2011 NATIONAL YEARLING SALE : DAY 3

Derreck David with Lot 421 Blue Ridge Mountain
(Photo : Heather Morkel)

EMPERORS PALACE NATIONAL YEARLING SALE
15 - 17 April 2011

The final day of the 2011 Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale started well when the Summerhill Sales-consigned lot 421, Blue Ridge Mountain, was knocked down for R2 million to Markus Jooste. The beautiful chestnut is by champion US sire, Giant’s Causeway, out of a Distant View mare, and hails from the same family as last year’s Cartier Champion 2-year-old filly, Misty For Me.

The Sale closed on a high when lot 599, the penultimate lot on sale, was knocked for R1.2 million to John Freeman. The chestnut colt, consigned by Varsfontein Stud, is named True Master. A son of Jet Master, he is out of G3 winner Bushra.

Overall, the sale posted an aggregate of R115,310,000. Of the 600 yearlings catalogued, 557 went through the ring, and just 65 failed to find homes.

The sale’s average price was R244,301, down slightly from last year’s average of R324,557. No fewer than 16 yearlings made R1 million plus. The top priced yearling to sell was Heart’s Content, lot 196. The filly, consigned by Varsfontein, is by champion sire Jet Master out of the stakes winning mare, Jalberry.

Varsfontein Stud enjoyed a fantastic sale, and ended up as the leading vendors by aggregate. Their 17 lots to sell made R7.055 million, and averaged R415,000.

Leading vendor, by average, was Varsfontein Stud (As Agent), they sold seven yearlings for an average price of R706,429.

Form Bloodstock were the most prolific buyers, and purchased 20 yearlings for an aggregate of R10.2 million.

Champion sire, Jet Master, enjoyed a truly phenomenal sale. The great horse sold 35 of his 37 yearlings on offer, for an aggregate of R21,325,000, making him the leading stallion by aggregate. He averaged R609,286, which made him the leading sire by average, with five or more sold.

TBA’s CEO, Jan Naude, was resigned about the sale, “These prices are a realistic reflection of the economy. There was plenty of good money for the top horses, but the middle market struggled.”

Extract from Bloodstock South Africa