Maine Chance Farms’ five times champion sire Silvano proved the dominant factor at the 2020 Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale.
The son of Lomitas was responsible for the five top lots sold at the sale, with his son Celestial City (Lot 185) fetching R7 000 000 to top this year’s National Sale.
Consigned by Wilgerbosdrift, the full-brother to five time G1 winning champion Hawwaam was sold to Summerhill Equestrian’s Henning Pretorius.
Another son of Silvano, Pyromaniac (Lot 329) was knocked down to Antony Beck to top the final day of the National Sale, with the Maine Chance Farms bred colt fetching R2 300 000 at Saturday’s session. Out of the Captain Al sired G1 SA Oaks winner Pine Princess, Pyromaniac’s second dam is the stakes placed Badger Land mare Scent Of Pine with his other notable relatives including exported G1 SA Classic winner Lobo’s Legend.
Silvano, who had no fewer than seven lots fetch R1 000 000 plus, ended the National Yearling Sale as the sale’s leading sire by aggregate, with Silvano’s 26 lots to sell grossing R26 980 000.
The former Arlington Million was also leading sire by aggregate (sires with more than one lot sold), with Silvano yearlings averaging R1 037 692.
The 2020 National Sale took place in hugely difficult circumstances, with COVID19 lockdown restrictions, a large number of withdrawals and a tough market proving a major factor.
These factors played a part ensuring the sales’ overall statistics taking a knock, with the National Sale aggregate dropping to R87 065 000, and the average price falling from R318 219 to R295 136.
On a brighter note, the 2020 National Sale saw fewer horses failing to make their reserves, with 46 horses not selling this year -a drop from 79 lots in 2019.
Wilgerbosdrift, who consigned three of the top five lots, including the sales topper, were the top vendors -selling 18 of their 20 lots for a gross total of R16.655 million, while Form Bloodstock topped the National Sale’s buyers list, purchasing 26 thoroughbreds for an aggregate of R18.895 million.
A full list of prices and statistics for this year’s National Sale can be viewed live at www.bsa.co.za
