Lot 94, a Narrow Creek Stud-bred colt by Rafeef out of Gr 1 SA Fillies Sprint winner Singforafa, was the highest price lot on Day one, sold to the Hong Kong Jockey Club for R4 million (Picture: Chase Liebenberg)
Sarah Whitelaw analysed the Sale and picked out some key factors
Last week’s Premier Yearling Sale produced impressive results across the board.
The sale’s aggregate rose from R122.8 million to R145.21 million, and the average and median prices rose to R648 259 and R400 000 respectively. Both proven and unproven stallions enjoyed success at the 2026 Premier Sale, which bodes well for the future of the South African stud book.
A number of stallions and mares made their presence felt at the Premier Sale, with a number of families coming to the fore at this year’s Premier Sale.
VERCINGETORIX REMAINS DOMINANT
The domination of South Africa’s sales rings by champion sire Vercingetorix shows no sign of abating. After supplying last year’s R9 000 000 sales topping colt, Vercingetorix once again proved king of the sales ring at the 2026 Premier Sale. The Maine Chance resident was the sire of three of the top priced lots (all colts) at the sale, with Vercingetorix colt Caesar’svastghost (Lot 197) fetching R4.5 million to top the Premier Yearling Sale. Not surprisingly, Vercingetorix was the sale’s Leading Sire, by Aggregate, with his 22 yearlings to sell grossing R32.975 million and averaging an impressive R1 498 864.
NATIONAL COLOUR – STILL A FACTOR
Ill-fated champion National Colour continues to make her presence on the South African stud book. Not only did National Colour’s G1 Computaform Sprint winning son Rafeef enjoy notable success at the Premier Sale, but National Colour’s daughter Circle Of Speed (by Sebring) was responsible for the Jet Dark Midnight Express (Lot 192) who was knocked down for R1 600 000. Rafeef, whose yearlings made up to R4 000 000 at this year’s Premier Sale, ended the two day auction as second on the Leading Sires table, with his yearlings averaging R1 278 571.
JET DARK’S FAST START
Champion and five time G1 winner Jet Dark made a big impression with his first Premier Sale yearlings in 2026. The son of Trippi had members of his first crop make up to R2 500 000, with Jet Dark’s top lot being Tsunami Cloud (Lot 195), a colt out of dual G1 Majorca Stakes winner Clouds Unfold. Jet Dark ended the sale as the Leading First Season Sire, and finished third on the Leading Sires table. In total, the Drakenstein Stud bred and based champion had 20 yearlings make R17.55 million and average R877 500.
THE AUTUMN GLOW INFLUENCE
Unbeaten Australian star Autumn Glow continues to lift the South African stud book, and the Autumn Glow influence was felt at the Premier Sale. The joint top priced filly (Lot 262), who made R1 800 000, is bred on very similar lines to Autumn Glow. The filly in question was sired by Redoute’s Choice horse Rafeef and she is out of I Like It Hot, a twice winning What A Winter half-sister to Via Africa, the dam of both Autumn Glow and G1 ATC Golden Rose winning sire In The Congo. Both Autumn Glow and In The Congo were sired by sons of Redoute’s Choice.
Another from this family to make waves at the Premier Sale was The United States filly (Lot 114) out of Swift Dancer with this filly making R1 700 000. Swift Dancer is a winning Oratorio half-sister to the aforementioned Via Africa.
MASTER’S INFLUENCE
The late, great Jet Master was another to make his presence felt at the Premier Sale. Not only is the seven time South African Champion Sire broodmare sire of the 2026 Premier Yearling Sales topper (Lot 197), but Jet Master’s dual G1 winning daughter Thunder Dance was responsible for the Vercingetorix colt (Lot 123) who fetched R3 000 000. Jet Master is also the broodmare sire of Jet Dark, whose yearlings averaged R877 500 at the Premier Yearling Sale, while Jet Master’s increasingly successful son Master Of My Fate had Premier Sale yearlings fetch up to R2 200 000.
