Long-serving Davis sells the top yearling at Germiston for R4.75m
Auctioneer Steve Davis — as committed to the Thoroughbred Breeders Association as Arsene Wenger has been to Arsenal Football Club — revels in the big action and he sold the top yearling for R4.75m on the first session of the National Yearling Sales in Germiston.
New Zealander Davis, for many years a leading auctioneer on the southern hemisphere bloodstock circuit, is making his 17th appearance at this sale.
The yearling which got all the attention was a son of Captain Al out of the Triple Tiara winner Cherry On The Top consigned by Mauritzfontein Stud.
Davis asked for an opening bid of R500,000, but dropped to R200,000 to get the sale under way. It soon became apparent there were a number of serious bidders, but Form Bloodstock had the final say at R4.75m.
The most delighted person in the ring was Mauritzfontein’s Jessica Slack, who said: “I’m so happy, amazing.”
Cape trainer Dean Kannemeyer confirmed he would train the colt. “I believe we were up against a Hong Kong buyer, but in the end we were fortunately able to get this lovely specimen.”
The colt, named Captain Cherry, is the second foal of Cherry On The Top, who was one of the favourite horses of Slack’s late grandmother Bridget Oppenheimer. The mare was voted Equus champion threeyear-old filly in 2013.
The prediction that this sale would resurrect the popularity of this historic annual event looks spot on as a strong catalogue helped to inspire spirited bidding for the first 170 lots through the ring.
TOP THREE LOTS
Deceased stallion Captain Al was responsible for the top three lots on the first session with auctioneer Graeme Hawkins taking a bid of R3.3m from the Hong Kong Jockey Club for one of his sons offered by Klipdrif Stud as agent. They were acting for American racing expert Barry Irwin, who has disclosed that he is quitting South African racing and breeding.
The third most expensive lot was a daughter of Captain Al. Auctioneer Andrew Miller accepted a bid of R2.9m for the filly consigned by Riverton Stud. The sales slip was signed by Kerry Jack Bloodstock.
Other notable sales — the third session starts at 11.30am on Thursday — were R2.6m for a Silvano colt bought by John Freeman, R2.4m for a Dynasty colt bought by Shadwell SA and R2.2m for a Vercingetorix colt bought by Andy Williams’s Worldwide Bloodstock. Surprisingly, the full brother to 2014 horse of the year Legislate made only R700,000.
● JSE-listed Phumelela Gaming & Leisure has responded in a press release to Phindi Kema’s complaint to the public protector about the Gauteng provincial government for allegedly exceeding its authority by transferring five racetracks located in other provinces to Phumelela.
“Ms Kema has a history of instituting meritless complaints and litigation against Phumelela,” it said. “This includes a matter in which Ms Kema appealed against a finding of the Competition
Tribunal, without success, to the Competition Appeal Court and the Constitutional Court.
“Both of these courts granted costs against Ms Kema. These taxed costs are in excess of R250,000 [excluding interest thereon] and Ms Kema has, despite demand, failed to settle the court costs.”