The first five runners past the post in Saturday’s spectacular Grade 1 J&B Met are graduates from Sales held under the auspices of BloodStock SA. The winner, River Jetez, fetched R230 000 at the National Two-Year-old Sale in 2005. It’s just a matter of time before 2007 National Sales graduate Fort Vogue – a close fourth in his first attempt at winning the big race - recoups his R2,2 million purchase price.

Second-placed Mother Russia, bought for R160 000 the Cape Summer Yearling Sale in 2007, added R500 000 to her earnings, now R2,6 million. Fifth-placed Fabiani, also from the 2007 crop, earned R50 000 for his owners and has now repaid them almost 10 times over!

There are many other examples to be listed, but the big success story of the Cape Summer Yearling Sale is of course the mighty Pocket Power, sold for only R160 000 in 2004. His third place last Saturday yielded a further R250 000, taking his career earnings to a whopping R9,4 million.

How many champions are lurking in the catalogue of this year’s Cape Summer Yearling Sale? Among the 254 lots are the progeny of thirteen freshman sires, including Black Minnaloushe, Daylami, Greys Inn and Eyeofthetiger, as well as leading second season sire Tiger Ridge. SA’s leading stallion Silvano, who sired another Grade 1 winner when Bravura won Saturday’s Cape Derby, will be represented by six yearlings including a half-sister to last year’s sales-topper.

Other boom stallions Captain Al (7 yearlings), Victory Moon (12), Dynasty (2), Windrush (10) and VAR (6), are all well represented. There is saying in racing that “good horses will find you!”, but that can only happen if you get yourself a sales catalogue and make sure you roam around the stables and the sales ring on Sunday, 7 February. With a bit of luck the yearling that catches your eye may be the next Pocket Power!