Cape Town Plays Host to Premier Yearling Sale

by Liesl King

Now a familiar landmark on the South African Sales calendar, the Cape Premier Yearling Sale once again has a bumper catalogue oozing quality, with the 200 lots on offer in the Cape Town International Convention Centre today and tomorrow representing 31 local and three international stallions. 

The first viewing day is usually a quiet affair, but the minute the doors opened on Tuesday morning, consignors were swept off their feet with the high demand for horses to be paraded. CTS Chief Operating Officer Adrian Todd attributes this to the exceptional selection of horses on offer this year. 

“The quality of the thoroughbred yearlings on offer has increased year on year and this year’s draft is truly exceptional,” he explained. “The two CTS $500,000 races plus the Million Dollar bonus has attracted a lot of interest and we have buyers from eight countries, as well as a large contingent of local buyers here already.” 

He continued, “Our extensive promotion of the Sale seems to have paid off. Since the doors opened yesterday, it has been extremely busy and we look forward to an exceptional sale.” 

The first foals from three outstanding racemares, including the much-awaited Var colt out of the globetrotting River Jetez (SAf) (Jet Master {SAf}) are some of the standout lots in the catalogue. 

Globetrotting River Jetez retired with 12 victories, including a victory in G2 Balanchine S. at Meydan, a heart-stopping second in the G1 Singapore Airlines International Cup and a third in the GI Beverly D. S. On offer from Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm as Lot 32 is her Var colt named Riverine (SAf). 

Imperious Star (SAf) (Navarone) followed in the footstep of her superstar mother G1 J & B Met winner Imperious Sue (SAf) (Northern Guest), when she added her own Grade 1 victory, the Woolavington S. over 2000 meters at Greyville to the her already impressive resume. Imperious Star retired with five victories from 1200 meters to 2000 meters, showcasing her incredible versatility. Nutfield Stud consigns her first foal, a bay colt by Trippi named Double Appeal (SAf) as Lot157. 

By Galileo (Ire) out of the Danehill mare Freya (Aus), the impeccably bred Sidera (Aus), winner of the GIII Fillies Mile and the Listed Starling S., is another with a first foal on offer. Klawervlei Stud consigns her bay filly, by Captain Al (SAf) as lot 49. 

There are also a number of yearlings with illustrious siblings in the catalogue, none more so than lot 3, a Western Winter half-sister to Champion 3-Year-Old Colt Vercingetorix (SAf) (Silvano {Ger}). Vercingetorix won the GI Daily News 2000, before embarking on an international career that included a victory in the G1 Jebel Hatta S., a second behind Longines World’s Best Racehorse winner Just A Way (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn} in the G1 Dubai Duty Free S. and a third to the classy Designs on Rome (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) in the G1 Audemars Piquet Queen Elizabeth II Cup in Hong Kong. With former Buckram Oak star Western Winter sadly deceased, buyers have been snapping up the last of his offspring, and Lot 3 is sure to garner her fair share of attention.

Joey Ramsden’s stable star, Act Of War (SAf) is currently considered the best 3-year old colt in the country. On offer from Drakenstein Stud as lot 54, is his half sister by Seventh Rock (Aus) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}). The bay filly named Red Granite is also a half sister to Subastador (SAf) (Tara’s Halls {SAf}) and Luna De Victoria (SAf) (Victory Moon {SAf}). Her paddock value alone is enormous, and Ramsden will have some serious competition, should he wish to add her to his stable. 

With five victories on the trot, including the G2 Choice Carriers Championship and the G2 Sceptre Stakes, the title of top three-year-old filly in the Cape firmly belongs to Cold As Ice, who incidentally is also trained by Ramsden. Trippi, who currently heads the South African Sire log, is the sire of her half-sister, Live Life (SAf) consigned by Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm as lot 79. 

With his Dynasty (SAf) half-brother by Dynasty (SAf) consigned by Highlands Farm Stud as lot 152, Trip To Heaven (SAf) (Trippi)’s victory in the G2 Merchants S. on Sansui Summer Cup Day could not have come at a better time. The bay colt named Lainesberg Blue (SAf), is also a half-brother to the G1 Premier’s Champion S. winner The Hangman (SAf) (Jallad) and is sure to have catalogues waving. 

Last, but certainly not the least worth noting, are three yearlings by international sires. Klawervlei Stud has two such yearlings on offer as lot 102 and lot 159. 

Lot 102 is an unnamed bay filly by the top sire and sadly recently deceased High Chaparral (Ire) out of the Belong To Me mare Attessa (Aus). While Attessa raced in the States, winning her maiden in seven starts for trainer Graham Motion, her half-sister Delta Form (Aus) (Marscay {Aus}) is no stranger to these shores, having won the 2000 G1 Summer H. (now called the Sansui Summer Cup). He also won the GII Del Mar H. and was twice Grade I placed in the U.S. while trained by Jenine Sahadi for Team Valor and Gary Barber. 

Lot 159 is also a bay filly, this time by champion miler Canford Cliffs (Ire) out of Intelligent (First Samurai), an unraced half-sister to Drakenstein Stud’s sire Philanthropist (Kris S.). 

New Approach (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has been a revelation at stud and his offspring have been snapped up at sales across the globe. Highlands Farm Stud offers a bay colt by New Approach out of the unraced Redoute’s Choice (Aus) mare Come Sunday (Aus) as lot 111. The colt is from the well-known female family of Lady Broadhurst (SAf), Announce (SAf) and Daphne Donnelly (SAf). 

The sale commences at 6 p.m. tonight, with an opening ceremony at 5:30 p.m. Click here for the full catalogue.