Dean Kannemeyer
Top Cape trainer Dean Kannemeyer suggests that there is great value and some outstanding quality to be had for the astute buyer in this weekend’s Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 2.
Kannemeyer, who achieved Gr1 success with two of the established stallions Dynasty and Express Way, and who has recently enjoyed the rare distinction of the Cape Guineas and Derby double, returned last week from a successful buying trip to Australia.
“We have had some very good fortune with our purchases Down Under in years gone by. I think here particularly of the likes of top horses like Guineas winner Le Drakkar and Winter Guineas and Winter Classic winner Royal Chalon, as well as Liancourt Rock who is in my Champions Season raiding party that left earlier this week for Durban. He has won 3 of his 5 starts. I rate him highly,” he said.
Liancourt Rock is by reigning champion sire Fastnet Rock, who has produced the top lot at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale for the past three years. His progeny were again in demand. Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock’s Darren Dance paid $450,000 for a Fastnet Rock colt out of the Group II winner Bird Of Fire.
The yearling is the first foal of the mare, who won the Group II Matriarch Stakes, Group II Queen Of The South Stakes and dead-heated for first in the Group III Tesio Stakes during her 34-start career. Dance said the colt was “the best Fastnet Rock I’ve seen all year and I’ve seen a few”.
Multiple Gr1 winning trainer David Hayes was another also keen on the offerings by Fastnet Rock, paying $340,000 for a colt out of VRC Oaks winner Arborea and $300,000 for a daughter of the Coolmore Stud stallion, which is a half-sister to the Group II-placed Sarah Vee.
Kannemeyer said that the popularity of the Australian market had caught on and said that there were at least thirty locals that he had seen in his travels this month.
“The reality is that besides their world class hospitality, they breed outstanding horses. But the sobering thought is that as opposed to the earlier years, we are now dealing with an exchange rate that has progressively gone against us. It doesn’t make complete sense to travel abroad if we can’t also have a bite at the top of their range though. At R9,50 for one Aussie dollar, we had to box very very cleverly,” he laughed.
Kannemeyer said that the quality of South African bred horses was as good as anything he had seen anywhere in the world, and thought that this weekend’s sale at Durbanville offered a catalogue that outstripped last year’s book in terms of quality.
“There is a good mix of established sires, as well as a few exciting first season boys. I have a beautiful half sister to Divine Jet, by Antonius Pius, who has made a flying start to his career here at Highlands. Then there was plenty of demand and admiration for the Seventh Rock progeny in the Book 1 January sale. Rebel King has also made a flying start, and I have a very smart filly called Leta’s Bonnet, who I rate highly.”
Kannemeyer said that both Mambo In Seattle and King’s Apostle were well performed racehorses, and he had been very impressed by the few specimens that he had seen of their first crop.
“And then beyond the eleven first season stallions, we have the established guys like Dynasty. I would have a yard full of his progeny if I had the choice and the means. Then Tiger Ridge has set the track alight in recent months, and he has proven time and again that he has the ability to throw them.Silvano is another quality produced, who can be relied upon to throw horses who are competitive at the highest level,” he said.
Kannemeyer said that he had been pleased by the volume of enquiries received at his office by prospective buyers, and that he would be reviewing each lot and selecting his short list on Thursday and Friday.
“This is definitely seen as the value sale, and with the impressive well balanced catalogue and the attractive new R7,5 million worth of stakes incentives on offer, prospective buyers realise the benefits,” he said.
284 lots are being offered and the sale commences at Durbanville Racecourse at 17h00 on Saturday 23 March.
Day 2 starts at 12h30 on Sunday 24 March. To view the online catalogue visit www.capethoroughbredsales.co.za.
