Session one of the 2016 Bloodstock South Africa National Yearling Sale ended with four lots breaching the R1 million (£47,677/€61,255) mark. Kevin Woolard, CEO of Bloodstock SA, said “It was a solid start to the sale, the middle market was up and we still have a lot of nice horses to come in the next two days.”
Ilha Da Vittoria (Brz) (Candy Stripes) is one of South Africa's great race fillies. Her performances on the track included multiple graded victories and earned her the title of Horse of the Year and Champion Older Female (middle distance) in 2008. Her daughter, Ilha Grande, followed in her mother's footsteps, earning her own black-type in the Listed Oaks Trial. Ilha Da Vittoria has only had seven foals to date and any fillies descending from her are considered gold if they come on the market. This year one did.
Consigned by Wilgerbosdrift Stud as lot 142, a Trippi filly out of Ilha Grande named Lara Yara (SAf) was never going to go cheap. Coming late in the sale, she managed to pack out the auditorium, as a thrilling bidding war ensued between James Bester and Form Bloodstock. With the hammer falling at R2.5 million (£119,192/€153,148), Jehan Malherbe of Form Bloodstock may have emerged rather bloody from the encounter, but according to him it was well worth it.
“Ilha Da Vittoria is one of the all-time greats of South African racing and Trippi fillies are very, very good. She is an outstanding specimen from a great family and I couldn't be happier that we got her,” Malherbe said. Mary Slack, owner of Wilgerbosdrift Stud, appeared to have mixed feelings about letting the filly go. “She is spectacularly beautiful; an outstanding filly. I am thrilled by the price though,” she said.
Wilgerbosdrift were also the consigners of the previous lot (141), this time a colt from the illustrious family and out of Ilha Da Vittoria herself. By Silvano (Ger), the colt was snapped up by Mike Bass for R1.3 million (£61,979/€79,637). Candice Robinson, who is taking over the reins from her father in August, explains the reasoning behind the purchase of the aptly named Sark (SAf). “He is certainly not a big horse, but all the top Silvano's we have had, and there have been several, have all been small,” she said. “Of course, Silvano himself is not a huge horse either.”
Lot 53, a colt by Var out of the Grade 1-winning mare Covenant (SAf) (Western Winter)–a half sister of Secret Heart (SAf) (Fort Wood), the dam of Three Hearts (Hat Trick {Jpn}) and the sire Pluck (More Than Ready)–was one of the standouts of the sale, and Alesh Naidoo had to hang tough before the colt was finally his for a round R2 million (£95,353/€122,512).
“I loved him; for me he was the best one in the sale. I narrowed my list down to 15, then to five and finally he was the one I simply had to have”, Naidoo explained.
When a trainer likes a female family, it usually takes more than mere men to prevent him from buying any of the offspring that he wants. Such was the case with legendary trainer Mike Bass when Lot 8, an Oratorio (Ire) colt out of Bella Nero (SAf) (Caesour) consigned by Drakenstein Stud walked into the ring. Bella Nero is a half-sister to Misty Heights (GB) (Fasliyev); Madeira Mist (Ire) (Grand Lodge), the dam of Joshua Tree; and Inara (SAf) (Trippi), a multiple Grade 1-winning mare in South Africa.
Gaynor Rupert had imported Mountains Of Mist (Ire) (Shirley Heights {GB}) to enhance her Drakenstein Stud broodmare band and every single yearling consigned since, including Bella Nero, has been snapped up by Bass. Despite being a first foal, Lot 8, named Tyrandeus, is an outstanding colt, resulting in a fierce bidding war. Bass, however, was not going to let the colt go anywhere but home to his barn, with the hammer finally coming down in his favour at R1.05 million (£50,065/€64,319).
“I trained the mother–actually I have trained all of Mountains Of Mist's South African offspring,” said Bass. “He is such an impressive first colt; I really couldn't fault him and the family has been exceptional for us.”
Gaynor Rupert said,”We were at Tattersalls trying to buy some mares and we were struggling. Mountains Of Mist was empty and we figured it might count in our favour. I was thrilled when we managed to acquire her and she has been an outstanding broodmare for us.”
The sale continues at 3 p.m. local time Thursday. Complete statistics will be published upon conclusion of the sale in Saturday's TDN.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
