South African buyers represent a formidable team
South African buyers represent an increasingly formidable team on the buying bench, reports Nancy Sexton in the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Preview Magazine for the forthcoming Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.
No new players approached last year’s Tattersalls October Yearling Sale with more enthusiasm than Mayfair Speculators, a heavy-hitting partnership headed by multiple South African champion owner Markus Jooste.
A relatively young participant in European racing, the outfit came away from Newmarket with 12 lots bought in conjunction with Peter and Ross Doyle worth a total of 4.89 million guineas. In the process, they struck up strategic partnerships with the China Horse Club and Qatar Racing while the promising Douglas Macarthur, another youngster in whom they have an interest, was knocked down to MV Magnier for 1.25 million guineas.
Their recent investment consolidates the burgeoning interest of South African owners in European racing that would surely be greater if the criteria for the export of horses out of South Africa did not make the process so tricky.
Form Bloodstock
Mike de Kock and Jehan Malherbe have done much to open international eyes to the value of the SA Thoroughbred
Back in 2008, Jehan Malherbe of Form Bloodstock made his first buying trip to the October Yearling Sale and went on to reward his clients with the purchases of Group 1 winner Europa Point and Group 3 winner Mickdaam among others. Much of his work is done alongside champion South African trainer Mike de Kock, whose globe-trotting achievements with the likes of Ipi Tombe, Asiatic Boy and Igugu have done so much to open international eyes to the value of the South African Thoroughbred.
Gaynor Rupert, owner of Drakenstein Stud, is another regular force at the sale. In 2012, she spent 570,000gns on a Galileo filly through Badgers Bloodstock, while last season her colours were carried to victory at Goodwood by Imvula, an inexpensive purchase out of Book 1 in 2013.
For Mayfair Speculators, whose investors also include Bernard Kantor, these recent buying trips mark the first steps towards gaining a strong footing as an owner in Europe. And judging by the results of their early purchases, which include recent Prix de Royaumont winner The Juliet Rose, they are well on the way.
Mayfair Speculators
Markus Jooste (photo: hamishNIVENPhotography)
Jooste, a self-made billionaire who is the chief executive of furniture manufacturer Steinhoff International, was exposed to horse racing at an early age through the interest of his father, a punter. His first foray into ownership during the early 1990s set the tone for things to come. The first horse to carry his colours was none other than multiple Group 1-winning champion National Emblem, subsequently a successful stallion. Jooste and his wife Ingrid have owned countless good horses since then, notably Legal Eagle, a four-time Group 1 winner already in 2016, Cape Guineas winner Act Of War, recent Durban July winner The Conglomerate and international campaigner Variety Club, successful in the Champions Mile at Sha Tin. The son of Var now stands at Klawervlei Stud, an operation in which Jooste is also a partner, and is one of 12 stallions worldwide in whom he has a share. Another, Jooste’s champion two-year-old Delago Deluxe, stands at Newhaven Park in Australia.
“The exploits of Variety Club in Dubai and Hong Kong made us think that it was time to spread our wings a little bit,” says his racing manager Derek Brugman, who has the task of overseeing Jooste’s ‘couple of hundred’ horses in training. “We’ve been racing a long time in Singapore and Australia and thought it was time to make people start realising that South Africa has a very good product.
“We are involved in some of the bigger racing partnerships of the world. There are strategic partnership with a view that they might by South African horses down the line and eventually race them on to the world stage.”
CTS Flagship Sale (photo: hamishNIVENPhotography)
The extent of Jooste’s ambition to make South Africa one of the world’s top buying destinations has been evident through the development of Cape Thoroughbred Sales. Established with the support of Jooste alongside a number of other prominent stud owners, the company hosted its first yearling sale in Cape Town in January 2011 and has made significant strides since then, culminating with the sale of a Silvano colt at this year’s renewal for a record-breaking R6 million to Mayfair Speculators and MV Magnier. Mayfair Speculators’ European string is split between Aidan O’Brien, David Wachman, Richard Hannon, William Haggas, Andrew Fabre and Nicolas Clement.
In O’Brien’s care is Douglas Macarthur, the 1.25 million guineas Galileo brother to Oaks heroine Was bought in association with MV Magnier. Always highly regarded by connections, he recently burst into the Classic picture for 2017 when the impressive five-length winner of his second start at Leopardstown.
Purchases made under their own name at last year’s Tattersalls October Yearling Sale were led by a 650,000gns Sea The Stars half-brother to Yorkshire Oaks winner Shareta sold by Barronstown Stud. He is now in training with Andre Fabre.
They also paid 600,000gns for a Galileo colt out of Crystal Valkyrie from New England Stud and 525,000gns for a Shamardal colt out of Group 3 winner Ballybacka Lady from Oaks Farm Stables. The Galileo colt has been named Air Supremacy and is another in training with O’Brien while the Shamardal colt, named Giants Treasure, is with Richard Hannon.
The full- or half-siblings to Highland Reel, Elusive Wave and Harbinger are also among their juvenile armoury.
Derek Brugman leads in Variety Club and Anton Marcus
“Generally we buy upper end market horses, particularly those with residual value, perhaps in the stallion market,” says Brugman. “We’re looking at different types of horses here. The European horse is different in that you’re looking for a bigger horse that stands over more ground, very much a Classic type. The South African breed is a mix of that and the Australian sprinter.”
Jehan Malherbe’s Form Bloodstock signed for four yearlings at Book 1 last year worth a total of 855,000gns. They were led by a Fastnet Rock half-brother to Group 1-winning juvenile La Collina that cost 425,000gns and also included a 210,000gns Speightstown filly out of a sister to Mastercraftsman.
“Together with Mike de Kock we are always trying to explore different markets and options,” says Malherbe of the decision to target Tattersalls in 2008. “We wanted to try and purchase some quality fillies to bring to South Africa.”
“On our first visit, we bought three fillies at an average of 41,000gns. Two came from Book Two.”
“One we wound up keeping ourselves. The worst of them won five races, one won six and was Group 2-placed (Atlantic Oak) and the third was a dual Group 1 winner (Europa Point).
“We haven’t bought many – just a couple each year – usually for Mary Slack of Wilgerbosdrift. Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa is also a long time client and Mauritzfontein Stud are supporters. We have also bought for Klawervlei Stud.”
Europa Point – ‘a good looker by Rock Of Gibraltar’
Irish-bred Europa Point was purchased for a relatively inexpensive 60,000gns on behalf of Mary Slack and went on to win two successive Group 1 events, the L Jaffee Empress Club Stakes and the President’s Champions Challenge over colts, for Mike de Kock. A star of the 2011-2012 season, she was crowned the champion older horse, champion middle distance runner and Horse Of The Year at that year’s Highveld Feature Season Awards ceremony.
“Europa Point was a good looker by a sire, Rock Of Gibraltar, that we liked but who was a bit out of fashion,” says Malherbe. “She was from the Fall Aspen family, so had extra appeal due to Fort Wood. She won nine races including two Group 1s. Then her half-brother (Richmond Stakes winner) Harbour Watch arrived to enhance her pedigree.”
Other notable purchases made by Form Bloodstock in recent years include Chester Vase winner Mickdaam, who cost 360,000gns, Qatar Derby winner Tannaaf, who cost 280,000gns, and the Group 1-placed Espumanti, who cost 130,000gns.
Mickdaam – ‘the best Dubawi on the sale’
“With Mickdaam, we were asked by Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa to buy him the best Dubawi in that sale,” says Malherbe. “There were only five and we got lucky.”
“Espumanti won six races including two Group 2s. She was multiple Group 1-placed and is an exciting addition to the Wilgerbosdrift broodmare band.”
“Tannaaf was quite a late foal with scope to develop as he matured. He won the Qatar Derby last year and Mike (de Kock) still things he has a future.”
“We can’t compete financially at the top end, so we had to try and ‘box clever’. We try to stick to proven sires who may be off the boil or out of fashion.”
“With fillies, they are going to come to South Africa, so they have plenty of time – as a result we can buy late foals and immature sorts who don’t make the big money but are well bred.”
Malherbe plans to attend the October Sale again this year although he concedes that it could be tough going to make the trip as productive as other years.
“With the very weak exchange rate, it’s getting harder to find South Africans who can invest at the level required at Tattersalls,” he says.
“The Slack family have been staunch supporters and have had major success, so hopefully we will be there again. Or maybe someone in the UK will have noticed our strike rate and throw us a bone!”
As for Mayfair Speculators, a return trip is definitely on the cards, especially given their successful early dip into European ownership with The Juliet Rose. “The Juliet Rose has been a fantastic experience,” says Brugman of the well-related Monsun filly. “We enjoy the people that we race with – that’s an important starting point – and it’s wonderful to race on the world stage.”
“And it’s just fantastic to be able to compete across Europe without worrying about any of the shipping barriers that we have in South Africa. That’s a big thing.”
Reproduced with kind permission and thanks to Tattersalls
