Lot 167, a Vercingetorix half-brother to Rainbow Bridge, Hawwaam and Golden Ducat (Picture: BSA)
The highlight of Thursday’s opening day of the BSA National Yearling Sales will undoubtedly be Lot 167, a Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein-bred colt by boom sire Vercingetorix out of Equus Champion broodmare Halfway To Heaven.
The latter is by Jet Master and she has produced three multiple Gr 1 winners, the Equus Hoirse Of The Year Rainbow Bridge (Ideal World), the Equus Champion three-year-old colt Hawwaam (Silvano), who is now a sire with his first Nationals yearlings at this Sale, and dual Gr 1 winner Golden Ducat (Philanthropist).
Halfway To Heaven might have gone off the boil a touch in the last two or three seasons, with his current three-year-old Fire Away gelding Foudre still being a hard-knocking maiden after five starts, his expensive R7 million Silvano entire Celestial City being a decent 92-rated five-time winner, but not setting the tracks alight, and his only two fillies appearing to be moderate.
However, Lot 167, named Rainbow Crossing, is a smashing looking red chestnut, the same colour as Golden Ducat, and is a three-parts brother to Hawwaam, being by Silvano’s son Vercingetorix.
Vercingetorix imparts more speed and precocity than his six-times champion stallion father Silvano, so the genes could be explosive, considering Rainbow Bridge was by stamina influence Ideal World and yet not only won two Gr 1 Mets and a Gr 1 Champions Cup over 1800m, but was also a twice winner of the Gr 1 weight for age mile, the Gold Challenge.
Hawwaam also had the speed to win a Gr 1 weight for age mile on top of his four other Gr 1 wins over distances of 1800m to 2000m.
Golden Ducat’s two Gr 1 wins were over 1800m and 2000m.
Conformationally and on pedigree Rainbow Crossing looks to have it all.
A further factor which could see him challenging the country’s record price for a yearling of R9 million is the fact that just last month came the announcement that horses are once again allowed to travel directly from South Africa to Europe.
This should see a flood of overseas interest in the Sale as South African-breds have been shown to be capable of winning at the highest level on world stages like Hong Kong, Dubai, Singapore and in rare forays to America and even in Australia.
Many will be glued to the coverage of the sale between 15H00 and 16H00 on Thursday, as Lot 167 should be going through the ring at roundabout 15H30.
Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein are currently leading the National Breeders Championship and also offer a Danon Platina half-brother to Desert Miracle and a Hawwaam half-brother to Sparkling Water, among other superbly bred yearlings.
