Smaller vendors have plenty to offer at Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale
15 April 2010
THERE is always room for smaller vendors with nice horses at the Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale. Eight vendors will be selling only a handful of yearlings between them this year.  Their stock was well graded by the TBA’s selection team.

Gelykfontein Stud, who bred the famous 1966 J&B Met winning filly Renounce and several top handicappers since, will be represented by Lot 350 Smart Wood, a colt by Strike Smartly from Graded-placed Meranti , by Fort Wood. “He is a strong colt with good legs and a classic head,’’ said Gelykfontein’s Schalk van der Walt.

John and Maxine Cronin of Windermere Stud sent their six-time winning filly She’s A Star to Kahal (their best value stallion) and she produced her first foal, a colt named Kahal’s  Star (Lot 494), described as “a nice-looking horse with good bone that moves well.”

Highflyer Stud, consistently successful over many years, has a National Emblem colt (Lot 492) and a colt by Captain Al (Lot 529) at this year’s Sale.

The National Emblem colt, Sharp Design, is the 10th produce of speedster Sharp Ledge (Fine Edge) and this mating looks promising all the way down the fourth dam.

Rolling Home is the result of a Captain Al mating with Streak To Fame by Complete Warrior and his half-sister Burmese Cat just recently won a Listed Sprint at The Vaal, which makes him well worth a look.

Greenhill Farm recently hit the headlines when their filly Spiced Gold dead-heated in the Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic. Her half-sister Spice Princess (Lot 318) is by King Of Kings from Little Legend and Greenhill’s Lola Crawford describes her as  “strong, scopy and very correct.”

Greenhill’s colt Gold Eclipse (Lot 37) comes up early on Day One, Friday 23 April. He is by Muhtafal from Badgerina, by Badger Land. “This is a good cross and Gold Eclipse is physically outstanding. He’s bigger than you would expect a Muhtafal yearling to be and has plenty to work with. Team Valor’s Barry Irwin bought his half-sister Pageant Queen last year.”

Kopjeskraal Stud has consigned Stormy Tiger (Lot 156), a Tiger Ridge colt from Eve Gabriel, by National Assembly. His dam is a half –sister to Graded winning filly Bold Ellinore and Graded placed colt Emperor Napoleon. Stormy Tiger’s extended female line is packed with quality.

Also from Kopjeskraal comes Liberty Island (Lot 178), a Fort Wood colt from a young mare by Exploit (USA) with a stout international pedigree.

Henham Stud’s Trevor Rous is proud of Sylvan Vista, a Daylami colt from three-time winner Fine Year (Lot 175). He tells: “When the TBA’s John Kramer and Tobie Spies visited us they said he was one of the nicest Daylami yearlings they had seen. He’s a nice-sized horse, well balanced too.’’

Evening Flower (Lot 423) is by Strike Smartly from the Argosy-mare Plum Blossom, who has already produced five multiple winners, included the exported Heliotrope, 13 times successful. Rous says: “For those who take note of colours, Evening Flower is a chestnut with a white blaze from a bay sire and a bay dam, like top mare Prestic, who is by the same sire.”

Rennie Price of Wicklow Stud has consigned two fillies. Both, he explains, were mated to pedigree expert Olin Gentry’s principle of “returning to the sire the best blood of his dam’’.

Lot 62 is Awesome Wonder, by National Emblem, whose entire family black type originates with her fourth dam, Sister Sublime.

Lot 570 Victorius Mistress is by Victory Moon, whose sire Al Mufti has great affinity with his damsire Dancing Champ via Buckpasser, the sire of this filly’s fourth dam, Renounce.

Van Ree Stud’s proprietor Brad van der Riet aims at breeding good value yearlings for buyers. He brings to the Sale a colt by Dynasty named Shapiro (Lot 273), after the writer of the 1980s TV series that went by the same title. “He’s tall and good looking and his half-sister Esterel placed in the Nursery this season,” tells Brad.

Van Ree’s other entry is Lot 310 Jalinga, a filly by Jallad from Ligera, by Lingaro. She’s a full-sister to decent handicapper See The Light and has lots of black type in her South American female line.

For further information contact BSA’s Marketing Manager – Eamonn Cullen or Sales Manager - Caroline Simpson - +27(0)11 323 5700 • enquiries@tba.co.za. The catalogue is available on the website: www.tba.co.za or from TBA Sales Complex.