Averages fall at two Cape sales

Vendors will be approaching the two forthcoming yearling sales in Johannesburg with some trepidation after averages plummeted at the two sales in the Cape last week.

For regular followers of the bloodstock circuit it must have felt they were in a different world compared to the CTS Premier Sale in January which returned the excellent average of R700,000.

Last week saw a considerable decline in both aggregate and average at Thursday’s Bloodstock SA sale at Mistico Equestrian Centre and the CTS March sale held at Durbanville racecourse on Saturday and Sunday.

The Bloodstock SA average was R60,545 compared to R134,200 in 2016.

The CTS average was R78,850 compared to R107,563 in 2016.

As far as big-priced yearlings are concerned, a reporter would have to tell his editor “sorry, nothing here to make a headline like the R6 million lot in January”.

The highest price of the two sales came on the Sunday afternoon of the CTS sale when a daughter of Seventh Rock from Klawervlei Stud was knocked down to Chris van Niekerk’s Rainbow Beach Trading for R525,000.

It’s no surprise there was interest in this early foal as she’s a half-sister to Joan Ranger who has performed so well for Lucky Houdalakis’ stable this season.

The top colt on the CTS sale came early on the Saturday evening session when Mayfair Speculators bid R400,000 for a son of What A Winter. The youngster consigned by Normandy Stud - is a half-brother to Trip To Troy and Captain Dino.

Mayfair Speculators headed the buyers’ list at the CTS sale securing 10 lots for R1,845,000 with Rainbow Beach Trading buying 11 lots for R1,555,000.

Both champion trainer Sean Tarry and bloodstock agent John Freeman were busy in the market with Klawervlei emerging top vendors with their 22 lots averaging R109,090.

At Mistico Equestrian Centre last Thursday, now retired top trainer, Mike Bass, bought the most expensive colt bidding R350,000 for a son of Twice Over consigned by Drakenstein Stud. Last year’s top price was R1.5 million!

Twice Over was trained by legendary UK conditioner, Henry Cecil, and despite being overshadowed by his famous stablemate, Frankel, still managed to win four Grade 1 races.

The highest-priced filly was Wildly In Love a daughter of Jay Peg.