Click above to watch a Day 1 summary of the Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 1
(Image and Footage : Cape Premier Yearling Sale)
CAPE PREMIER YEARLING SALE BOOK 1
Cape Town International Convention Centre
24 - 25 January 2013
The 2013 Cape Premier Yearling Sale started in a way that can only be described as highly unusual. Lot 1, a chestnut colt called Brutal Force was not even in the ring when Irish auctioneer John O’Kelly already had the bidding at R350,000. When the colt eventually appeared, the bidding quickly escalated and the colt was knocked down in record time to Mayfair Speculators for R1.5 Million.
Before the assembled buyers had a chance to catch their breath, Lot 9 was in the ring. The colt had attracted a lot of attention all week and it came as no surprise that he surpassed the 2012 Cape Premier Yearling Sale top price of R2.8 million, being knocked down for a round R3 million. Named Our Icon, the bay colt was by exciting sire Dynasty out of the Fusaichi Pegasus mare Our Table Mountain, a half sister to the consistent sire Artie Schiller.
Lady Laidlaw, who races a number of horses with top Cape trainer Dean Kannemeyer, was over the moon with her purchase. Kannemeyer admitted that this was the main colt they had targeted at the sale. “He is a big scopey colt from a good American family. We thought he was the best colt on the sale.” Mike Sharkey, manager of vendor Highlands Stud, had indicated earlier in the week that he thought it was his nicest colt. “He was my nicest yearling. Quality always sells and he looked the part.”
Lady Laidlaw was on a roll and three lots later Lot 12, Real Princess from the draft of Klawervlei Stud, broke the record for the top price paid for a filly, with the hammer coming down at R2.7 million. Real Princess is by Trippi out of the Fort Wood mare Pagan Princess, who is a half sister to UAE Derby winner and ill fated sire Victory Moon. Lady Laidlaw mostly buys colts, but after winning the Group 1 Cape Guineas first with Noordhoek Flyer and then again this year with Derby contender, Capetown Noir, she is on a quest to win the Fillies equivalent. “It has always been my aim to win the Fillies Guineas and I think she is the one! I also want to take a filly to Dubai and she may just be the right one to do that.” John Koster, managing director of Klawervlei Stud agreed: “Probably the classiest filly I have ever bred. She had everything, quality, depth, balance and substance. She was the perfect ten from a great family.” Kannemeyer was pleased to get another quality individual and commented that while they had to stretch to get her, it was definitely worth it. “We thought she was a well made filly. She had a deep girth, a lovely pedigree, with great paddock value and easily the best filly in the sale.”
Lot 21 Eternal Love was the first ever South African purchase for globetrotting UK trainer Ed Dunlop. “It is the first horse I have ever bought in South Africa. I came over for the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and thought it would be a good idea to put together an international syndicate to race some horses here. The horses will be trained here and if they are any good they will come over to me in the UK.”
Dunlop also signed for Lot 32, Kingvoldt by Western Winter out of the Parade Leader mare Red Parade (R475,000) and Lot 97 Red Disa by Captain Al out of the Elliodor mare Zeigler (R700,000).
Mike Azzie had to go to R3.25 million to secure the sales topper, Lot 27, a bay colt by Silvano out of the National Assembly mare, Racing Heart. Azzie was elated to have secured his top choice of the sale. “When I came to the sale and saw him, I got on the phone immediately and told Adrian I needed him here. He wasn’t coming on the first day you see, but I said he had to come see this horse. I looked at Lot 9 as well, but this one spoke to me when he came out the box. He took my breath away.” Owner Adrian van Vuuren was also impressed with the handsome bay colt, named Racing Free. “My trainer said I had to have him! This horse speaks to you he has a presence. I thought he was simply one of the best on the sale. And he has the most beautiful name, which certainly can’t hurt.” Vendor Dr Andreas Jacobs, who owns Maine Chance Farms in South Africa, was pleased to have been able to sell the colt to Azzie: “I am so glad, as Mike Azzie is a great customer and a good friend. He was the most beautiful horse in our string.”
When the third last lot of the night, Lot 115, a strapping Dynasty filly, out of the Noverre mare, A Star for Maria, walked into the ring, the bidding rose swiftly until she was knocked down for R1.2 million. Tom Goff signed for the filly on behalf of Coolmore and Andreas Jacobs. Dr Jacobs explained that based on their great relationship, they had decided to buy some fillies in partnership, to race together in South Africa. Goff also signed for Lot 6, by Dynasty out of Next Generation (R250,000), while Tina Rau signed for Lot 42, by Captain Al out of Scent of Pine (R400,000) on behalf of the partnership.
Total aggregate for the first day of the sale was R51,740,000, with the average R511,039.60, up 25% from 2012 and the median R350,000.
Dynasty topped the sire stats, with 15 yearlings going under the hammer for an aggregate of R9.7 million and an average of R646,666. Leading vendor was Highlands Farm Stud, whose 8 yearlings sold for an aggregate of R8.25 million, averaging R1,031,250. While Markus Jooste’s Mayfair Speculators topped the buyer list, having signed for 11 yearlings totalling R7.75 million, with an average of R704,545.
After the conclusion of the first evening, Adrian Todd, Chief Operating Officer of Cape Thoroughbred Sales, commented that they were extremely happy with the result. “A lot of records were broken here tonight, the sale exceeded expectations and we are very thankful for our loyal customers both South African and International. Tonight’s sale proves that South African horses are equal to anything in the world and we look forward to another great sale session tomorrow.”
Chris van Niekerk, Chairman of Cape Thoroughbred Sales concluded: “It started with and opened with a horse selling for over a million and ended with a horse selling for over a million; that must be a record for South Africa. There was a much better spread of buyers here than we have ever seen and that is very exciting for our industry.”
CAPE PREMIER YEARLING SALE
Day 1 - Top Lots
| Lot | Sex | Sire | Dam | Price (ZAR) |
| 27 |
colt |
SILVANO (GER) |
RACING HEART (SAF) |
3,250,000 |
| 9 |
colt |
DYNASTY (SAF) |
OUR TABLE MOUNTAIN (USA) |
3,000,000 |
| 12 |
filly |
TRIPPI (USA) |
PAGAN PRINCESS (SAF) |
2,700,000 |
| 1 |
colt |
WESTERN WINTER (USA) |
NACARAT (SAF) |
1,500,000 |
| 117 |
colt |
DYNASTY (SAF) |
ATTACHE (SAF) |
1,400,000 |
| 100 |
colt |
DYNASTY (SAF) |
ALIGNMENT (IRE) |
1,300,000 |
| 107 |
colt |
WESTERN WINTER (USA) |
ANNIE (SAF) |
1,300,000 |
| 115 |
filly |
DYNASTY (SAF) |
A STAR FOR MARIA (AUS) |
1,200,000 |
| 93 |
colt |
TRIPPI (USA) |
WIND JAMMER (SAF) |
1,000,000 |
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