The ever popular Shongweni Ready To Run and Horses In Training Sale will be held at the Shongweni Polo Grounds in KZN on Wednesday 23rd February. As always run under the auspices of Michael Holmes Bloodstock, the sale commences at 10.30 a.m. and features 200 entries, no fewer of them 95 unraced two-year-olds. Year in and year out the Shongweni sale produces a steady stream of winners at affordable prices, while also offering plenty of suitable candidates for other equine pursuits. Let’s take a look at some of the more interesting lots, in catalogue order, with the usual apology to those whose horses may have been skipped over. It’s not personal, I promise! writes Matthew Lips.
#1 SATISH was beaten a short head in Gauteng in his last start, after the publication of the catalogue, and looks to be a fairly obvious winner-in-waiting for new connections. # 2 SERAPH is a hard knocking handicapper who has shown plenty of good form on sand and who could be a nice purchase for one of the regular Kimberley visitors to this sale. # 3 SHARP EMOTIONS is a 2yo filly who was beaten less than five lengths on her debut at Clairwood and who should come on enough to be able to win.
# 5 SILKY TIBBS is a once-winning daughter of Gr 2 winning sprinter Nothing But Silk and offers some paddock value after her racing days. She comes from a good black type family and there is no reason why her sire Casey Tibbs won’t make a good sire of broodmares. # 8 SPECIAL HENNY is a lightly raced maiden who has been placed and who looks capable of winning at least a maiden. #9 SPECTRE is a consistent handicapper who failed by a short head to win his last Clairwood start after the catalogue went to print. He looks capable of winning at any moment.
# 10 SPY GLASS is the subject of a notable catalogue update, having run out the very easy winner of a Clairwood maiden race after the book went to print. He gives the impression of having considerable stamina and is a lightly raced sort with the potential to win races over ground. # 19 WINGS OVER AFRICA is a daughter of National Emblem who recently had a comeback run after a lay-off and who can improve in her coming races. She has won once, and is capable of winning more. # 20 WOZA WOZA is a once-winning son of Jallad whose merit rating is coming sown steadily and who can be placed to advantage in low-key handicaps before long.
# 22 A THOUSAND JETS is a winning daughter of Jet Master out of a black type-winning mare. She has been placed since leaving the maidens, so looks capable of winning a handicap, and she has residual paddock value thereafter. # 23 ADVANCE CALL is another of those hard-knocking handicappers who goes well on the sand and who could be of interest especially to Kimberley regulars. Another winning daughter of Jet Master is # 25 AIR POCKET, who has been placed at Gr 3 level. She looks capable of winning again in a handicap, and has broodmare potential later on. She is beautifully bred, hailing from the Soho Secret family whose latest high class members include Covenant and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Pluck.
# 26 ANDA is a one-time winner who is seldom beaten far and who looks more than capable of scoring again. His South American pedigree suggests that he is well worth a try on a sand course. # 28 ANTONIA FRASER is a dual winning mare who was victorious the first time she raced with blinkers and has finished second since the catalogue was sent out. She can continue to prove competitive in handicaps for her gender. # 29 AQUA D’OR is a three-time winning gelding who continues to show good form at the age of six and who is very effective on sand. He could be a nice Flamingo Park prospect. # 30 AUTUMN BREEZE is a maiden filly by Al Mufti who has been placed in four of her five starts. She was beaten a nostril in her latest outing and a win must surely be very near. She is a granddaughter of champion mare Enchanted Garden and has paddock value, especially given Al Mufti’s outstanding record as a sire of broodmares.
# 32 BACARDI KEEPER is a maiden filly by Goldkeeper who is seldom beaten very far. Her sire’s progeny have a very good record on sand and she is well worth a try on that surface. # 33 BEACH CLUB is a consistent handicap performer who looks capable of winning again. # 39 CARINA COLEMAN is a three time winner with small black type and a placed effort in good company at Greyville since the printing of the catalogue shows that she has more still to offer. # 40 CHA CHA QUEEN is a winning daughter of National Assembly out of the Gr 3 winning and Gr 1 placed mare Silky Dancer. # 41 CHANDON is a 3yo maiden by Mogok who put up her best career effort in her most recent start and who can reward new connections with an early success.
# 42 CHOISIR has won twice and a very narrow defeat two starts ago suggests that he is capable of winning again. # 44 CLUB VICTOR is a dual winning four-year-old who has finished second twice from his last three starts, so again it seems quite clear that he has more potential wins in him. # 45 COCO STRIPES is a lightly raced maiden who ran quite well from a poor draw in a big field last time. He looks capable of winning, and is another South American import to try out on the sand. # 46 CRYSTAL TULIP is an unraced 3yo daughter of Jet Master out of an American mare from the family of Irish 2000 Guineas winner Saffron Walden and – even better – of four times European Gr 1 winner Henrythenavigator.
# 47 is a winning daughter of Muhtafal who is the full sister to a Listed winner. She posted her sole success to date on sand and, dare one say it, is yet another that could be of real interest to the Kimberley clan. The progeny of Lizard Island have a considerable reputation on surfaces other than turf (Lizard’s Desire, anyone?) and #48 DANCING ISLE is a one time winning daughter of his who has never been tried on sand. Yes, if you live in Kimberley top up the car and head for KZN, you don’t want to miss this sale.
# 49 DASH OFF is a dual winning son of Al Mufti who does enough to suggest he can win again in bread-and-butter handicaps. # 50 DAYS OF YORE won his last Turffontein start by 2.25 lengths and the second horse has won since – need one say more? He plainly is far from finished at the age of four. # 52 DEVISTAR is a hard-knocking sprint handicapper who finished fourth in a big field at Clairwood after the printing of the catalogue, so there is still juice left in the tank. # 53 DIAMINTINE is a winning 4yo filly who has been placed since leaving the maidens and who can win again in handicaps.
# 58 ECCLESIASTIC is a lightly raced Argentine import who has won once (in his second start) and who looks set to make his mark in handicaps. A spin on the sand could be worth a try with him, too. #59 EPURSIMUOVE was a start-to-finish winner two starts ago and this dual winning son of Galileo can go on to win more races. He could be a likely Port Elizabeth type, but can probably win again anywhere. #61 FINVARRA only recently made his debut at the age of four, when drawn wide on the Turffontein inner course, and hinted at the potential for better. As a son of Fort Wood he could thrive on sand.
# 65 GOOD TIMING is one to consider for those who fancy themselves as shrewd at placing horses in low-key handicaps. A winner on debut and not really beaten too far in any of his starts since, he is going to be favourably handicapped soon and is certainly not incapable of winning again. # 66 GREAT KHAN has ability, and several placed efforts from his most recent starts must suggest that he can add to his record of two wins. # 67 GYPSY MOON is a winning daughter of Victory Moon who is being sold for breeding purposes only, but she is the half sister to a Gr 3 winner from a good imported family and deserves her chance at stud.
# 68 HANDSOME BULLION has won twice and some decent form in his last few starts must imply that there is more to come. He is by Goldkeeper and would be one for the Kimberley shortlist, while appearing quite capable of winning on turf elsewhere. # 69 HARBOUR GOLD is another Goldkeeper gelding. He has been out of form recently, but he has three wins to his name and a change of environment could get him going again. # 71 HIGHTOWER is a winning daughter of National Emblem whose merit rating will surely get to a point where she can win again in a handicap. # 72 HUP-TWO-THREE is a decent handicap horse on his day. He is proven on both sand and turf and, at the risk of sounding like a stuck record, he would be a nice Kimberley prospect at the very least.
# 73 HYPOTHETICAL has been in the form of his life with three wins in succession, the most recent at Greyville after the catalogue was printed. He is more than capable of winning more races, but you may have to fight off the Mauritians to get this one. Ditto with # 74 IMPERIAL DICE, who also has an important catalogue update after he led from start to finish and won at Clairwood after the book went to print. He won very comfortably and has more to come, while a proven ability to act in soft ground combined with a talent for frontrunning could make him a Cape winter prospect.
#76 INKOSI is a maiden son of Kahal who does enough to suggest he can win and whose sire also has a good record with his progeny on sand. # 77 INSASA is a winning daughter of Galileo from the immediate family of young sire Way West. Her form shows she is more than capable of winning again before retiring to stud. # 78 KABOOM is a one-time winner who was only beaten a neck on the Vaal sand in his last start and who quite obviously is capable of winning handicaps. # 82 LA BELLA VITA is a 3yo maiden filly who has been placed in three of her last four starts, so an early win is surely on the cards. #83 LADY WOLF is a winning daughter of Wolfhound who is seldom beaten very far at all and who has a low-key handicap win or two in her.
# 86 MANDLA is a 3yo filly by Kahal who has only raced once and who deserves the chance to improve. She could enjoy racing on sand. # 87 MARKET DOMINANCE has won once and looks capable of earning in low grade handicaps. # 88 MASTERPIECE is a lightly raced son of Jet Master who won a Scottsville 2400m maiden on his return from a break, after the catalogue went to print. He stays well and could be an unexposed sort with more to come.. # 95 PANTESILIA is a maiden daughter of Lizard Island who may improve on sand, a surface she has not raced on. # 97 PLEASE TO PROGRESS has not run badly from unfavourable draws in his last two races and is going to be handicapped to be competitive in low grade events sooner rather than later. #100 RICKENBACKER has won five races already and a recent placed effort at Clairwood hints that there could be more still ahead. #101 RIVER MOY is a twice winning daughter of Kahal who can win again before entering stud. #102 ROLLIN THUNDER won his penultimate start and then finished fifth when drawn widest of 16 at Greyville, which pretty much indicates that he is capable of winning more handicaps. #104 RUSO is a maiden filly who has been placed three times and who should be able to win somewhere.
Now to the unraced 2yo’s, a section of the Shongweni catalogue which has grown more popular year by year and which in 2011 features its biggest consignment to date by far. Many of KZN’s pre-eminent breeders are represented, so again let’s pick out some of what may be the choicer lots.
#105 is a colt by champion sprinter Cataloochee whose half brother Ask Jackie was an easy winner in Gauteng after the catalogue was printed. There is plenty of speed in this pedigree as the dam won three times up to 1200m. #106 is a filly by Modern Day whose full sister was a very easy winner in KZN not long ago, from a good black type family. #107 is a Requiem colt out of a five-times winning Personal Hope who is a half sister to two black type winners. #109 is a colt by leading sire Silvano, who gets big winners year in and year out. This youngster is the first foal of a winning Fort Wood mare from a family loaded with black type winners.
#111 is a Modern Day filly who is the first foal of a three times winning mare. #112 is a half brother by UK Gr 1 winning sprinter Malhub to SA Gr 1 winning sprinter Disappear. #113 is a colt by young Danehill stallion Solskjaer and is a half brother to five winners including Listed winner Cast A Spell. He is from the family of Cape Fillies Guineas winner Flying Snowdrop. 3115 is a Cataloochee filly out of a three times winning Coastal mare who has produced one winner, from the family of English 1000 Guineas winner Nocturnal Spree. #118 is a colt by stalwart KZN stallion Muhtafal out of a winning American-bred mare.
#119 is a colt by Cataloochee who is the half brother to two winners. His second dam Up The Creek was a dual champion who won four Gr 1 races. #120 is a filly by promising young sire Way West out of a young National Emblem half sister to dual Gr 2 winner Amphitheatre. #121 is a filly by Solskjaer out of a winning producing mare. The dam is a half sister to Stakes winner Skeem Team. #122 is a Malhub half sister to dual Gr 3 winner Tamarino Bay. #125 is a colt by excellent sire Kahal. There is a catalogue update here as his half brother Maji Moto was a very easy winner of his last start in Gauteng. #127 is a Malhub colt. He is the first foal of five times winning Muhtafal mare Deal A Double, who is herself the half sister to three black type winners.
#128 is a filly by Muhtafal and is the first foal of Listed winning Fard mare Hard To Get. #129 is a half sister by Way West to Gr 2 Gold Bowl winner Winning Leap and to Listed placed Gymnast. #130 is from the first crop of Breeders’ Cup Mile winner and champion USA turf horse Miesque’s Approval. The sire has made an encouraging start with his early runners and this yearling filly is descended from champion racemare Grey Sun. #131 is a Malhub colt who is he first foal of a dual winning Muhtafal mare. The dam is a half sister to black type winner Naan Khataay. #133 is a filly by Kahal out of a mare who has bred five winners from five starters. #134 is a half sister by Cataloochee is three winners from a nice black type family. Bear in mind that Cataloochee is no longer with us and opportunities to get involved with his progeny are running out. #135 is a colt by The Sheik, a sire who gets winners week in and week out, and is a half brother to Stakes placed Share The Silver. #136 is a colt from the first crop of Danehill stallion Overlord out of a four time winning mare and is the half brother to two winners. #137 is a filly by Way West and is the first foal of a five time winning Rakeen mare descended from Gr 1 winning sprinter Bold West. #140 is a half brother by Solskjaer to five winners including eight time winner Springbok Summer.
#144 is a filly from the first crop of champion Greys Inn out of a sprinting mare who won four races. The dam is a full sister to Gr 1 winning sprinter Manipur. #148 is a colt from the first crop of unraced Hinton Wells, a three-parts brother to Fort Wood. The youngster is a half brother to Gr 3 winner Master Of Note and to Listed placed Joyful Dancer, with the dam being a half sister to Gr 1 winner Grande Jete. #150 is a filly by Kahal out of a mare who won the Kenya Fillies Guineas. #151 is a Malhub half sister to five winners including six time winner Celestial Moon. #152 is a Solskjaer filly out of a young Fort Wood mare who won five races, from the strong black type family of champion Scented Royal and current high class Hong Kong sprinter Sweet Sanette.
#153 is a daughter of proven Gr 1 sire Mogok out of a winning National Assembly mare whose only foal to race has won. There is plenty of black type through this pedigree. #154 is a half sister by Cataloochee to two winners, out of a winning Candy Stripes mare. Slew The Red is sire of Gr 2 Emerald Cup winner Phunyuka and his progeny here include #155, a half brother to four winners. The second dam was champion 2yo filly in SA in her year. #156 is a Solskjaer colt. He is the first foal of an unraced Australian-bred Hussonet mare who is the half sister to multipore Singapore champion Why Be. #157 is a Malhub colt out of a black type winning mare who has bred seven winners.
#158 is a filly by deceased Victory Moon, who has already had the excellent 2yo fillies Princess Victoria and Hidden Beauty to represent him this season. This juvenile is the half sister to four winners including Listed winning 2yo of her year, Golden Bow. #159 is a colt by Slew The Red out of a Listed winning speed mare who has produced four winners. #160 is a colt by young sire Hobb Alwahtan out of a mare whose only foal to race has won twice. #`161 is a half sister by Albarahin to three winners, while #162 is a full or half sister by the same sire to two winners. #164 is a filly by Muhtafal out of a mare who has bred five winners including a five time and a four time winner. There is plenty of international black type backing up this pedigree.
#167 is a colt by former champion sire Jallad out of a mare who has bred four winners including six time winner Langley. This is the Soho Secret family of London News, Covenant, Kings Gambit, Pluck – you name it. #169 is a colt by Hobb Alwahtan and is the first foal of an Exclusive Patriot mare who won three races. #170 is a filly by Albarahin out of a Stakes placed mare who won five races from a family certainly not lacking in black type. #171 is a Solskjaer half brother to four winners. #173 is a filly by Muhtafal and is the half sister to five winners including Gr 1 placed Fanyana and useful current 3yo Fidelis.
#175 is a filly by Way West and is the half sister to a four time winner from the excellent Lily family. #176 is a daughter of The Sheik, a sire who has achieved many of his best results with his fillies, and is the full sister to a winner from the very good Envious family. #180 is a half sister by Requiem to two winners including a four time winner. #182 is a filly by Solskjaer who is the half sister to five winners including Gr 3 winner Mzwilili and Listed winner Ithala. #184 and #185 are both colts by new sire Hinton Wells. The former is the half brother to one winner, his dam’s only runner, while the latter is out of a mare who has not yet been represented at the races.
#186 is a Solskjaer colt who is the first foal of an unraced half sister to Stakes winners Rhapsody In Red and Vangelis. Also by Solskjaer is #188m a colt who is the first foal of a winning Joshua Dancer mare from a nice family. #189 is a half sister by Albarahin to current seven times winning KZN sprinter Take Over Target. #190 is a filly by Mogok and the full sister to one winner, her dam’s only runner. #193 is a filly by Kahal out of the Gr 2 winning Model Man mare Princess Sassi, from the family of Mythical Flight. Another daughter of Kahal is #194, a half sister to two winners including four time winner Valloire out of a half sister to Gr 2 winner High Raiser. This is the terrific No Ball family of Bush Telegraph, Lords, Ton Up, etc.
#196 is a filly by the sadly deceased successful sire Strike Smartly out of a winning Fort Wood mare who has not yet been represented at the races. #197 is a colt by Solskjaer and is the first foal of a Muhtafal mare who won four races and finished second at Listed level. #198 is a half brother by Slew The Red to five winners (from six foals to race out of the mare) including a five time winner. #199 is a Requiem filly out of Stakes winner Raise The Ransom, who has bred three winners of five races to date from three runners. Rounding off the section is #200, a filly by Albarahin who is the first foal of a winning Muhtafal mare from the family of Irish Gr 1 winner Chelsea Rose and many other black type performers.
As always, this is a sale not to be missed whatever your interest in horses may be. For further information and catalogues, go to the website of Michael Holmes Bloodstock or contact them on (031) 309 5522 (phone) or (031) 309 8048 (fax.)
