The 2023 Cape Yearling Sale took place at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth racecourse on Sunday, and the one day auction proved another strong and stirring renewal of a sale whose reputation continues to climb.
Under glorious sunshine, the sale saw increases posted in all of the aggregate, average and median prices, with a number of new stallions making their mark in the sales ring.
Moutonshoek’s sensational sire The United States, whose progeny include Saturday’s Bloodstock SA Sales Cup (Fillies) winner The Charleston, provided the top lot sold on Sunday.
Palancar, catalogued as Lot 97, was knocked down to Gary Player, for R850 000 to stand as the sales topping lot of the 2023 Cape Yearling Sale.
Consigned to the auction by Wilgerbosdrift, Palancar, a half-brother to five time winner Belle Of Belize, was produced by the winning Fastnet Rock mare Carrie Bow Cat. The latter’s Listed Upavon Stakes winning half-sister Alsace Lorraine also features as the granddam of Saturday’s G2 Carlton Draught Peter Young Stakes heroine Steinem.
Champion sire Gimmethegreenlight, whose daughter Live Your Life won Saturday’s G3 Prix Du Cap, was responsible for the top priced filly sold on Sunday, with the sire’s Gimmesmoreicecream (Lot 32) sold to Greg Bortz for R800 000.
Consigned to the sale by Varsfontein Stud, Gimmesmoreicecream had received a timeous boost when her Greg Bortz part-owned half-brother Salvator Mundi won the G2 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers run on WSB Cape Town Met day.
The sale’s aggregate rose from R22.57 million to R25.965 million, with the average and median prices increased from R155 655 and R110 000 respectively to R171 954 and R130 000, reflecting the strength and resilience of the Cape Sale this year.
Wilgerbosdrift headed the Leading Vendors list, with that Piketberg based farm selling all 15 of its yearlings for a gross total of R4.2 million. Wilgerbosdrift’s beautifully bred young stallion Buffalo Bill Cody made a big impression with his first yearlings, and the son of Redoute’s Choice ended the 2023 Cape Yearling Sale as Leading Sire by Aggregate. Buffalo Bill Cody had all eight of his lots sell for R2.18 million, with his top priced lot, a Narrow Creek Stud consigned colt out of Musical Romance, knocked down to Kestorm Investments for R410 000.
Central Route Trading were the Leading Buyers at the sale, and bought nine yearlings for an aggregate of R1.59 million.
A full list of prices and statistics for the Cape Yearling Sale can be found online at www.bsa.co.za
