THE COMPLETE READY TO RUN SALE PACKAGE

Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale Package
(Photos : Emperors Palace / Summerhill Stud)

“THE VALUE PROPOSITION”

Karel Miedema www.sportingpost.co.zaThere’ve been copious columns written on the achievements of graduates of the Emperors Palace Ready To Run sale, and the fact that many of them have been bargain basement buys. There’s an old saying, “there’s a horse for everyone at the Ready To Run”, and looking at the results of last year’s sale, it remains as true today as it ever did.

But that’s not the only attraction of the sale. The stakeholders have led the world in developing a package that has set this vendue apart. Building upon an international trend that has seen increasing numbers of the world’s leading investors exhibiting a growing preference for horses they can see at the gallop, South Africa has been the torch-bearer in innovation. We all know that the stake for the sale’s associated race is now headed for R2 million, which makes it the biggest prize for a race this kind. With its restriction to graduates of the sale, it also offers the best odds in the world when it comes to getting run. But it’s also the “attachments” that make this sale unique.

The South African version of the Ready To Run was the first in the world to televise its gallops, the first to flight these on websites, and the first to disseminate them on DVD’s to customers around the globe. It was the first (and it remains the only one,) to appoint a panel of the nation’s leading judges to help with selections, and to introduce prospective buyers to the innermost thoughts of those most closely associated with the candidates. Summerhill Stud, which has been the arch innovator around the sale, long ago realised the importance of the “inside track”, and they introduced a system of interviews with riders, grooms and their management in order to guide customers in the right direction. The burgeoning growth in buying benches at the Ready To Run is testimony to this policy, and the return to the ringside year after year of so many investors, is a compliment to the rewards they have enjoyed.

The stakeholders, Emperors Palace, Phumelela, Tellytrack, Summerhill and the National Horseracing Authority, have stepped up yet another gear for this year’s edition of the Ready To Run Cup. They’ve laid on five trials around the country to facilitate easier access to prospective race candidates, and they’ve appointed a panel to adjudicate on those who wish to participate. Competition for places inevitably hots up at this time of year, and trainers need to know where they stand with their charges. This week sees the publication of the first merit log by this panel, a measure designed to assist connections in what they need to do to keep their place in the top sixteen, or to leap-frog those already among them. These features of the sale are unique to South Africa.

The truth is, the Ready To Run’s connections understand the power of communication, and that horseracing spans the globe. They’ve identified the fact that information and facilitation has to do the same. It doesn’t matter anymore what futurists predict or what fashion editor’s edict, the ones spending the money rule. The keepers of the old gates have been knocked over by the new social media.

LOG AS AT
MONDAY 4 OCTOBER 2010

Log #	Horse	MR
1	WAYWEST GODDESS	100
2	DRACONIAN	94
3	HIS AFFIDAVIT	93
4	CHECCETTI	92
5	IBROX PARK	90
6	HOLLYWOODBOULEVARD	90
7	OH DRISCOLL	90
8	IN LIKE FLYNN	89
9	RIDETHEBREEZE	89
10	WOLF OF THE FOLD	87
11	INKANYEZI	87
12	SINGLE TEMPO	86
13	COUNT DUMANI	85
14	DANEHILL DARLING	83
15	PARLIAMENT	83
16	HONOLULU	82
	Below the line
17	IMPROMPTU	82
18	BRIAN’S WAGER	81
19	IGUGU	80
20	BOYSENBERRY	79
21	BUSSELL	79
22	NOBUKHOSI	79
23	FIRST SOVEREIGN	76
24	GATUSSO	76
25	NANDA DEVI	76
26	RUNNING ROGUE	75
27	UMHLABA	75
28	WELSH EMBLEM	75
29	QUEENSWAY	74
30	RICHINSTYLE	74
31	THE UNDEFEATED	74
32	DIZZY RASCAL	73
33	MISS DIANA	73
34	MISS LOPEZ	73
35	CLIENT KING	72
36	BUKA WENA	69
37	GENTLE LOOCHEE	68
38	HONG KONG SPIRIT	68
39	PAINTYOURFACE	68
40	IZULU	67
41	SALSA RAPIDO	67
42	SUCHA WONDER	66
43	EMIRATES EVE	57
44	RUBY WEDDING	56
45	MIYAMOTO	53

*NB: This is an invitational race. Handicapper’s discretion applies.

Dates to remember :

Saturday 6 November 2010 - Raceday
Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup

Sunday 7 November 2010 - Auction Sale
Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale

For more information please visit :

www.tba.co.za
and
www.summerhill.co.za