch's list.
"Next up is horse number 216, Breezy Red Hound 2021. Filly, chestnut, foaled May 20. Her sire is..."
Zhang Jun perked up and sat straighter, but he did not join the bidding immediately. This was what Luo Yong had taught him: let the others bid first, then enter when only a few bidders remained.
"So, how about 50,000... 50,000... Good, 50,000. Now, how about 55,000..."
As the other buyers bid, Breezy Red Hound 2021's price gradually rose to 100,000. Only three bidders remained, and Zhang Jun raised his paddle, increasing the price to 110,000.
With another participant entering the bidding, two of them hesitated for a moment before giving up on raising the price further. Only a middle-aged man in a suit continued to raise his paddle and bid.
But after Zhang Jun raised the price twice without hesitation, the man also chose to withdraw. In the end, Zhang Jun secured Breezy Red Hound 2021 for 150,000.