Ambiance Stud’s Dr Marianne Thomson has bred more than her share of champions over the years.

From the remarkable full-brothers Al Nitak and The Sheik, to Met winner Alastor, Dr Thomson has built up a considerable reputation for producing top-class racehorses from relatively modest means.

In recent times, graduates of Ambiance include G1 Golden Horse Sprint winner Alesian Chief, G2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper winner Cockney Pride and this season’s top-class three-year-old Royal Victory. The latter, himself a Bloodstock South Africa graduate, showed his class when running out a facile winner of the recent G3 Tony Ruffel Stakes and clearly ranks as one of the leaders of his generation.

Dr Thomson also bred erstwhile champion sprinter Cataloochee, who has a very close relation on offer at the 2023 Cape Yearling Sale in the form of Lava Burst (Lot 156). The latter, a colt by promising young sire Erupt, is out of Love Galore, a full-sister to G1 Computaform Sprint/G1 Golden Horse Sprint victor Cataloochee.

This draft, which also includes yearlings by Erupt and Horizon, also features the well bred Var colt Deco Var (Lot 131). The latter, out of a high-class daughter of Captain Al, hails from the very same family as impressive recent G1 Pongracz Cape Flying Championship winner Gimme A Prince and the latter’s G1 winning dam Real Princess.

Ambiance Stud’s draft for this year’s Cape Sale can be viewed in Block E at Kenilworth racecourse in the days leading up to the sale.