Perfect! Moonrise Sensation (Var x Earn A Moon)
One of the standout exceptional lookers amongst a high quality bunch on the Cape Premier Yearling Sale, a Var colt from Barbara Sanne’s Oldlands Stud, was the subject of enthusiastic bidding and went for R4 million early on a festive Friday evening, the second and final session of a spectacular sale.
Oldlands bred Moonrise Sensation (Var) top price on Day 2
It was a champagne moment for Barbara and Ian Sanne and their highest price achieved in 40 years of breeding high-quality thoroughbreds in South Africa. Oldlands graduates of recent years include international racers Sanshaawes and Lucky Find.
And what a colt they sold on Friday evening!
A casual passer-by could have picked up the masterful presence, stamp of quality and athleticism that marked the dark bay as he entered a hushed ring.
The Sanne’s confirmed that there had been plenty of interest shown in him. Ten individual vettings had been performed in the sale build-up.
Moonrise Sensation – leader of the pack as a weanling
“When Jeremy Nelson came out last year in July to photograph the weanlings, he was taken aback and said – wow, when he saw Moonrise Sensation. We noticed how he had blossomed and gone from zero to hero overnight. When the youngsters would run from one end of the paddock to the other, he would be miles ahead of the pack. And he has such presence. An exciting horse all round, ” said a delighted Barbara Sanne.
Bidding opened promisingly at R1 million and the smashing looker was bought by UK based Amanda Skiffington, an underbidder on the previous evening’s top-priced lot, Shining Knight (R5,2 million)
Amanda Skiffington – bought a gem
Skiffington of Anglia Bloodstock, bought the colt on behalf of Jersey-based Fiona Carmichael, who has 15 horses in training at any one time in the UK.
Fiona has owned some top horses, including the Prix Jean Prat winner Havana Gold who retired in 2014 to stand at David Redvers’ Tweenhills Farm and Stud.
She also raced the top-class Toronado with Chris Humber before being sold privately to Sheikh Joaan at three. The son of High Chaparral will stand his first season at the National Stud in Newmarket.
Her leading 2yo of last season, the Richard Hannon trained Ivawood, was a 2014 Cartier Awards nominee and is being touted as a serious Guineas contender.
Fiona fell in love with South Africa after being invited out to the L’Ormarin Queen’s Plate four years ago. She came to the sale for the first time this year, intending to ‘get the feel of it and maybe pick up something small’. The rest is history on that front!
Her newest acquisition is out of the Indigo Magic mare Earn A Moon, who is a half-sister to Mike De Kock’s Dubai stakes winner Lucky Find and the well-performed PE stakes performer Pay The Piper. Both won 8 races.
Earn A Moon is the dam of only one foal to race – Justin Snaith’s Back Minnaloushe filly Cat And The Moon, who has won two and was stakes placed two weeks ago when running on stoutly for third in the Listed Jamaica Handicap behind Gathering Fame.
Oldlands sent a total of 4 lots to the sale, and things ended supremely well, with their averages being boosted by Moonrise Sensation.
They sold the Elusive Fort colt Ohlala (#124) to Ridgemont for R275 000, the Judpot filly Light Indigo(#127) to Paul Peter for R350 000 and their last lot was sold to Ian Levitan. She was the attractive Ideal World filly, Arte(#155) who went for R200 000.
The Var progeny have been in serious demand and a thrilled Pippa Mickleburgh, GM of Avontuur Farm who stands the son of Forest Wildcat, congratulated the Sanne’s on an outstanding yearling.
She said that the overseas buyers not only added a whole new dimension but introduced a natural injection of confidence across the board.
“It is not easy to get them here. CTS have done a great job. I know we have good horses but maybe it is the mountain and the wines too!” she said.
