After a tough two days of trading, the 2015 Suncoast KZN Yearling Sale came to a close Friday afternoon.
Following a promising first day of trading, prices dropped dramatically on the second and final day of the KZN Sale.
And, while the sale’s aggregate was up from R21.562 million from last year’s total of R20.215 million, the 2015 sale's average price dropped from R102 096 to R99 364.
The median remained steady at R70 000, but 25 lots failed to sell –as opposed to five last year.
Highlands Farm, the sales’ leading vendor by aggregate, consigned the sales topper, a daughter of Drakenstein Stud’s highly successful sire Trippi. Catalogued as lot 72, the filly, named Announcing Rain, was knocked down to Adriaan Van Vuuren’s Misty Meadows for R600 000 on the first day of the sale. It is not the first time that Highlands have consigned a Trippi sales topper at this sale, with the Robertson nursery having previously consigned Tiger Territory to top the sale in 2012.
The sales topper certainly has plenty to recommend her. Not only is she a daughter of one of South Africa’s most popular sires, but Announcing Rain is out of the stakes placed and stakes producer Far Off Thunder, a daughter of Kentucky Derby winner and champion sire Thunder Gulch. Her second dam is Far Out East matron Far Out Beast, whose 9 wins included the Gr1 Flower Bowl Invitational.
Top priced colt at the Suncoast Sale of 2015 came in the form of Highlands Farm’s record breaking sire Dynasty. The sole lot on offer by his outstanding sire, the Wilgerbosdrift consigned colt was knocked down to Paul Peter for R575 000. The cleverly named Optical Illusion, catalogued as lot 45, was produced by the National Assembly mare Child Of Vision, a half sister to 3 black type winners including former July third Bound By Honour.
Highlands led the vendors list, with their 10 lots grossing a total of R2.32 million, and placing them ahead of Maine Chance Farms, Wilgerbosdrift, Mauritzfontein and Boland Stud.
Leading buyer at the sale was Misty Meadows, whose 6 lots were bought for a total of R1.645 million, while the sale’s top sire, by aggregate, was former champion sire Silvano. The latter had 4 lots to sell for R1.080 million, with his top lot being lot 68, a colt out of former Cape Fillies Guineas winner Emerald Beauty, who was knocked down to Tony Rivalland for R400 000.
TBA’s CEO Kevin Woolward admitted after the sale, “It was a tough sale with prices taking a substantial drop on day two. The average dropped notably from last year while the increase in horses not sold rose drastically. However, the venue once again proved popular and BSA would like to thank Suncoast Casino for the ongoing support. Also, a big thank you to all the breeders and buyers who have supported the Suncoast KZN Yearling Sale this year.”