Cape Premier Sale postponed to new date in mid-March

This month's Cape Premier Yearling Sale, the marquee South African auction, is being moved to a provisional new date of March 14 owing to the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions and disruption in the country.

Cape Thoroughbred Sales was scheduled to stage the event at the De Grendel Estate on January 28 but organisers are taking a pragmatic approach.

Grant Knowles, marketing and bloodstock director of CTS, said: "This has taken a great deal of thought and consideration. After consultation with the majority of vendors, I believe that it will be in everyone’s best interest to postpone our sale for roughly six weeks.

"We anticipate further restrictions on gatherings, both indoor and outdoor, affecting capacity at the De Grendel restaurant and the sales marquee. Additionally, we have concerns about accommodating grooms from 28 individual vendors at the sales venue."

The decision received the full support of leading industry figures such as Kevin Sommerville of Drakenstein Stud and John Koster of Klawervlei Stud.

De Villiers Graaff of De Grendel added: "It is the responsible thing to do, and we look forward to hosting the 2021 CPYS in March."

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