Klawervlei Buoyant About The Future
Klawervlei Stud were the leading vendor by aggregate at CPYS 2023 powered by Tattersalls and John Koster was in a buoyant mood this week.
He said, “It is easier when you have the numbers but it was a very good sale for us and we had nice averages too. It was great to see Trippi still commanding high prices after serving South Africa, specially Drakenstein Stud, so well for so long. I love Trippi, he is a great sire and our two by him sold well and I was very pleased to see our Gimmethegreenlitghts and Vercingetorix’s doing well too.”
Klawervlei’s Trippi filly sold for R1,1 million to the Tawny Syndicate and their colt sold for R800,000 to John Freeman.
The most expensive of their eight Gimmethegreenlights on the sale went for R1,5 million and two others went for R850,000.
They sold two Vercingetorix’s as agent and the filly went for R1 million to Bass Racing and the colt went for R600,000 to Peter and Ross Doyle Bloodstock and Kirkwood Equine Advisory.
Klawervlei’s policy is to buy shares in the best sires to help them manage the covering costs.
The service fees are not cheap, but this sale proved that going to the best sires usually pays off handsomely.
John was full of praise for the CPYS 2023 venue, which was back at its old home at the Cape Town Convention Centre.
He believes this could be the best sales venue in the world and elaborated, “There was a fantastic vibe and this is the best venue one could wish for. Other country’s have tried inner city venues but have not been able to get it right. The convention centre is beautifully air-conditioned and free of dust and insects and this makes it so much easier to manage the horses and it provides an amazing opportunity being so centrally situated.”
He continued by mentioning two things South African racing had to be extremely grateful for.
“Hong Kong have been so good to SA racing and for SA racing. They were here so will probably be at the BSA nationals. They have always supported SA 100% in every way possible. Then we must be grateful to have Tattersalls powering the CPYS. They are the world’s most reputable and probably oldest bloodstock sales company, so it is amazing they have supported South Africa like this. Tammy O’Brien ( International Client Relations and Strategic Development role for Tattersalls) has been over here and we are going to build up a lot of friendships overseas through Tattersalls.”
The Hong Kong Jockey club bought the most expensive lot at the sale, a R3.8 million Maine Chance Farms-bred Gimmethegreenlight colt.
John was thrilled to have overseas involvement in his most expensive lot, a R1,5 million Gimmethegreenlight colt who was the third highest lot on the sale, sold to the partnership of Greg Bortz and Bjorn Nielsen.
Nielsen is a South African who lives overseas and has become well known in global racing circles particularly through being the owner of the legendary stayer Stradivarius.
John said, “Bjorn Nielsen has been a fantastic supporter of the SA bloodstock industry and I am very proud to have him as owner of one of our horses.”
He concluded by praising Greg Bortz, “Greg has taken Cape Racing to great heights in such a short space of time, so I am sure he will do the same with Cape Sales. Next year there will probably be a few tweaks and he will bring in some of his own innovations. It is exciting times for SA racing and SA breeders.”
Klawervlei sold 18 yearlings at CPYS 2023 for an aggregate of R10,175,000 and an average of R565,278.
Royal Victory Doing Well Ahead Of Guineas
The Nathan Kotzen-trained Royal Victory is doing well in his preparation for the Grade 2 WSB Gauteng Guineas on February 4.
He is staying at Kotzen’s former guv’nor Mike De Kock’s yard.
He was ultra impressive in his last start when winning the Grade 3 Tony Ruffel Stakes under S’Manga Khumalo in effortless fashion by 3,75 lengths
That was the first race in which he had worn blinkers.
Kotzen said the reason for the blinkers was due to a tendency he had developed of ducking in behind horses.
The Tony Ruffel was only the second win of Royal Victory’s career.
However, the Pathfork gelding finished runner up to the crack colt Cousin Casey in a Grade 2 and Grade 1 respectively as a two-year-old and then proved he will train on to be a top tier three-year-old by finishing third in the Grade 3 Allied Steelrode Graham Beck Stakes over 1400m and then fourth from a wide draw in the Grade 2 Jonsson Workwear Dingaans.
He is a long-striding sort and Kotzen said jockeys who have ridden him believe he will stay as far as the Hollywoodbets Durban July trip of 2200m.
His sire Pathfork won a Group 1 over 1400m as a two-year-old, but he has produced the like of Marchingontogether, who has won three stakes races from 2400m to 3200m, although he is admittedly out of a Montjeu mare.
Royal Victory’s dam Kailani by Kahal won four times from 1450m to 1800m and is a half sister to the dam of No Worries, who was a narrow runner up to Vercingetorix in the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 and won up to 2400m.
So the pedigree gives hope Royal Victory will stay 2200m.
It is Kotzen’s hope that he is a July horse.
He looks to have plenty of scope and is the dark horse among the country’s three-year-old to emerge as a champion by the end of the season.
Royal Victory is owned by PJ Victor, BJ Wiese and Natasha Sturdy.
New Predator’s Flying Start Is Being Noticed
New Predator has made a flying start to his stud career with two of his three runners having won and the third of the runners is hard-knocking so should win soon.
The Australian-bred son of New Approach stands at Blue Sky Thoroughbreds and Bruce Le Roux said, “We are chuffed and Laurence Wernars is very happy. They are coming early which we expected because of the speed in the female line. But they are big, strong, robust horses too, so I have no doubt they will train on.”
New Predator only received around 30 mares last year and Bruce expects that to at least double next season.
Another interesting stat for New Predator is none of his progeny have missed the frame to date.
He has also already landed one swinger.
The Yadav Singh-trained Predator’s Feast got the ball rolling when winning over 1000m on the Hollywoodbets Greyville turf after two fourth places.
When she won she beat the Kumaran Naidoo-trained New Predator colt Teerex into third place.
Teerex has to date had two seconds and a third.
The Sharon Kotzen-trained New Predator colt War Launch won by a short-head on debut over 1000m on the Fairview turf from the 33/20 favourite, a Visionare colt who has finished a good third on debut.
Predator’s Feast and Teerex were both bred by Clifton Stud, while War Launch was consigned to the sales by Bush Hill Stud as agent and was purchased for R30,000.
New Predator is an Australian-bred by five-times Group 1 winner New Approach (including the Epsom Derby), out of a one time-winning Fastnet Rock mare, who is a a half-sister to multiple Listed winner Presently.
New Predator won twice at Grade 2 level in South Africa, the Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m and the Charity Mile, and was Grade 1 placed.
All Guns Blazing For Baaeed As Chasemore Farm Reveals 2023 Covering Plans
Kitty Trice speaks to farm manager Jack Conroy about the exciting matings
by Kitty Trice (Racing Post)
The choicest mares from Chasemore Farm will be treading a popular path to arguably the most exciting British newcomer to stud in 2023, Shadwell’s brilliant six-time Group 1 winner Baaeed.
Leading the way for Andrew and Jane Black’s operation is Eartha Kitt, a Listed-winning daughter of Pivotal and the wonderful Ceiling Kitty, but perhaps better known now as the dam of the unbeaten Gimcrack Stakes winner and 2,000 Guineas hopeful Noble Style.
The son of Kingman, who sold to Godolphin for 525,000gns as the first lot into the ring at Tattersalls Book 1 in 2021, was three from three for Charlie Appleby last term despite a bout of colic cutting his year short before a shot at the Middle Park Stakes.
Farm manager Jack Conroy says: “Noble Style looks very exciting and will likely start off in the Greenham before a tilt at the Guineas. Eartha Kitt’s back in foal to Kingman and will then go to Baaeed.”
Madame Zeroni, an unraced four-year-old daughter of Frankel and Eartha Kitt, has been booked in for Kingman off the exploits of her Group 2-winning half-brother.
There is a data-driven approach when it comes to selecting stallions for the Chasemore broodmare band – perhaps no surprise given Andrew Black’s background as the co-founder of Betfair and designer and builder of the exchange’s first interface.
It is also a team effort, as Conroy explains, saying: “Myself, Andrew and Pat [Sells, Orbital Veterinary Services vet] draw up a shortlist from sales time onwards, which will chop and change a bit. We have meetings so that the bigger mares get into the books of the stallions who fill up quite quickly.
“We discuss logistics as we like to foal everything at Chasemore. If they are barren or a maiden, we like to utilise that year and send them abroad. It is whittled down to pros and cons, and takes in the commercial angles.
“Andrew looks at stallions from a lot of data, he’ll look at the mares and really target particular stallions, while Pat and I bring the logistic side of things and physical and commercial aspects to tie it all together.”
The stud, based in Cobham, Surrey, also houses several client-owned mares, most notably the regally bred Frankel’s Storm, a Listed-placed winning full-sister to 2021 Irish Derby, St Leger and Grand Prix de Paris hero Hurricane Lane, and Nyaleti, a daughter of Arch who struck in the German 2,000 Guineas for Mark Johnston.
Chris Stedman’s daughter of Frankel was picked up for 160,000gns at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale in 2020, a price that now looks a bargain given her brother’s exploits.
Frankel’s Storm has a yearling colt by Too Darn Hot and is booked in for Baaeed, alongside Nyaleti, who has a two-year-old colt by Frankel and a yearling colt by Dubawi.
To continue the Baaeed theme, another classy producer booked in for the son of Sea The Stars is Restiadargent, the dam of two black-type winners in Kingentleman (by Kingman) and Restiany (Frankel), the former the winner of the Group 3 Prix Texanita at Chantilly last May.
Conroy jokes: “She’s another who is going to visit Baaeed, he may as well come here and cover them!”
Wall Of Sound, meanwhile, has already produced stakes winners Uncle Bryn and Boomer, by Sea The Stars and Kingman respectively, and is due to return to the Banstead Manor Stud resident after foaling to another Newmarket-based stallion titan.
“She’s carrying a colt by Dubawi, I was onto Andrew for a bit and he finally succumbed so fingers crossed it works out,” says Conroy. “It’s lucky he did as I don’t think we’d have used him in his new price bracket [of £350,000].
“Wall Of Sound will go back to Kingman, which seems obvious as she’s had Boomer and her yearling sold for 750,000gns at Book 1 last year.
“Uncle Bryn should be winning Group races in Australia so hopefully the pedigree will get another boost. She’s an old favourite of ours and has produced the goods.”
Wall Of Sound’s Group 3-winning daughter Boomer had her first foal in 2022, a filly by Lope De Vega, and all is well with both despite her rejection of the now yearling. The daughter of Kingman visits another Ballylinch Stud resident in the form of the exciting New Bay.
Chasemore Farm made headlines last autumn when graduate Lezoo struck in the Cheveley Park Stakes for Marc Chan and Ralph Beckett, and the team will be hoping a reproduction of the Zoustar – Red Clubs cross will work wonders with stakes producer Illaunglass.
Conroy says: “She’s empty this year but will visit Zoustar. We have produced a Group 1 winner from that nick with Lezoo, so hopefully we can do it again.
“Another who will go to Zoustar is Ursulina, she’s a very nice Kodiac filly and a half-sister to Illaunglass.
“Brogan, who is Lezoo’s half-sister by Pivotal, has a nice Showcasing colt with Wesley Ward and we’ve got high hopes for him. She’s in foal to Zoustar and will go to Lope De Vega.”
There were plenty of top-level updates for the farm to savour last year and Miss Jingles’ Exceed And Excel full-brother Mischief Magic provided much cheer in November when winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint for Godolphin.
His sister has been booked in for Mehmas, alongside the high-class producer Chachamaidee, a Matron Stakes-winning daughter of Footstepsinthesand who joined the team last summer having sold to Blandford Bloodstock for 200,000gns at the Tattersalls July Sale.
The 16-year-old is, notably, the dam of Group 2 winner Valiant Prince (by Dubawi) and Group 3 winner Klassique.
A firm favourite at Chasemore Farm is Kenzadargent, the dam of the Blacks’ popular dual Group-winning sprinter Brad The Brief, and hopes are high her mating with a Coolmore superstar can bear fruit.
Conroy says: “She’s a beautiful mare who’s had problems with colic over the years, but she’s in foal to No Nay Never and is carrying her first filly so we’re really happy.
“No Nay Never was brilliant last year and this mating should result in a really nice, speed-oriented pedigree. She’s due in a few weeks and will then be covered by Pinatubo.”
The final tip, Quick Draw (5-4f) justified favouritism over at Kempton, with Nico de Boinville in the saddle.
The punter netted £31,627.27 overall to round off a highly successful afternoon of betting.
Betfair spokesperson Barry Orr said: “It was a whirlwind hour and ten minutes for the customer. To pick a couple of 12-1 winners with three short-priced winning favs was inspired work. Well done to them.”
* denotes stallions that are deceased
** denotes stallions standing overseas
The picture gives a clue to the answer (Racing Post).
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