Company steps up racing involvement

If Morocco was a surprise in beating Belgium at the World Cup, another was in store at the November two-year-old sale in Germiston with a new name at the top of the buyers list. JASM Solutions were the biggest spenders outlying R2.635m on 11 lots.

Form Bloodstock are nearly always the top buyers at BSA sales, but their involvement was minimal this time as were prominent 2022 National Yearling Sales spenders John Freeman, Vermaak Equine, Greg Bortz and Sabine Plattner.

This was a big step forward for JASM Solutions as they bought just one lot for R650,000 at the Yearling Sales seven months ago. The company head is Preshalin Murugasa who has horses with Kom Naidoo and Peter Muscutt.

The company’s purchases were made from various studs and included:

● A Rafeef colt consigned by Cheveley Stud (as agent) for R575,000.

● A Master Of My Fate colt consigned by Hemel ’n Aarde Stud for R500,000.

● A Danon Platino colt consigned by Mauritzfontein Stud for R500,000.

● A Lancaster Bomber colt consigned by Boland Stud for R370,000.

JASM Solutions acquisitions averaged R329,357 — more than twice the sale average of R159,494. The 2021 average was R139,444.

At the conclusion of the sale on Sunday, a total of 158 lots from a catalogue of 196 were sold at an aggregate of R25.2m.

Top price was a R1.2m bid by Sterling Miller of Pound Bloodstock for a Gimmethegreenlight filly consigned by Sandown Stud as agent for Shadwell SA.

Lynton Ryan is considered one of the best bloodstock experts in the country and he purchased the most expensive colt on the sale signing the ticket at R650,000 for a Vercingetorix colt consigned by Riverton Stud.

The colt is well related as he is out of a winning half-sister to grade 1 Empress Club Stakes winner, Fair Maiden.

As was the case at the National Sales, the progeny of Vercingetorix continue to be hugely popular with buyers and his 12 lots averaged R341,250.

Kestorm Investments also made a significant purchase going to R470,000 to secure a Fire Away colt from breeder P Boonzaier and leading owner, Suzette Viljoen, bid R450,000 for a Rafeef filly from Boland Stud.

Form Bloodstock did get into the action halfway through the sale, securing a Danon Platina colt from Mauritzfontein Stud for R500,000 and a Vercingetorix colt from Sandown Stud for R425,000.

Highveld trainer Roy Magner paid the same price (R425,000) for a Vercingetorix colt consigned by Clifton Stud.