James Armitage’s Sandown Stud is a farm which produces talented racehorses on a consistent basis.
Not only does Sandown consistently produce high-class gallopers, many Sandown Stud bred stars have proved tremendous value.
The Sandown bred champion French Navy, South Africa’s Equus Champion 3YO Colt of 2014-2015 was a R100 000 buy as a two-year-old, but he went on to earn more than R5.128 million during a career which saw French Navy capture all of the G1 Daily News 2000, G1 SA Classic, and G3 London News Stakes.
Another champion bred by the farm, Magnificent Seven, cost just R140 000 when sold at the 2016 Sibaya KZN Yearling Sale and he too made a handsome return on his purchase price.
South Africa’s Equus Champion Stayer of 2018, Magnificent Seven earned nearly R1 000 000 in prize money and won all of the G2 New Turf Carrier Stayers (where he beat subsequent Gold Cup winner Dynasty’s Blossom into second), Listed Algoa Cup and Listed Settlers Trophy during his career.
Yet another fantastic bargain buy sold by Sandown was Tribal Dance, who cost just R40 000 when sold at the 2010 Emperors Palace National 2YO Sale. That son of Tiger Dance went on to earn more than R880 000 in prize money, with Tribal Dance’s five career wins including both the G3 East Cape Derby and G3 Campanajo 2200 in 2012.
Sandown Stud will be well represented at this year’s KZN Yearling Sale -not only is the farm offering a six strong draft on their own behalf, but they will also be offering yearlings on behalf of both Drakenstein Stud and Shadwell SA.
Sandown’s own draft is made up of yearlings sired by all of Pomodoro, Querari, Silvano, The United States, and Visionaire, with a potential standout lot being Silvaware (Lot 29), a Silvano filly whose stakes placed dam is a daughter of Cape Cross from the immediate family of 1000 Guineas winner Sky Lantern.
The farm will also be offering, on behalf of Drakenstein Stud, Hat Man (Lot 21) a Hat Puntano colt out of the stakes winning millionaire Mannequin, and this colt’s dam is very closely related to the dam of this season’s G1 Pongracz Cape Flying Championship winner Bohica.
Shadwell SA has four lots on this draft, namely yearlings by Captain Of All, Duke Of Marmalade and Rafeef. The latter, who has made such a sensational start to his stud career, is responsible for a colt (Lot 40) whose third dam is none other than legendary South African broodmare Mystic Spring.
This draft can be viewed, in its entirety, in blocks D and E at Durban’s Suncoast Casino.
