This Wilgerbosdrift Stud-bred Gimmethegreenlight colt was the top lot of day one of the BSA National Yearling Sale, purchased for R6,000,000 by the Hong Kong Jockey Club (Candiese Lenferna Photography)
South African racing is currently experiencing a wave of optimism with commitment from the powers that be to stakes increases, incentives and venue upgrades and then came the best news of all, the opening up again of direct flights to Europe.
However, nobody quite expected the BSA National Yearling Sale to be so dramatically impacted.
The average last year was R442,672 and the median R300,000, which were both records.
However, this year the increase so far after day one of the Sale has been phenomenal, the average rising to R573,528 and the median to R400,000.
There were a phenomenal 21 seven figure lots, with seven of them over R2 million, four of them over R3 million, three over R5 million and the sales topper at R6 million.
There were 27 seven figure lots last year over the two days and the highest price was R3.2 million.
The sales topper this year was a Gimmethegreenlight colt out of the Redoute’s Choice mare Honorine vendored by Wilgerbosdrift Stud and purchased by the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Honorine won five races from 1000m to 1200m including the Gr 2 Camellia Stakes over 1160m. Honorine has had two runners and two multiple winners. Protea Paradise, a gelding by Dynasty, won three races from 1600m to 2000m and reached a merit rating of 92 before being exported to Mauritius. Japanese Rose by Danon Platina won her second and third starts over 1250m to 1400m respectively and then ran unplaced in the Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas. She is also merit rated 92.
The R6 million colt is called Man Of His Word and is from the family of Almanzor, the champion colt of Europe, Ireland and France in 2016, and also from the family of Darjina, the champion three-year-old filly of Europe in 2007, and from the family of other Gr 1 winners Daryara, Daryakana and Dariyan.
The second highest lot, sold for R5,250,000 to Sandy Arundel, was a Drakenstein Stud-bred Trippi colt out of the Galileo mare Grail Maiden, which makes the colt a full-brother to Gr 1 Thekwini Stakes runner up Railtrip and a half-brother to the Gr 1 SA Derby winner Hero’s Honour (Await The Dawn).
The Hollywood Syndicate set the tone of the sale, buying the first seven figure horse, a Lammerkraal Stud-bred Querari colt, who they secured for R1.9 million, and later they most fittingly went to R5 million to buy a Wilgerbosdrift Stud-bred Hawwaam half-brother to Sparkling Water. Sparkling Water was the first horse to win a Hollywoodbets-sponsored Durban July.
It was a fine Sale for the Oppenheimer family who sold four of the six highest-priced lots and they sold the top-priced filly.
Mauritzfontein Stud vendored the fourth highest lot and highest-priced filly on the Sale, a Vercingetorix three-parts sister to Tripe Tiara winner Summer Pudding, who went for R3,6 million purchased by Form Bloodstock.
The most keenly anticipated lot was the Wilgerbosdrift Stud-vendored Vercingetorix three-parts brother to Hawwaam and half-brother to both Rainbow Bridge and Golden Ducat. The colt was pucrhased by Sabine Plattner for R2,8 million.
The Klawervlei Stud-bred Vercingetorix half-brother to Captain’s Ransom also went for R2,8 million, purchased by Central Route Trading.
A Lammerskraal Stud-bred Vercingetorix colt out of Gr 1 Woolavington 2000-winning Jet Master mare Viva Maria, which makes him a half-brother to Gr 3 winner Sovereign Spirit, went for R2.1 million purchased by Form Bloodstock.
The Sale continues tomorrow starting at 10H00.
