In a market loaded with positivity and hungry for the return of horseracing’s halcyon days, the curtain came down on the 2022 BSA August 2yo Sale at the TBA Sales Complex in Johannesburg on Saturday with the numbers speaking volumes, as all stats are up year-on-year.
In the words of South Africa’s leading bloodstock consultant John Freeman, ‘the sale showed again that there is always money for a nice horse.’
John Freeman – upbeat and excited about the future
Freeman, who was forced to cut his attendance short due to health issues, added that it was encouraging to note that records had been broken ‘at something like the last six sales.
“There is a very positive vibe prevailing and with all the good news from the Cape, things are looking up. The topseller was a ringer for his ‘old man’ Gimmethegreenlight and what a beautiful specimen he was. As an observation, I picked up some real bargains, but with all the new 2yo incentives, it would be a big plus if the market were to really start appreciating the real value of the 2yo sires, as it did in the days of Golden Thatch,” recounted the veteran who also added that racing needed to find young people who believed in the sport as a vocation. He purchased 7 lots at a gross R1 515 000, averaging R216 429 each.
Alistair Cohen – serious talent behind the gavel (photo: hamishNIVENPhotography)
“There is plenty of good happening. But we now also have to convince the younger generation that this is a vocation worth pursuing!” And on the score of young talent, Freeman said that he felt that the talents of Alistair Cohen as an auctioneer were worthy of mention.
“Alistair’s connection with the audience and his ability to get the buyer to participate took me back to the days of Peter Lovemore. He is a unique talent!” he added.
With the Phumelela collapse and the covid-19 pandemic no longer medical certificates for failure, the recent good news emanating from the Cape and the announcement of 4Racing’s stakes for the year contributed to the spirit as this most resilient of industries showed its true colours again over two days of spirited bidding on a quality catalogue representing South Africa’s leading nurseries, bar Maine Chance Farms who were obliged to made a precautionary late withdrawal.
The statistics don’t lie! With 20% less lots through the ring than in 2021, the aggregate of R48 975 000 over the past 48 hours outstripped 2021 by 20%, with 222 lots being sold.
The average of R220 608 showed a 56% increase over 2021, with the median of R140 000 following suit.
Lot 91 – a magnficent Gimmethegreenlight colt was the sale topseller (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Topseller came on Day 1 in the shape of the Wilgerbosdrift consigned colt Yes We Can (Lot 91) who fell to a R3,8 million bid by Form Bloodstock. By Varsfontein Stud’s champion sire Gimmethegreenlight, the regally bred two-year-old caught the eye of many discerning buyers and was the subject of some spirited bidding.
Yes We Can is out of the Kahal mare Sarasota, winner of four races including the Gr3 Starling Stakes and dam of two winners including the stakes placed Hope Is Power. Friday’s top priced two-year-old hails from a high-class family, with notable relatives headed by former Equus Champion Festive Occasion, the dam of Gr1 Woolavington 2000 queen Do You Remember.
Jan Mantel’s Millstream Farm enjoyed a notable day on Friday when selling the top two priced fillies in the session. In a feather in the cap for Millstream, their Danon Platina filly (Lot144) out of Untoward sold to Suzette Viljoen for R720 000, and ended up the top fairer sex 2yo sold over the two days.
While we were not able to confirm the instructing purchaser or stable destination for the top lot, Form Bloodstock’s quintet topped the buyer log with their R5 685 000 averaging R1 137 000.
The vendor log had Wilgerbosdrift grossing R9 180 000 for their 18 lots which averaged R510 000 a head.
Varsfontein also sold 18 lots, at an average of R292 788, with Mauritzfontein’s ‘lucky’ 13 grossing R4 035 000 for an average of R310 385. Millstream’s Jan Mantel will be all smiles after his ten 2yo’s grossed R3 395 000 at an average of R339 500.
Top grossing sire was Varsfontein champion Gimmethegreenlight, whose 8 lots found R6 750 000 at an average of R843 750.
Maine Chance kingpin Vercingetorix sold 12 of his 13 for a gross R5 180 000 at an average of R431 667.
A full list of prices and statistics for the sale can be viewed online at www.bsa.co.za.
