Bloodstock South Africa's three-day National Yearling Sale came to a close in Johannesburg on Thursday. Session 1 of the sale, which comprised Tuesday's session and part of Wednesday's, returned an aggregate of R99,480,000, with average and median prices of R585,176 and R332,500, respectively.
Last year's sale, which comprised just one session, returned an average of R303,726 and a median of R175,000 for 369 sold.
Session 1 saw a new record set when Varsfontein Stud's son of champion sire Dynasty (SAf) (lot 191) was knocked down to Jehan Malherbe of Form Bloodstock for R5.2-million. That sum for the half-brother to champion Yorker (SAf) (Jet Master {SAf}) topped the previous record of R5-million set last year by a daughter of Var. Dynasty was the sale's leading sire by average, his 13 lots sold averaging R1,445,000, and he was trailed by Captain Al (SAf) (15 sold for an average of R1,444,333), and Silvano (Ger) (15 sold, R772,333).
Session 2 of the National Yearling Sale, which comprised part of Wednesday's session and Thursday, returned an aggregate of R40,210,000 for 208 sold, with an average of R193,317 and a median of R140,000. Two yearlings made R1-million: a son of Ideal World (lot 340) bought by trainer Dennis Drier on Wednesday and a colt by Twice Over (lot 418) picked up by agent John Freeman on Thursday. Both those sires are former Juddmonte representatives, Ideal World being a stakes-winning son of Breeders' Cup winner Banks Hill (GB) (Danehill) and Twice Over being the celebrated four-time Group 1 winner. Ideal World is best known now as the sire of the three-time Group 1-winning mare Smart Call (SAf).
There was likely some concern heading into the country's largest yearling sale, with the fallout of Mayfair Speculators causing uncertainty within the industry and the recent announcement by Team Valor's Barry Irwin that he was withdrawing from the South African industry, but Bloodstock South Africa's Gary Grant said, “This sale has seriously endorsed the [Bloodstock South Africa] product. In my opinion, this has been the best local sale in years, with a happy and positive atmosphere translating into exceptional all-round results. It was pleasing to note that the fireworks enjoyed on day one continued well into the morning of Wednesday's session. The sale has certainly over-performed expectations.”
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