Pierre Jourdan. Famous graduate
There is a horse for everyone at the Ready To Run. Whichever end of the market your budget permits you to dabble, history shows that your chances are as good as the next bidder of securing one of the eighteen slots for the R3 million carrot in November 2014.
The Ready To Run concept has changed the way we approach sales. For the good.
The illustrious alma mater includes the likes of Horse of the Year Igugu and champion Pierre Jourdan, as well as more recent students like this season’s promising 3yos Dover Beach, Winter Star and Admiral’s Eye.
Other notables to have graduated from the RTR Sale include last season’s Oaks winner Dylan’s Promise, Gr1 SA Derby runner up Gothic, Gold Bowl hero Winning Leap, and star international miler Imbongi.
From the time tested ritual of a gut feel, a scratch of the head, a book with a glossy cover and a peek over a stable door, we have moved on to an age of information overdrive coupled with a realistic and attainable lifechanging short term reward.
The gut feel and the book may still be there. But we have so much more now. And so it should be as buying racehorses is one of life’s ultimate investment decisions.
Take the world class gallops held a fortnight ago at Summerhill and Yellow Star Stud.
They were analysed to oblivion by some of the best judges in the industry for the eighth year in succession.
Big Supporter. Charles Laird
That in a game where the laws are not necessarily written and informed opinions differ as to the right, and the right.
Take the transparency that followed as the gallops were filmed and placed on the web. The expert’s top selections were also published and recorded for analysis.
It’s called getting your homework done for you. And it costs the customer nothing.
As judge Dean Kannemeyer said: “How can they limit us to six of the best? I had twenty on my shortlist, and there were a multitude on the fringes. The quality is just rocketing and shortlisting is tougher every year!”
This year’s catalogue of 248 lots is surely the best of the very best to date. The judges were unanimous and agreed on that.
The statistics are there to back up the hype.
As many as 22 of the horses that have lined up in recent times for the Emperors Palace Ready to Run Sale have become millionaires and stars on the local and international circuits
This year, many of the country’s top farms will offer lots and the overall quality of the catalogue shows how this sale has grown in status and class and rates up there with the best sales in the land.
Already, no fewer than 41 graduates of last year’s sale have reached the winners box – and another 33 have finished in the money, and should win soon.
Among the notable graduates from last year’s sale are the likes of impressive recent winners Sabre Tooth, Rainy Day and Nisa’s Love. The latter has been described by trainer Charles Laird as a likely Oaks filly, and this full sister to Gr1 winner Love Struck is a filly to follow.
One RTR graduate to have made an impressive recent debut was the Admire Main filly Ikimasu, who ran second first time out – beaten by a fellow Ready to Run graduate, Rainy Day.
Ikimasu won her second start on Saturday going away over a mile. Word has it that her trainer Gary Alexander is excited. That means something!
Arcetri Pink
Other proven performers to have graduated from the 2012 Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale include the Gr 1 filly Admiral’s Eye, promising fillies Pej and Winter Star, top-class Gr3 winner Arcetri Pink, and the Gr 1 colt Umgiyo.
Impressive debut winners Solar Star, Yeoville and Duly Ordained are other horses to have caught the eye as recent RTR graduates.
The list of stallions includes South Africa’s very best sires, such as Captain Al, Dynasty, Fort Wood (USA), Jet Master, Kahal (GB), Silvano (GER), Trippi (USA) and Var (USA).
We saw Capetown Noir win the Gr3 Matchem Stakes recently. We marvelled at Red Ray win the Gr3 Cape Classic last Saturday. They are both sons of the late, great Western Winter (USA) and his three colts and a filly will be in great demand.
Then there are also the promising sires Antonius Pius (USA), Argonaut, Jay Peg, Judpot (USA), Kildonan, Rebel King and Sail From Seattle (CAN), to name but a few, who are also strongly represented.
World-class sires represented on the sale include Bernardini (USA), Danehill Dancer (IRE), Encosta De Lago (AUS), Hussonet (USA), Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE), Tale Of The Cat (USA), Teofilo (IRE), Dylan Thomas and Danehill Dancer.
Sires with their first 2yos selling include Brave Tin Soldier (USA), Elusive Fort, Fort Beluga, Ideal World (USA), Lateral (GB), Mambo In Seattle (USA), Oracy (NZ) and Seventh Rock (AUS).
There are few emotions that beat choosing a winner. There is no better feeling than buying well. Couple that with a horse, and the sky is the limit.
The adrenaline rush of the lead in is a high we all deserve to experience at least once in our lives. Then, and only then, will one discover how oh so easy it is to talk about love and unbridled passion!
But the decision has to be founded on the principles of maximising the fun and minimising the risk.
It helps to be armed with knowledge and the comfort of a prospect of a realistic return. Because it is fair to say that in any investment one expects to have fun and to make some money.
And not because it’s a greedy, capitalist thing.
It’s because it’s about winning. It’s about success!
Are you READY?
The Sale will be held on:
Friday 1 November and Sunday 3 November
TBA Sales Complex, Germiston
View the gallops on line at www.tba.co.za
