Frankel Colt Tops Solid Cape Opener

CAPE TOWN, South Africa–The International Convention Centre in downtown Cape Town is the venue for the two-day Cape Thoroughbred Yearling Sale, and on Saturday the opening session got off to a solid rather than spectacular start. Last year's corresponding day featured the overall sale topper when MV Magnier gave R6-million for a son of Trippi, but a similar figure proved elusive on Saturday as a son of Frankel (GB) proved the star offering when selling to John Freeman for R4-million. Overall, 101 of the 112 (90%) yearlings offered changed hands for an aggregate of R56,775,000 ($4,654,700/£3,359,427/

€3,808,560). While the average dropped 10% to R556,618 ($45,616/£32,924/€37,323), the median held firm at R300,000 ($24,585/£17,745/€20,115). Fifteen yearlings made R1-million or more on the opening session last year but that figure increased to 16 this time around.

Saturday's sale topper was offered by Klawervlei Stud as lot 94 out of the Kingmambo mare Pale Moon Rising (Ire), and the flashy chestnut will carry the silks of owner Jack Mitchell, who races the Group 1 winner Snowdance (SAf), among other top level winners and like that filly he will be trained by Justin Snaith. John Freeman was full of praise for the yearling and commented, “He is a superb individual and a really lovely mover. He is still quite immature and will grow a lot more. He's the first Frankel I've bought and I did the pedigree analysis and the family has quite a high strike rate.” Freeman and Mitchell teamed up soon after when going to R3-million to add lot 107 to their haul. The Captain Al (SAf) filly was also offered by Klawervlei Stud and is a grand-daughter of the GI Matron S. winner Marylebone (Unbridled's Song).

After a rather sticky first half hour trade warmed up when lot 23, a son of Dynasty (SAf) from Drakenstein Stud, sold to the Hong Kong Jockey Club for R2.5-million. The colt is out of the dual Group 1 winner Happy Archer (Aus) (Dubawi {Ire}), who also provided a big ticket lot on the opening session last year when her now 2-year-old Captain Al colt made R3.75-million. The successful bidders Nick Columb and Mark Richards also struck for the very next yearling into the ring when signing for lot 24 for R1.1-million. The Silvano (Ger) colt was offered by Maine Chance Farms and is a full-brother to a Group 1 winner in Happy Valentine (SAf). It was the HKJC's Nick Columb's first visit to both the sale and the city of Cape Town and he said he was impressed with the stock on offer. “They are both big, strong, lovely horses and look the right types to suit our racing,” Columb said. “They will go into the usual Hong Kong system and will be resold as 3-year-olds. It is our first time here and it is a bit of an experiment but hopefully it will work out well. I think they represented good value.”

Shadwell's Angus Gold also struck for a seven-figure yearling when signing for lot 34 for R1.5-million. The filly, by What A Winter (SAf), represented another successful sale for Gaynor Rupert's Drakenstein Stud and is the first foal out of the stakes winner Irish Myth (SAf) (Dynasty {SAf}). “She's a sharp filly by a very promising young sire who I've loved ever since I saw him a few years ago,” Gold said. “We have a share in the sire and he's made a good start. If she can run a bit she has plenty of pedigree behind her to join the broodmare band. We have a couple of stallions here now in Soft Falling Rain and Rafeef and we are acquiring a few speedy mares. Hopefully this one can run as well as she looks.”

Amanda Skiffington wasted no time making her presence felt, buying the first lot of the sale, a filly by Querari (Ger) for R600,000, but the agent had to stretch a bit further to acquire her second purchase, lot 59. The hammer fell at R3-million for this Klawervlei Stud offered daughter of Silvano, one million Rand less than what her half-sister by Frankel (GB) had sold for in the same ring last year. The filly is a grand-daughter of a champion 2-year-old filly in Damson (Ire) (Entrepreneur {GB}) and Skiffington was determined not to leave her behind. “I thought she was the nicest filly here. She's by a top stallion and she was always going to be difficult to buy.” Skiffington, who was seated next to Andreas Jacobs while bidding and who is a committed annual attendee at this auction, added, “It's a wonderful country and a wonderful sale and they deserve all the patronage they get.”

Patrick Shaw trained Rocket Man (Aus) (Viscount {Aus}) to win Group 1 races in Singapore and Dubai, and the former trainer signed for the first Frankel yearling to be offered. Lot 74, out of a stakes winner in Mowaadah (Ire) (Alzao), from the family of Oratorio (Ire) (Danehill), was by no means expensive at R1.5-million and will be trained in Singapore. “I bought her for Mark Young who I had a lot of success with over the years,” said Shaw. “Down the line she will probably end up as a broodmare in Australia and for a Frankel I think she was good value.”

“A lovely horse, a great athlete,” was John Ferguson's description of lot 86 after Drakenstein's colt was knocked down to the agent for R3-million. Ferguson bought the son of Dynasty, already named Pinkerton (SAf), for a group of new South African owners and he was another who was very complimentary about his stay in Cape Town. Lot 86, the first foal of the high-class One Fine Day (SAf) (Trippi) was the third seven figure lot sold by Drakenstein Stud and the farm's Kevin Somerville commented, “We've had a very special night and the boss is very happy. We try very hard and every year we aim to upgrade our broodmare band to improve the standard of yearling we are bringing here so we couldn't be happier with how it has gone.” Giving his thoughts on trade in general Somerville added, “It's tough out there in places but the nice horses are making good money, which is encouraging. There seems to be plenty of people bidding for the middle-market type horses, which is something that may have been lacking the previous few years so I think it's a good solid market. We've got some nice horses to sell again tomorrow so we're hopeful things will continue as they did today.”

The second and final session kicks off on Sunday at the earlier time of 1 p.m. with lots 121-254, which is then followed immediately by a short breeding stock sale of 18 mares. Full comparative statistics will be provided after Sunday's session.