There was a time, between 2002 and 2008, that the National Sale carried a Select session. It used to be that a team of yearling inspectors rated all yearlings entered for the sale, while a paper-pedigree panel did the same.
Then their scores were added to be able to arrive at a Select rating – and valuable Green-Pages nomination. The Select Sale system brought excitement, and worked for everyone, buyers and sellers alike. Green-Page yearlings, on the whole, proved to be better performers than their National Sale White-Page counterparts. And Green-Page yearlings got better prices.
Buyers no doubt appreciated that some of the hard work had been done for them!
During the seven years of Green-Pages, the sale average climbed from an initial R120k in 2002 (20% up on the previous year) to a giddy R398k record in 2008, with a record gross of some R200 million. Then suddenly the Green-Pages were dropped from the National Sale catalogue. In marketing terms it was about as dumb a decision as you could make. We can but guess what the real reason behind it was.
There had been turmoil in the financial markets in 2008, which probably had an impact on the National Sale prices of 2009 – the first without Green-Pages. Even so, the drop in average was shattering, from the R398k record down to R310k. It never quite recovered – there were other reasons, such as the emergence of CTS, but the 2014 average of R347k was as high as it got since 2008.
Now at the all-new Val de Vie sale, Select makes a hesitant return.
It’s a small portion of a small catalogue. It’s not well promoted by the sales company. And it is different in its detail – no longer do inspectors and paper panellists make decisions about what’s select and what’s not, but it is the vendors themselves who put their heads on the block. They pay higher entry fees for their Select yearlings, and run the risk of ridicule if buyers see things differently.
Will vendors be able to outdo the inspectors and pedigree panel? Youbetya!
When Futura’s breeder Guy Murdoch describes Mauritzfontein’s Trippi yearling as a great looking and correct colt, or Legislate’s breeder Vaughan Koster says his Var colt’s best attribute is that he’s very athletic, we all to sit up and listen.
We’re holding our breath to see how the Select Val de Vie sale will go. A Select portion at any sale is a big deal. For the sake of the future, this one simply has to work.
What follows is a summary of the thirty Select yearlings at Val de Vie, grouped by sire. We asked the vendors to give some background as to why they’d chosen them as Green Page material (the pages aren’t actually green in the catalogue, but you get the drift).
Peculiarly, not all responded to the call – for those who did their comments are incorporated.
Enjoy the ride.
Sires Of Select Yearlings
Captain Al
Captain Al
Highly ranked throughout his career, as evergreen sire of Gr1 colts and fillies. Usually the leader in SA as sire of 2yo’s.
#4 this colt is half brother to Maurtitian dual stakes winner Captain’s Knock and Gr3 placed Quick Single; their dam Caughtintheslips won the middle leg of the fillies Triple Tiara, and ran second in the other two; described by the vendor as a ‘big, attractive, high quality colt who should attract attention’ (Varsfontein)
#25 this filly is the second foal of her dam Secret Risk, a stakes winner over 2200m; she’s a half sister to a bunch of winners (one stakes placed) from a useful female line created by Peter & Val Fenix; stud master Bennie van der Merwe describes her as a ‘racy, strong individual’ (Moutonshoek)
Dynasty
Dynasty
No self-respecting big owner would be content these days without a Dynasty! The Gr1 winning son of Fort Wood has the making of headlines down to a fine art, witness Queen’s Plate and Met hero Futura – his latest star. There are three of Dynasty’s offspring at this sale, all are Select colts.
#7 this is a half brother to winners, their dam a Gr3 winning miler by Jet Master, with a MR 90; the female line is proper Gr1, the grandam a full sister to sires Thatching and Golden Thatch, their pedigree background the same as Dynasty’s grandsire Sadler’s Wells and major sire Nureyev (Wilgerbosdrift)
#9 this is the Argentine female line of Taima Bluff and Tecla Bluff, and their numerous Gr1 offspring; the dam of this colt is full sister to Gr3 stayer Key Castle and half sister to Gr1 stayer Major Bluff; there are two multiple winning half siblings to the colt, both speed horses (Drakenstein)
#10 another colt out of a Jet Master mare, the stakes placed multiple winner Kiss And Fly; the youngster is her 5th foal, and has four winning siblings, one Gr3 placed; this is the Gr1 family of Kiss Of Peace, and further back Harry Hotspur and Rotterdam; the vendor’s report is full of superlatives: classy, well balanced, faultless and oozing quality – sounds very much like the pick of their string (Varsfontein)
Fort Wood
Fort Wood
The death last month of this former Champion sire reminds us of what an amazing influence the son of Sadler’s Wells still has in South Africa. Apart from numerous daughters, he has sons and grandsons at stud to keep the legacy. He’s here with a colt whose pedigree is a head turner.
#13 is a half brother to three winners, all by Fort Wood’s son Horse Chestnut, the winners including US G1/2/3 placed Isipingo; their dam is by Woodman out of a full sister to the unforgettable Miesque, by Nureyev – everything’s there to make a stallion. Stud manager Guy Murdoch says the colt is big! (Mauritzfontein)
Gimmethegreenlight
Gimmethegreenlight
Going down in history as the first 3yo in 40 years to win the Queen’s Plate, and twice conqueror of Variety Club. The first yearlings are under the hammer this year for the Australian bred son of US-sire More Than Ready. The latter has Gr1 producing son Sebring at stud in Australia, which makes him a proper sire-of-sires.
Buyers weren’t shy to spend on his progeny at the Cape Sale held in January, where his yearlings went for as much as 900k, 500k, 450k, 425k (etc).
#15 is a half sister to a winner; his two-time winning dam, by Royal Academy, comes from a female line with Gr1 performers across Europe (Wilgerbosdrift)
#20 this filly is the third foal of her dam, who is half sister to SA Oaks winner Sabina Park (dam of Master Sabina) and two other dams of stakes horses; described by the vendor as a very attractive, precocious type, with powerful shoulder and hind quarter – a ringer for her sire! (Varsfontein)
#23 this colt is the second foal of his dam, who is a full sister to highclass Fort Wood mare Secret Heart – after export, the latter got Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Turf winner Pluck, now a stallion in Australia at Vinery Stud; there’s more: the colt’s dam is half sister to Champion 3yo Filly Promisefrommyheart, who bred Master Of My Fate, now a stallion at Varsfontein; this is the highly successful Soho Secret family of champions London News, Kings Gambit, etc. The vendor describes him as a well developed, strong type, with good legs and a lovely action (Varsfontein)
Horse Chestnut
Horse Chestnut
Like Dynasty a son of influential Fort Wood. He started his stud career in the US, where he sired highclass performers despite getting only limited opportunity. He returned to South Africa to carve out a second career. Last season’s 3yo Gr1 performer Rake’s Chestnut is from his first SA crop.
#2 ‘a smashing individual already, despite being a November foal’ says vendor Bennie van der Merwe; the filly is half sister to a winner, her dam a stakes placed winner of five and full sister to stakes winner My Squeeza, from the female line of Champion racemare Bold Cherry (Moutonshoek)
#6 the Chilean-bred dam of this filly produced four winners from matings to four different stallions; those winners include Gr1 Summer Cup winner Wagner, and Siegfried, a winner in SA & Mauritius by Horse Chestnut’s paternal half brother Dynasty (Wilgerbosdrift)
Ideal World
Ideal World
Son of Champion racemare Banks Hill, who is full sister to successful sire Dansili. Ideal World raced in France, staying 2000m and more, rated Timeform 118. His first crop were 2yo’s last season. His best daughter Smart Call, who showed good form over a mile early at 3, is out of a half sister to Greys Inn.
#16 this colt is a half brother to two winners by Greys Inn, their dam a winning daughter of champion 3yo filly Dog Wood, from the direct female line of another champion, Enchanted Garden; the colt is ‘big, attractive’ according to Murdoch (Mauritzfontein)
#28 this filly is the third foal of her dam; that is Treaj Pots, a stakes winner with 4 wins from a mile to mile and a half as well as being half sister to Natal Oaks winner Sweetie Pie; all of which suggests that this Ideal World yearling filly will have classic stamina, befitting her Brazilian champion’s pedigree background (Wilgerbosdrift)
Judpot
Judpot
This half brother to worldclass stallion Kingmambo sired Gr1 winners of both sexes in his very first crop – one of which, the champion 2yo filly Along Came Polly, subsequently found her way to the USA as a 3yo.
#8 this yearling colt is a full brother to Mister Cricket, another top performer from Judpot’s spectacular first crop – he finished 2nd in the Gr1 SA Classic, then died, having run just five times; another full brother, born in 2012, died as a foal – it’s tough out there! The yearling colt’s dam is full sister to SA Fillies Classic winner Caughtintheslips, who was runner-up in the Fillies Guineas and Oaks. Stud master Carl de Vos says that the big, rangy yearling colt has already more to him than Mr Cricket had – he shows an ‘elastic, fluid action in the paddock, and is very correct’. (Varsfontein)
Lateral
Lateral
Champion 2yo in Italy & Germany, champion 3yo in Germany, and champion older miler in Germany. This son of Singspiel cracked it as a stallion as well, siring stakes performers in his first two German crops, and following up in SA with his first-crop Gr1 2yo filly Bilateral and current 3yo Gr2 Dingaans winner Unparelleled.
#17 this colt is from the female line of champions Cherry On The Top and Royal Aproval (and other Gr1 performers); his dam (by Western Winter) is a multiple winning half sister to Wild Type, an 8-time winner and runner-up in Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint; the youngster is described as ‘correct & balanced’ (Mauritzfontein)
Mambo In Seattle
Mambo In Seattle
Mambo has all the credentials: a narrow Gr1 runner-up in the USA, by top sire Kingmambo, and out of a full sister to US Champion sire AP Indy. Sire in his first crop of 2yo Gr1 millionairess Same Jurisdiction, currently a lightly raced 3yo with her eye on the big features later this season.
#19 is a half brother to four winners by different sires, from a successful Odessa female line brimming with Gr1 talent: Counter Action, Perfect Order, Divine Fashion, etc; the colt’s siblings include Met-day winner Triptique, who now has 3 wins and 2 seconds from just five starts; stud master Van Der Merwe says he’s a magnificent colt, typical of Mambo – with size, scope, good bone, and correct (Moutonshoek)
Pathfork
Pathfork
Top class racehorse as a 2yo, rated Timeform 119+, from a sire producing female line – his dam, by Sadler’s Wells, is half sister to sire & sire-of-sirs Spinning World, by Sadler’s Wells close relative Nureyev. His first two yearlings went through the ring at the Cape Sale in January, selling for 100k and 675k – nice return on Pathfork’s 20k studfee.
#12 this filly is out of Gr1 placed (as a 2yo) Lexington Love. Who is also dam of Gr1 winner and sire Cataloochee and another colt who won eight races; described by breeder Marianne Thomson, who has seen a few champions go through her hands, as having a very good conformation (Ambiance)
Philanthropist
Philanthropist
Started his career in Canada, with excellent reults: he’s a leading sire and produced a Gr1 winning Champion sprinter there. He was represented at the Cape sale last months with a baker’s dozen yearlings, who all found new homes. The top colt went for 700k, the top filly for 550k – all thirteen went for 225k and more.
#1 this colt kicks off the Select sale, and should do so in style; he’s half brother to last season’s Gr1 winning 2yo Afrikaburn, while his 3-time winning dam is a granddaughter of French champion 2yo filly Sigy (by Habitat from the Pretty Polly female line) (Drakenstein)
#3 this colt is half brother to winners in US and SA; his stakes placed 3-time winning dam is half sister to Irish Guineas winner & sire Fourstars Allstar and also is half sister to two dams of Gr2 winners in UK and USA (Drakenstein)
#22 this colt has a Chilean pedigree background, with well performed relatives in SA: his Gr2 Natal Derby third dam (by Fort Wood) is half sister to Gr3 placed 5-time winner Berlusconi (by National Assembly); the youngster is half brother to a 3-time winner (Drakenstein)
Silvano
Silvano
SA Champion sire, with a vast array of Gr1 winners, both here and abroad – his latest international highlight his son Vercingetorix.
#21 is a full brother to SA Derby winner Seal, from a family which has produced more than a fair share of Gr1 winners, including Quarrytown, Polo Classic and Face North (Drakenstein)
Tiger Ridge
Tiger Ridge
He’s no longer with us, but during his career sired Gr1 winners over all sorts of distances: Cherry On The Top, Kavangh, Wagner.
#27 this colt is out of Gr3 placed 3-time winner Traviata, half sister to winners out of stakes placed Mazagan, from an international female line; described by the stud master as a fine example of Tiger Ridge progeny, a scopey and flashy colt (Moutonshoek)
Toreador
Toreador
Most successful son of Danehill at stud in SA, and sire in 2015 of one of the leading 3yo fillies in the country, Lazer Star
#11 this filly is the third foal of her dam Kiss For Kate, a 3-time winner who was twice Gr1 placed as a 2yo; she hails from the potent Let Kiss female line; vendor describes her as a ‘strong, beautifully topped filly’ (Moutonshoek)
Trippi
Trippi
Leading sire of 3yo’s at time of writing, his daughter Inara dual Gr1 winner (Paddock & Majorca S.)
#5 second foal of 2-time winning Fort Wood mare who is full sister to two other multiple winners; this is the family of Horse of the Year Celtic Grove and Gr1 performer Hold The Fort (Fort Wood); ‘a great looking, correct colt’ says Guy Murdoch. (Mauritzfontein)
#14 colt out of Gr3 winner of six races Milden Magic, who already produced Gr3 placed Silver Apples as well as the dam of Louis The King (Drakenstein)
#18 the dam of this colt has a smashing pedigree background, with his dam a daughter to champion Olympic Duel; the yearling is half brother to a winner; stud master reports the colts stands over ground, is deep through the girth, well put together, and altogether a lovely colt (Varsfontein)
#24 this filly is the second foal of Gr2 placed stakes winning Al Mufi mare Secret Pleasure, from the female line champion filly Witchita (Wicklow)
Var
Var
Sire of top performers over all sorts of distances, including the world’s fifth best racehorse in 2014, Variety Club
#26 this colt is bred on the sire x broodmare sire cross that got 2yo Gr1 winner Villandry; the yearling is half brother to 3 winners, which include Gr2 placed stakes winner Control Freak – their dam is Gr1 and Gr3 placed Time Control, from the female line of Model Man; stud master Vaughan Koster describes him as ‘a quality individual with a great attitude, very correct and scopy – his best attribute is that he’s very athletic’ (Cheveley)|
Archipenko
Archipenko
This winner of the Gr1 Queen Elizabeth Cup in Hong Kong raced with Mike de Kock, notched up a couple of Graded wins & places in Dubai, and was an unlucky second in the Arlington Million. He had a rating around 122. With his impeccable pedigree, by Kingmambo out of half sister to Nureyev, it was always on the cards that he went to stud in the UK. Archi sired Gr1 F&M Champions Stakes winner Madame Chiang in his first crop, and scored highly with his second crop of 2yo’s in 2014 (over 50% winners to runners).
Madame Chiang has an interesting pedigree. Her Gr1 placed grandam Kiliniski is by Niniski (son of Nijinsky) out of the Hawaii mare Kilavea, who is a half sister to Archipenko’s dam Bound (by Nijinsky out of Special). That gives Madame Chiang a double of the mare Special (bottom female line of sire and dam). Added to that, Archipenko is by Kingmambo, a son of champion racemare Miesque, who is by Nureyev – a son of Special, giving that mare a treble in the pedigree.
His two Select colts are bred Northern hemisphere time, and are out of mares specifically bought by Ashley Parker to be mated to him (the Parkers raced Archi in partnership with Mike de Kock and retained an interest when he went to stud).
#29 is a March-foal, and is half brother to two winners in the UK including middle distance winner Commend who rated Timeform 94 as a 3yo; the unraced dam is half sister to five stakes horses, notably US G1 winner Jovial.
#30 is an April-foal, and is half brother to 3 winners in Italy and Dubai, one of them stakes placed in Italy, by Duke Of Marmalade; their dam won in France, and is half sister to five stakes performers – the grandam is a French Gr1 winner; this is the productive Horama female line, known in SA through Hobnob (sire of Gr1 winner Novenna, the third dam of Variety Club).
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More Shades Of Grey
Movie theaters all over are releasing the movie Fifty Shades Of Grey for Valentine’s weekend.
To turn up the heat, Riverton Stud releases this season’s first grey yearling offspring of stallion Blue Tiger (what’s in a name?) at Val de Vie.
Blue Tiger, who’ll have his first 2yo runners this season, was a solid Gr1 performer from 1000m to a mile when trained by Mike Bass. He finished twice runner-up in the WFA Cape Flying Championship, and also in that spectacular Gr1 Gold Challenge over a mile at WFA at Clairwood, where his front running tactics caused the unexpected defeat of his stable mate Pocket Power.
Pictured here are father Grey Tiger and son Mercury Fire, catalogued as lot 60 at Val de Vie. The colt is the first foal of his 3-time winning dam Grey Rose (more Valentine connections!), who is by Tiger Ridge out of Gr2 placed Rose Gypsy.
Stud master Duncan Barry calls the colt a superb athlete – now that’s staying with the theme, and putting Tigers in your tank!
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