Bloodstock South Africa yesterday hosted the opening session of its annual Emperor’s Palace National Yearling Sale in Johannesburg, South Africa.
While the day did not produce too many displays of fireworks, at the end of the day figures showed across-the-board increases. The gross rose 7.8% to R71,455,000 (US$6,705,000) from 12 months ago, with seven fewer horses sold. The average climbed 11.4% to R343,534 (US$32,200), while the median was up 12.5% to R225,000 (US$21,100). The buyback rate rose marginally from 15.6% last year to 16.4% yesterday, reports TDN’s Kelsey Riley.
“We’re up on turnover, which we’re happy with,” said Tom Callaghan, Chief Executive Officer of the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association. “The median price is what I’m really chuffed with. To have a double-digit median growth is very good for any sale.” While he was pleased with the figures, Callaghan admitted the sale was difficult for some parties. “Its tough trading,” he said. “Some of the smaller vendors struggled, and some of the new season stallions–it was challenging for them. Some new stallions, like Visionaire, did really well, though. But I think, as a topline, it was very tough trading at the bottom end of the market, but the median increasing was a positive indication.”
Day 1 Sales Topper – Lot 38 – Nebula – R3.75 million
It took some time for the sales ring to heat up yesterday, but that changed dramatically when Lot 38, a plain bay by Silvano (Ger), strolled into the pavilion. The bidding on the full-brother to last year’s G1 J&B Met winner Martial Eagle (SAf) opened at R200,000, with a flurry of action to the right of the auctioneers stand and out back catapulting the price into seven-figures. The action remained in those two places throughout, with Hong Kong trainer Tony Millard in the back ring eventually outlasting a handful of late bidders, including Jehan Malherbe of Form Bloodstock, for R3.75 million (US$351,896).
South Africa has become an increasingly popular shopping ground for Hong Kong buyers in recent years, and Millard noted that his new purchase would be tested locally before being sent East.
“We haven’t decided on [a trainer in South Africa], but we’ll send him to a trainer here and make that decision at a later stage,” noted Millard, who signed the ticket as Park Bloodstock. Of the Wilgerbosdrift Stud-consigned son of Seeking the Wind (SAf) (Jallad), Millard said: “He’s a lovely individual, a lovely balanced horse and he had the right credentials. He’s the brother to a Group 1 winner. He’s a Classic-type horse and that’s what my owners are looking for.”
Tony Millard
Millard, a native of South Africa, was a multiple champion trainer in that country, and handled the likes of Empress Club (SAf), Jet Master (SAf) and Surfing Home. He trained in South Africa for nine years, saddling 39 Grade 1 winners, before relocating to Hong Kong. He has made a similarly positive impact there, most notably with two-time Horse of the Year Ambitious Dragon (NZ) (Pins {Aus}).
Lot 38 was bred by Mary Slack’s Wilgerbosdrift Stud, which also bred Martial Eagle and still owns the dam, Seeking the Wind (SAf) (Jallad). Of that star producer’s latest yearling, Slack commented: “This horse was probably the best looking Silvano you can get, because sometimes they can be quite plain.” Slack added that the 19-year-old had another Silvano at foot, which would be offered for sale next year.
The transaction occurred just hours after sales goers crammed the pavilion’s bar area to watch the South Africa-bred Vercingetorix (SAf) (Silvano {Ger}) finish third in Hong Kong’s G1 QEII Cup. Silvano, a Champion Sire in both South Africa and Germany, stands at Andreas Jacobs’ Maine Chance Farms.
Winter’s End…
Ridgemont’s Craig Carey
With Champion Sire Western Winter meeting an untimely death last year, it was inevitable that his final crop would create a splash in the sales ring, and that certainly proved the case yesterday, as he was responsible for four seven-figure youngsters.
With Lot 38 giving the sale some momentum, it only took a few moments for another seven-figure price to register. That occurred when Lot 44, a daughter of Western Winter out the multiple graded winner and Grade 1-placed She’s On Fire (SAf) (Jet Master {SAf}) brought a final nod of R2 million (US$187,678) from Wayne Kieswetter, a partner in the BenRiach Whiskey distillery who is a recent new investor in racing. Kieswetter signed the ticket as Ridgemont, the name of the stud farm he is developing with the help of Managing Director Craig Carey.
Carey noted that Ridgemont currently owns 25 racehorses and seven broodmares. The team has been busy buying yearlings at the Cape Premier Yearling Sale, Inglis Easter and the Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale already this year, with the Australian youngsters en route to South Africa to begin their racing careers. Carey noted that Kieswetter’s goal is to buy mostly fillies to retain as broodmares. “We’re buying some colts just to spice it up a bit, but mainly fillies,” he noted. He went on to explain that they would also plan to shop for broodmares at the American breeding stock sales later in the year. Of Ridgemont’s most recent purchase, Carey noted: “She was a lovely, big scopey filly, and obviously with a pedigree to die for, for the future for our stud as well. We’ll race her with Joey Ramsden, and then she’ll go to stud.”
Lot 230 – Yoruba – R1.4 million
Kieswetter and Carey struck for another well-bred filly late in the session when going to R1.4 million (US$131,375) for Lot 230, a daughter of Visionaire from the draft of Summerhill Stud who is a half to the Group 1-placed No Worries (SAf) (Kahal {GB}). They also picked up a daughter of Windrush for R150,000.
Lot 44 was bred by Team Valor International, and Barry Irwin, that organization’s Chief Executive Officer who was on hand for the sale, was pleased with the result. The bay filly, the third foal from her dam, received a timely update Saturday when her 3-year-old half-sister She’s A Pippa (SAf) (Var) won the Listed East Cape Oaks.
Another Team Valor-bred Western Winter achieved the same price a couple hours later when Lot 92, a colt out of Broodmare of the Year Sunshine Lover (SAf) (Badger Land), was hammered down to agent John Freeman on behalf of owner Sabina Plattner, who campaigned Martial Eagle. The August-foaled bay is a half-brother to champion Captain’s Lover (SAf) (Captain Al {SAf}) and three-time Group 1-winner Ebony Flyer (SAf) (Jet Master {SAf}). Freeman struck again moments later for another Western Winter for Plattner: Lot 97, a son of Sweetie Pie (SAf) (Fort Wood), for R1.8 million (US$168,910). Both purchases will be trained by Justin and Jonathan Snaith.
Irwin noted that he was underbidder on both Team Valor-bred lots. “They were both Western Winters, and I was underbidder on both of them, for my own personal account,” he explained. “We have one partnership that races, and another that breeds to sell. The one that breeds to sell sold today, and I liked both of them and was underbidder for myself.” Irwin explained how he came to acquire Sunshine Lover before she was a Grade 1 producer. “I bought Captain’s Lover for the dollar equivalent of $27,000 as a yearling. She had run two times, and then I bought her dam, Sunshine Lover, with Ebony Flyer at foot.” He noted that Sunshine Lover has a Var colt at foot that will sell next year. Commenting on the market midday yesterday, Irwin said: “It’s like every other sale in the world–if you have something good, you get a lot of money. Horses are either worth something or nothing, and there’s very little in between. We have one more big one selling number: Lot 490.”
A Vision Of The Future…
Despite missing out on the Team Valor-breds, Irwin did have success as a buyer yesterday, purchasing three for a total of R1.32 million. That draft was headed by Lot 17, an R600,000 colt from the first crop of GI King’s Bishop S. winner Visionaire (Grand Slam). Visionaire, who raced in the silks of Team Valor International, was retained by that operation upon the conclusion of his racing career and sent to South Africa’s Summerhill Stud. His first crop progeny were well received yesterday, with all 11 through the ring selling, headed by Ridgemont’s purchase of the R1.4 million filly.
Big Day for Boland…
Lot 162 – Allez Afrique – R1.1 million
The Freeman family’s Boland Stud sent three lots through the ring yesterday, and enjoyed a banner session with all three sold for R2,150,000, headed by Lot 162, a colt by Var who brought R1.1 million (US$103,223) from Michael Azzie on behalf of Adrian Van Vuuren. That youngster is out of Allez Afrique (SAf) (Jet Master {SAf}), a half-sister to Group 1-winner O Caesour (SAf) (Caesour). That transaction came a few hours after Lot 81, a daughter of Captain Al (SAf) who is a half to a pair of stakes winners, made R700,000 to the bid of trainer Dennis Drier. Late in the session, a daughter of Var made R350,000 from Crabbia Ala.
Boland’s Eugene Freeman, who at the age of 34 manages the operation, noted that his family breeds for the commercial market, and was thus pleased with the results. “They probably exceeded my expectations,” he admitted. “It’s a tough market for a commercial breeder and I don’t put a reserve on them, so you’re always very nervous. We try to breed quality horses rather than quantity. They come to sell, and they sell to the highest bidder, without reserve.”
Boland Stud is located in the Ceres valley in the Western Cape, where the Freeman family has long been based. Freeman’s grandfather owned Daytona Stud, which still operates in Ceres, but that farm was sold upon his grandfather’s death, after which Freeman’s father purchased Boland Stud. Boland is currently the home to about 50 mares, yearlings and weanlings, and in addition to its commercial business its offers boarding and spelling to outside clients. “It’s a beautiful part of the country, in a valley surrounded by mountains,” Freeman noted. “I manage the farm now, but my father still comes and checks up on me all the time. They’ve given me free rein to do what I want, make my own mistakes.”
Freeman offered praise for both the sires of his high priced lots yesterday. “Var’s been a phenomenal sire,” he noted. “He’s done very well and he had Variety Club in Dubai, which I think helped with the Var colt. He was bought by Michael Azzie for Adrian Van Vuuren, who is a top owner here. He’s a lovely guy, he really loves his horses.” Freeman was likely doubly satisfied with the sale of his Captain Al filly, considering he is also a shareholder in the stallion. “Captain Al makes a good story because we bought his shares for R12,000, and that’s probably been the best return on any stallion we’ve ever had,” he noted. Boland sends one additional yearling, another Var colt, through the ring today.
The sale continues today at 11 a.m. local time. Catalogues, results and live streaming are available at www.tba.co.za.
(source: TDN)
