The family of New Zealand-born horse racing identity Michael Bastion were last night trying to make sense of why he jumped to his death from a luxury Hong Kong apartment.
The 38-year-old millionaire stockbroker was a widely respected racehorse owner and bloodstock agent in New Zealand, Australia and Hong Kong.
His younger
brother, Greg, told the Weekend Herald from Wellington last night that he was still trying to get details about his brother's death from Hong Kong authorities.
Mr Bastion moved to Hong Kong about six years ago after rising to the top of Sydney's stockbroking firms.
He ran his stockbroking company, Gideon Investments, from his Hong Kong apartment overlooking the famous Happy Valley racecourse.
Last month, he spent about threequarters of a million dollars at the bloodstock yearling sales at Karaka on three Zabeel yearlings.
Mr Bastion fell more than 18m to his death after jumping from his bedroom window. Hong Kong police said a witness saw him jump.
His maid put a call from his wife, Maureen, who lives in Melbourne with his two children, through to him about 30 minutes before he jumped.
The entrepreneur made millions playing the world's stock markets, which he used to fulfil his passion for racehorses.
Greg Bastion he had not seen much of his brother since he moved to Hong Kong, "but we were a close family."
"We don't know any of the circumstances surrounding it. It doesn't make sense."
Hong Kong-based horse trainer David Hayes told the Herald-Sun newspaper in Melbourne that Mr Bastion had complained to police that he was being stalked.
