It is hard to believe but it is already the third month of the year which is flying by so quickly! The Cape Season is finished and the Gauteng season followed shortly by the KZN racing season is upon us! All the Sales are well on their way and things are definitely hotting up here in KZN.......

In Gauteng we had a graduate competing in the Cape Thoroughbred Sales Book 2..... EASY LOVER (pictured)  came 3rd to Sirens Call, the subsequent winner of the Guineas. He runs for racing enthusiast Ian Van Schalkwyk and it was trained by Duncan Howells. He had been in Gauteng with Stuart Pettigrew. Also in Gauteng SAME JURISDICTION recently started as favourite to win the Guineas but had a difficult passage- and was finishing well albeit a little flat footed for 5th .

We have had two Australian bred graduates win in Gauteng as well. ULTIMATE TIGER broke his maiden and SUPERTUBE won for the 3rd time of asking! Both are by Where’s That Tiger and were bred by their owners in Australia and raised and schooled at Ambleway! Larry Nestadt and Bernard Kantor bred and own ULTIMATE TIGER who won narrowly for trainer Dom Zacky from WOODY GLOW who was also a graduate of Ambleway! He won over 1700 meters for the team!

SUPERTUBE who won again for his owners- breeders the Messrs Botts, Nestadt and Kantor was conditioned by Sean Tarry and he won over the staying trip of 2600 meters by a half a length. Well done to you all....

The juvenile filly that we sold at the 2014 Ready To Run Sale won her debut easily for her purchaser Andre Van Vuuren and conditioner Michael Azzie. FROSTED HONEY came out and won for them over 1200 meters and this distance should be short of her best, being by Western Winter out of a successful French mare she is bred for further!
Michael Azzie loved her at the sales describing her as a ‘Lovely filly’. She was the filly’s sales topper and had been viewed by many as she was such a beautiful mover! Well done to you Michael for purchasing her and for Mr van Vuuren for buying her.....

In KZN we has a juvenile runner for Michel Roberts –VOUS ET VAR who ran a promising 2nd in his debut for Nic Jonsson. He showed pace and ran on over a sprint distance although he is bred to stay too!

Michael also won with an older horse, the 7 year old- INDIAN CONNECTION over the sprint distance of 1200meters .He was successful once again on the Greyville polytrack for his team of owners Messrs Kahan, Weinstein and White Heat Trading (nom Mr Bridgenun)

The mare UMOYANA has been knocking on the door and she won over a sprint distance for conditioner Tony Rivalland and owners Charles Harrison and partners. She is by Ravishing and was bred at Summerhill Stud.

Dennis Drier has had a few winners from Ambleway graduates including D’VASH, SEA FEVER and AVARICIOUS. D’VASH broke his maiden for The Shanks Syndicate (of BEACH BEAUTY fame) over the staying trip of 1900 meters. AVARICIOUS and SEA FEVER won for owner Jack Mitchell and his daughter- Nancy. The former horse had been knocking on the door for them over a mile trip, and the latter boasts good form having won two in a row for him and he was placed in his debut, albeit over sprint distances and it will be interesting for all to see if he goes over a trip.

Duncan Howells must have been very happy with MANDYS easy win by over 2 lengths! She is a daughter of Miesque Approval and won very easily when brought back to a sprint distance for him and her owners Dr SM Naidoo and Dr R Moodley. Well done to you all!

In PE we were again very proud of the 2nd win in a row of MURMERING SKY! She is conditioned by Alan Greef and races in the well known Graham Beck colours! She won over the mile trip and is by Jallad out of one of his USA mares, FAR OUT THUNDER, that we had schooled many years ago!

There is a never ending list of horses that have run into the places and will win soon........
DAGGER FALL, BIRKENS BEST, CHILL, MISS DECEMBER, FIREWOOD MISS ARGENTINA, LADY CARTER,DANCING ARROW,SLEWSGATE,SPIRIT OF DOVER, THE ARABIAN, FLY AT EM, WOODY GLOW, OVERBERRY, CRIME VICTIM, LE CHAT D AMOUR,
LEGEND FIGHTER, BREATHLESS, VOGUES WOOD, DUKE FLIES, BUSTER BROWN, DECLARATION, TRESHOLD, SABAHA, SARATOGA DANCER and ETHYLENE.

Watch these horses as they could well be in the winners enclosure soon!

The Val De Vie Sale was held at the Val de Vie Estate and it really was a lovely venue and the food and entertainment was great! The yearlings were well presented the select ones were chosen by the breeders and not by a selection panel as at other sales in the past..... the revival of the select sale was therefore questionable....only 6 made the top priced yearlings at the sale and quite a lot of non select horses made the top 15 prices! However it is meant to be a revival of the regional sale and it has its imperfections which the TBA will take home and re-evaluate

Top priced on the sale was a son of Dynasty purchased for R 1,1 million by John Freeman for owner Jack Mitchell. Varsfontein Stud had the next two top priced yearlings as well -so they had a great sale! The median for the sale varied from colts reaching 150 thousand and the fillies reached 80 thousand, the overall median being 120 thousand! The overall sale was whittled down to 80 sold so that would affect the prices....Overall the bidding started slowly at first but the average was just over 200 thousand mark......everyone could be happy, if they chose to.....

We will not be at the Cape Premier Book 2 Sale in March 20 and 21 to be held at Durbanville as always, but will be happy to help anyone grow out and school any of their purchases. Please do contact me on my cell 082 800 40 48 if you do need any assistance.

Happy racing!

Jane Trotter