WAY WEST PROGENY GUNNING FOR THE CUP

Queensway
(Photo : Gold Circle)

“WEST SIDE STORY”

As startling as Checcetti’s 5,25 length romp for Mike de Kock at Turffontein on Saturday may have been, the big news of the week must surely have been the Summerhill-based stallion, Way West’s six winners in the past fortnight, culminating with Queensway’s victory on Sunday for Summerveld-based Bennet Bulana.

Earlier in the week, de Kock’s Igugu put up her hand as a serious Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup aspirant, with a four length victory at the Vaal, to maintain her unbeaten record. The ink was barely dry though, when the same stable produced both Checcetti on Saturday and then Inkanyezi, a stirring debut winner Sunday at Clairwood, among the likely favourites for the R1,5 million prize on 6^th November.

Reverting to Way West, he already has the Highveld’s Juvenile Champion Filly, Waywest Goddess, in the race, and it’s conceivable the stallion could now have as many as seven nominees for the event, when the tickets for all of Honolulu, Bussell, Danehill Darling, Sucha Wonder, Nobukhosi and Queensway go into the hat for final acceptance. Elsewhere in this publication, it appears Way West has only Champion Sire, Western Winter ahead of him at the top of the Three Year Old sires’ table, and you can bet your life the fellows in Mooi River are rubbing their hands in the knowledge that they have 14 Way Wests lined up for the big sale on Sunday 7^th November.

The Ready To Run itself has attracted more than 160 entries for this year, which means that breeders have subscribed next year’s running of the “Cup” with at least R1,6 million of the envisaged R2 million prize money. Summerhill’s contribution alone exceeds the million Rand mark, making it the single biggest breeder sponsorship of a horserace in the country. Speaking from the farm, their Group Business Manager, Heather Morkel, said “putting a meaningful sum back into the game, was the least we could do to thank the best customers in the world.”

It takes something extraordinary to get a seasoned racing man excited, but the buzz at last year’s Cup prompted two of our sports veterans, Ronnie Napier and Alick Costa, both former chairmen of the Jockey Club, to remark that it was a long time since they’d known such an atmosphere on a Gauteng racecourse.

This race certainly gets the juices going.

Extract from Sporting Post

For more information please visit :

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

THIS WAS A HELLUVA SALE

Neil Andrews, Bob Yearham, HM King Letsie III, Julie Alexander, Mick Goss
(Photo : Peermont)

2009 EMPERORS PALACE READY TO RUN SALE
THE OUTCOME

There is no other way to describe it. At the height of the greatest financial collapse since the Great Depression, the South African Thoroughbred market stood up and said “I’m the only game in town!”

Up 9.4% on average (at R189,895 against R173,636 last year) and with a clearance rate exceeding 90% for the second year, the Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale has retained the mantle of being consistantly the world’s best performing auction of the past five years.

And there’s one very good reason for it. The whole Ready To Run package has captured the public imagination like no other, from the Gallops at Summerhill; the “big hitting” selection panel; the R1,5 million stake and the odds of a crack at it; the Emperors Palace pre-sale party; the celebrities and the best “gas” at a raceday known to Gauteng; and then the sale itself.

Unlike most marathon auctions, this one has a “boutique” catalogue of just 160 lots, and like a twenty/20 cricket match in both atmosphere and duration, it ebbs and flows emotionally for just five hours. By 7:30pm, more than R27 million has changed hands, almost treble the output of the internationally celebrated Nederburg Wine Auction.

Given that Summerhill has always claimed “there’s a horse for everyone out the Ready To Run” the veracity lies in the spread in prices, from R30,000 to R1,2 million. The truth of the statement was in bold print and the R60,000 purchase of last year, Pierre Jourdan, scooted off with the major part of the R1,5 million prize.

“Travel the world, and you’ll find South Africans are renowned for their enterprise, their work ethic and their positive outlook,” was Summerhill boss Mick Goss’ comment after the sale. “They know there’s life after the recession, and they’re already looking forward to next year’s race and sale.”

Talking of the race, two past Chairmen of the S.A. Jockey Club, Ronnie Napier and Alick Costa, commented independently that this race caused as much vibe as they’d known on a Gauteng racecourse in two decades. Hardly surprising though. If you’ve picked right, you can get to compete for the fourth richest stake in racing, after just one visit to the racecourse.

And don’t forget “the Cup”. It’s pretty much a unanimous verdict, that the Summerhill claim that it’s the best trophy in racing was absolutely on the button.

 

EMPERORS PALACE READY TO RUN SALE
For more information please visit :

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