In a hastily convened short-notice auction hosted by Cape Racing Sales at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth after racing on Wednesday, the top-class Gr2 winner Red Palace was purchased for R3,8 million and will be transferring to the Dean Kannemeyer yard to continue her 4yo campaign in the interests of stalwart Cape racing folk, Terry and Annabel Andrews.
After some spirited bidding by some major local players after the last race, the hammer fell to existing partner Terry Andrews’ bid of R3,8 million.
Red Palace holds an entry in the 2025 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met and is likely to line up in the Cartier Gr1 Paddock Stakes on L’Ormarins King’s Plate day on 4 January 2025.
While she was sold with her engagement in Saturday’s SplashOut Gr3 Victress Stakes, the Sporting Post was unable to confirm whether she will actually take her place in the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas undercard feature.
Veteran Cape breeder Terry Andrews bred the daughter of Singspiel stallion Potala Palace out of the four-time winning stakes placed Jay Peg mare, In Limine.
Rated 119, Red Palace has won 5 races from 1400m to 2000m in her 15 starts to date, including the Riding High Together Gr2 Gold Bracelet last season for the Candice Bass-Robinson yard.
She performed with great credibility when runner-up behind Snow Pilot in the 2023 Hollywoodbets Gr1 Cape Guineas.
Terry and Annabel Andrews originally owned 50% of Red Palace in partnership with longstanding racing man Carlos Goncalves (30%), the Breydenbach family (10%), and brother-and-sister team Mark and Candice Bass, who owned 5% each.
Former part owner Carlos Goncalves received a decent return on his original investment and told the Sporting Post after the sale that he wished Terry and Annabel Andrews the very best. He added that he felt that Red Palace was a lively prospect in both the Paddock Stakes and Met.
“I don’t recall ever having had to pay in on keep costs for her. She was a massively talented and exciting filly to be a part of and we’d all love to own ten of her. We will follow her progress with keen interest,” he added.
The Sorrento Stud home-bred was withdrawn from the 2022 Cape Yearling Sale after injuring herself in the float. With the Andrews’ retaining 50%, a partnership was put together for a gross R160 000 by Mark Bass.
Next to Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint winner Singforafa, Red Palace ranks amongst the best fairer sex progeny of her sire.
While Wednesday’s flash sale of Red Palace came about in the ebb and flow of life as a decision to dissolve a partnership, it’s clear that there is always money for a decent horse as reflected in the interest of some serious racing folk.
And we ideally need more of this type of public sale platform of quality black-type fillies in training, which can give owners good returns, while at the same time providing a collateral barometer of market value – much like the Tattersalls December mare Sale does for the UK market.