Star colt changes hands on Saturday, moved to Azzie yard on Monday morning.

Amsterdam, the 6-1 fourth favourite for this Saturday’s R2-million Gr1 SA Derbyover 2450m at Turffontein, will run in the orange with black-crossed sash silks of owner Adriaan van Vuuren after a deal was concluded on Saturday night at the CTS Emperors Palace Select Yearling Sale 2015.

Trainer Mike Azzie confirmed that his biggest patron had bought the Windrush gelding for an undisclosed sum from Hyperpaint Syndicate member Dominic Peter and arrived at his Randjesfontein yard yesterday morning.

“So far he’s settled in nicely. He ate up immediately and had a drink as soon as he arrived. He looks like a happy horse and is in good shape,” said Azzie. “We’re very happy with where he is at the moment. We’ll do normal work and check him out (on Monday) morning to see how he’s moving.

“We’d wanted to buy Amsterdam from Paul Peter since he beat a horse we fancied, Awesome Adam, into third in his debut and negotiations have been ongoing since then,” said Azzie. “A Hong Kong trainer, Danny Shum, was also interested in buying him, so he has been fully vetted.”

Amsterdam went on to win his second start as well, beating Urgent Fury in a handicap over 1600m, and his inexperience was evident third time out in the Gauteng Guineas, when he finished seventh behind Harry’s Son after getting “a nasty bump on the turn and losing his momentum”. He did much better in the SA Classic last month, when French Navy got the better of him only in the final strides after a fierce battle..

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