Optimism in Cape Town with new beginnings for Premier Yearling Sale

Racing in the Western Cape has undergone a dramatic transformation in recent months and the sense of a fresh start is reflected in the region’s signature auction, which takes place on Thursday.

Half a year ago, the organisation which chiefly ran Kenilworth racecourse was on the brink of collapse before being bailed out by a deal worth a reported R330million (around £16m) arranged with financier Greg Bortz and Owen Heffer’s Hollywoodbets.

It sees the Cape Premier Yearling Sale now staged under the new Cape Racing umbrella, with Bortz as executive chairman and former bloodstock agent Justin Vermaak running racing operations. For the last 12 years, it was a separate, privately owned entity.

Around 110 yearlings have been lodging in the Cape Town International Convention Centre for the last couple of days for inspections. A slimmed down catalogue is from a small batch of consignors but they include the pick from top studs in the area, such as Drakenstein, Klawervlei, Avontuur, Ridgemont Highlands and Maine Chance.

"In September last year Greg approached us and said he wanted to basically form a bit of a Keeneland model where the sales form part of the racing operation," said Grant Knowles, who oversees the sale.

"Any proceeds from those sales goes into the sustainability of racing here, for prize-money. This was a way to make it more encompassing that it’s a racing product, not just individuals or a private sales company."

It is difficult to strike the right balance in timing, as most South African yearlings will not be seen at their best until April, but there is an international slant to this event and this is summertime, when big players are in town.

Once again, the likes of Bjorn Nielsen, Fiona Carmichael and Peter and Anna Doyle have returned but any horses purchased will be staying put, given a ban on directly transporting to Europe because of the threat of African horse sickness has been in place since 2013.

News on a potential breakthrough with the EU remains on a day-to-day basis, but the Hong Kong Jockey Club has also taken an active interest in the export situation and there are hopes it could be an active buyer.

Furthermore, Knowles detects goodwill from within the national industry populace since the Bortz-led initiatives, which include appearance money and bonuses in the local races.

"It’s a rebuilding phase for South Africa and especially Cape Racing, new blood," he said.

"What they’ve done to the racing scenario in the last five months is nothing short of spectacular, they’ve basically reinvented Kenilworth racecourse. Feature race season has had more raiders from all over Johannesburg and Durban come here, and it has a spin off with the sale as they’re in town.

"I think in general the whole atmosphere we’ve had is really positive, because of the new spend, and having sales as part of it has been a great benefit."

Kenilworth's future has looked safer after the new investmentCredit: Hugh Routledge

The new format has seen Tattersalls become involved in a twinning arrangement. In the past, politicking meant that various farms would sell at rival auctions, but the Newmarket powerhouse now feels safe to lend its support as an act to the South African industry in general.

Change also sees the return of one of the country’s leading breeding operations in Varsfontein Stud, which has been in the hands of the Kalmanson family for half a century and has enjoyed international success of late.

Although Carl de Vos, long-serving stud manager, believes this year’s draft of eight will be a case of "testing the water", to have it back on side after a long absence must be considered a result.

Brother and sister, John Kalmanson and Susan Rowett, race fillies with Ger Lyons and Mark Johnston respectively, as well as others in France, winning races last year with Mackenzie Rose (Dark Angel) and Hazy Mehmory, by Mehmas, but their wider value is to be imported to South Africa to bolster the strength of their broodmares.

The biggest breeding success of late has been that of Yulong Prince, who won the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 as Surcharge in 2018 prior to his transfer into Zhang Yuesheng’s ownership. He would win the Group 1 Cantala Stakes at Flemington and is now at stud in Australia.

By Varsfontein’s Grade 1 winner and dual national champion sire Gimmethegreenlight, Yulong Prince is out of the Cliveden Stud-bred Diktat mare Congestion Charge, who was bought for the family for 62,000gns by Mags O’Toole at Tattersalls. They still have Congestion Charge and a full-sister to the Glen Eden Stud resident.

"We’ve grown tremendously," said De Vos. "This sale is a bit early for us, we don’t push our horses, but this is another outlet for us and I’m very happy to be here."

Carl de Vos and Varsfontein Stud has returned to this Cape Town sale

The stud could make a decent start as early as lot 2, who is by its useful resident stallion Master Of My Fate and has champion three-year-old filly Bela Bela under his third dam.

"He’s quite immature but a good horse person will see that he’ll come, from a family that’s very close to our heart," said De Vos.

"We raced Bela Bela, whose first foal Ciao Bella we have raced and was Group 1 placed this season.

"Lot 59 is the most mature, out of a stakes mare and by Querari, there’s been a lot of interest in him. Then 8 by What A Winter is out of a Camelot mare that Mags bought. Mags buys them all, so if they’re wrong, then it’s Mags’ fault!"

The Paarl-based stud has not only produced Yulong Prince but the dam of 2010 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Pluck and Irridescence, who beat Ouija Board in Hong Kong’s Queen Elizabeth II Cup.

"John [Kalmanson] is very keen on international racing but they always try to buy fillies that we can bring back," De Vos explained.

"It’s grown a lot now, the farm would own about 120 mares. For us here in South Africa, we only breed from about 2000 mares, so that’s a good chunk of it."

Varsfontein is no different to any of its rivals in the airy convention centre, being owned by wealthy individuals whose benevolence must have been pushed to the limit in fractured, difficult times.

"They absolutely live for it, that’s why they have success, they’re so passionate about it," De Vos said of his bosses. "When they buy things, it’s to improve the breed and that will have long-term effects for the country with some of those fillies that go into the system. They’ve invested a lot."

The sale begins at 2.30pm local time.

Read more

Rare look under the bonnet of a non black-type handicap winner

Relations to Grade 1 stars headline 'strong' Goffs UK January Sale catalogue

Sibling rivalry not easy to deal with but regally bred Gleneagles on right track (£)

Little Logician! First foal by St Leger hero on the ground for Stanley Clegg

My guide to the big hitters and hidden gems on the ITM Irish Stallion Trail