In brisk bidding throughout the only session, the Cape Premier Yearling Sale held on Wednesday at the CTICC delivered to high expectations with a top price of R4 million achieved for a well-related Klawervlei Stud bred full sister to Gr1 winning sire, William Longsword.
R4 million topseller – Lot 129 (Pic – CTS)
Bred on the cross responsible for multiple Gr1 winner Captain America, the beautiful own sister to Gr1 Cape Guineas winner William Longsword and a half-sister to Gr1 South African Fillies Sprint winner Real Princess, hails from the family of Gr1 winning females Imperious Sue (who won the Met in 1998) and Imperious Star.
She is from the final Cape Premier Yearling Sale crop to be offered of deceased champion sire Captain Al.
Catalogued as lot 129, she was signed for by leading Newmarket-based bloodstock agent Anthony Stroud.
Anthony has decades of experience in the bloodstock industry having bought many Gr1 winning racehorses as well as several broodmares who have produced Classic winners and said of his buy: “She’s a lovely filly and I think she’ll be trained by Justin Snaith. She was bought for an old client of mine who’s down here on holiday and has a connection to South Africa, so he wanted to have a go.”
The progeny of Pagan Princess have long proved popular, with her son William Longsword making R2.2 million, Real Princess R2 700 000 , and Silver God R2 000 000.
Captain Al was also responsible for the top colt sold at Wednesday’s sale, with his son Chestnut Bay (Lot 49) being knocked down to Amanda Skiffington for R2 200 000.
Consigned by Ridgemont Highlands, the striking colt is out of the winning Galileo mare Exotic –and his second dam is Irish Oaks runner up Ice Queen. This well bred colt, with a stallion’s pedigree to boot, is from the same family as Breeders’ Cup Mile and champion sire Last Tycoon as well as Moutonshoek’s Gr1 winning young stallion The United States.
Captain Al ended up as the Leading Sire by aggregate, with his seven yearlings to sell grossing R11.2 million.
Klawervlei Stud topped the Vendors List, with South Africa’s reigning champion breeders selling 48 yearlings for R30 875 000, while KZN breeders, Rathmor Stud topped the buyers list – purchasing 13 lots for a total of R6 725 000.
Rathmor’s purchases included a Captain Al filly (Lot 199) out of Gr3 Strelitzia Stakes winner Thekkady who fetched R800 000, and they also purchased lots by the likes of Coup De Grace, Duke Of Marmalade, Dynasty, Flower Alley, Futura, Gimmethegreenlight, and Trippi.
In total, 192 of the 217 yearlings offered were sold for R83 135 000, and the lots to sell averaged R432 994, with the median staying steady at R300 000.
Wehann Smith – encouraged
Wéhann Smith, CEO of CTS, said that he was most encouraged by a fantastic turnout and a varied buyer’s bench.
He said: “The Convention Centre was packed, there was a good atmosphere and we had plenty of buyers from all over the country and overseas.”
While the turnover was significantly down on the 2018 figure (when 30 additional lots went through the ring), Smith said: “Vendors across the board were happy with their returns. We are very pleased with continued and growing overseas interest. We had 18 yearlings that fetched R1-million or more.
“If there is to be a negative, it is that our average price per yearling was down from last year’s R699,000 to R436,000, but we had a real sale here, no smoke and mirrors. The figures were a good reflection of a good, solid auction. If some of the R1,5-million or R2-million yearlings went for just a little more, the average price would have been markedly higher.
“Overall, however, we are happy with what was achieved and we thank our vendors and buyers for their valued support.”
