Frankel Factor Apparent as Cape Sale Concludes

CAPE TOWN, South Africa–In excess of 60 immaculate, freshly adorned dining tables awaited guests at the second and final session of the Cape Thoroughbred Premier Yearling Sale in the city's Convention Centre on Sunday and despite some spirited afternoon bidding, the sale wrapped up with a set of results a bit removed from the previous edition.

Last year's record aggregate of R155,225,000 ($12,724,688/£9,184,401/€10,410,733) was always going to be a tough act to follow given the absence of some major contributors from 2017, including Marcus Jooste, Sheikh Fahad Al Thani and MV Magnier and the final tally of R110,950,000 ($9,075,985/£6,550,670/€7,425,554) represented a drop of 28%. 219 of the 236 yearlings offered changed hands for a clearance rate of 93% while the average dipped 27% to R506,621 ($41,648/,£30,060/€34,075), with the median coming in at R300,000 ($25,619/£18,490/€20,960).

Despite the drop in figures CTS CEO Wehann Smith was anything but downbeat and commented, “I'm very, very happy. We can't ignore that with the Mayfair exit we were missing a really big buyer, however with the median coming in at a higher percentage of the average to last year it suggests that the middle market was strong. There was a great variety of buyers both domestic and international and although we will miss Mayfair as a client, this is a time for new people to put up their hands and fill the void. We are hugely excited about the Hong Kong Jockey Club buying and it's a great boost for both CTS and the South African bloodstock industry. The key for us now is make sure they have a good experience in getting these horses out of South Africa and that they return as buyers next year.”

Reflecting on the sale as an event Smith continued, “The atmosphere throughout the week was brilliant and we received so many compliments, particularly from the internationals. A lot of the breeders are very happy with their results and I think we have lots to be positive about.”

Former trainer Patrick Shaw bought the first Frankel (GB) catalogued on Saturday and he kept it simple on Sunday when outbidding Kathryn Ralphs for the third and final yearling in the sale by the excellent Juddmonte stallion. Lot 172 at R3 million came at more of a premium than Shaw's other purchase by the same sire and the filly's pedigree traces back to the likes of French Group 1 winners Sagamix (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}) and Sageburg (Ire) (Johannesburg). The first foal out of the unraced Fastnet Rock (Aus) mare Wandering (Ire) will follow the same route as Shaw's other filly purchase.

“The plan is to send her to Singapore to race before retiring to breed in Australia,” he said. “Whether she does that sooner or later depends on the export protocols that are up for review this year.”

John Freeman was a major presence at the upper end of the market for the two days and as a prominent syndicator of stallions it was no surprise to see a son of Trippi out of the champion race-mare Beach Beauty (SAf) (Dynasty {SAf}) capture his attention. Continuing the fine sale enjoyed by Drakenstein Stud, Freeman eventually signed the docket for the mare's first produce (lot 201) at R2.5m.

“Beach Beauty was such a champion, how could I not want a yearling out of her,” Freeman said. “He's far from a typical first foal, he is strong and well developed, there wasn't much to Beach Beauty but this colt is a great physical.”

Freeman was purchasing his 10th yearling over the two days, including the sale topper and commenting on trade he said, “The market is stronger than I thought it would be but I am very happy with what I have bought. I've managed to get seven of the top 10 that I had earmarked so I'm very satisfied. This colt is for a client who has bought him as a birthday present for his son and I think he will be staying in Cape Town.”

Freeman finished up the sale as leading buyer with 11 purchased for a total of R14.1 million.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club again did their shopping early in the session and they zoned in on Klawervlei Stud's colt by Captain Al (SAf), offered as lot 133. The grey has a wonderful pedigree being out of the MGSW Secret Of Victoria (SAf) (Goldkeeper) who is proving an even better broodmare with triple Group 1 winner and South African champion All Is Secret (SAf) (Captain Al {SAf}) and fellow Group 1 winner The Secret Is Out (SAf) (Captain Al {SAf}) among her six winners from six runners. That sort of lineage doesn't come cheap and the team of Mark Richards and Nick Columb were pushed to R1.8 million to secure the sturdy colt.

“He's a lovely horse, not tall, but strong and he looks a right type for Hong Kong,” said Columb. “While his pedigree does stand out we buy on type, then pedigree comes into it but it starts with the physicals. A turn of foot is very important in Hong Kong and we tend to go for yearlings that look like they could quicken. But obviously this horse is very well bred, Captain Al was a big draw for us and it's a shame he's not with us anymore.”

Columb and Richards confirmed their liking for the progeny of the deceased former champion sire when adding lot 199 to their shopping spree. This R700,000 Captain Al colt from Avontuur Farm could be in line for a pedigree update on Saturday when his relative Nother Russia (SAf) (Tiger Ridge) takes her chance in the G1 Sun Met at Kenilworth.

Soft Falling Rain (SAf) was a high-class performer for Hamdan Al Maktoum and Mike de Kock winning a Grade 1 in South Africa and the G2 Joel S. in Newmarket in 2013 and Shadwell's Angus Gold was keen to acquire a son of the young Wilgerbosdrift stallion and eventually won the battle for lot 167 for R1.4 million. Offered by Highlands Stud who also bred Soft Falling Rain, the colt is out of the smart sprinter Valdivia (SAf) (Var) who was a stakes winner and was also Group 1 placed.

“This is an outstanding colt, a big powerful horse out of a good sprinting mare. Hopefully he'll end up in Dubai after doing well here,” Gold said afterwards. “We are obviously keen to support the stallion and it's nice to come here and see quality horses that other breeders have produced by him. We have six in training by Soft Falling Rain and this fellow will go to Mike de Kock. It's a lot of money to give for a yearling by an unproven stallion but we like him a lot.”

Barry Irwin was also adding to his South African string over the weekend and after signing for a number of fillies on Saturday, headed by a R1 million Captain Al (SAf) filly (lot 58), the Team Valor boss was back in action on Sunday. Irwin's purchases increased to seven when he bid R400,000 for lot 228, a filly by Gimmethegreenlight (Aus) out of the stakes winner Country Girl (SAf) (Mon Sang) and he was certainly glad he made the trip to Cape Town.

“This is so much fun here, I feel like Sheikh Mohamed at this sale as I get to buy the horses that I really like. It's easy to buy a nice horse here, it reminds me of the old days.”

Six of the seven Irwin bought were fillies with the plan of sending them to race in America if they prove capable of doing so successfully.

Ross Doyle and his father Peter were other Europeans to get on the score board with their acquisitions including a son of Silvano from Winterbach Stud (lot 196) that cost R1.2m, while John Kilbride, who hit the big time a couple of years ago when he bought subsequent Classic winner Jet Setting (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) for just 12,000gns, finished up with three purchases from Saturday's opening session. Mick Flanagan also secured a number of lots over the weekend though not in his capacity of representing China Horse Club.

Not surprisingly Klawervlei Stud was the sale's top vendor with receipts of R42.2 million for 64 yearlings sold and the stud's John Koster said, “There was a lot of adversity in the lead up to the sale but as always this is an amazing game and just when you think the lights are about to go out people pitch up to support the industry. It was fantastic to see such participation from South African buyers and of course the overseas visitors played a big role in the sale's success.”

Curtain falls with mare sale…

CTS conducted a short breeding stock sale immediately after the yearling section with all mares, several with foals at foot, the property of CTS and sold without reserve. With Frankel supplying the top yearling in the sale, lot 263, Hadarma (Ire) (Sinndar {Ire}) and her colt foal by Frankel were bound to be popular and so it proved when she exited the ring following a bid of R2 million from John Freeman. The Frankel factor kicked in again six lots later when Queen Of Spain (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) (lot 269), accompanied by a Frankel colt sold to Rathmor Stud for R2.6 million. Earlier Dark Angel (Ire) proved his Southern Hemisphere appeal when his daughter Lost In Love (Ire), again offered with a Frankel filly foal as lot 265 sold for R1.5 million to Blue Rock Investments.