Former South African Horse Of The Year National Colour (National Assembly) has really made her presence felt at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale over the past few years.

The former speed merchant was responsible for the third top lot sold at last year’s Easter Sale, when her Redoute’s Choice son was knocked down to Shadwell Stud Australasia for AUS$1.75 million.Shadwell’s Angus Gold said of the purchase, “He's an absolutely outstanding individual, by a stallion we obviously know very well and his dam was a champion. We tried to identify early in the week the best colts and I thought he was right up there. He's just a beautiful, quality horse who has behaved himself all week.

Just one year earlier, the former South African champion had had a Redoute’s Choice filly fetch AUS $675, 000, while a Redoute’s Choice colt out of National Colour was knocked down for $800 000 in 2014.All three yearlings were knocked down to Shadwell. In 2017, National Colour will be represented by a grey filly by Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) on the Easter Yearling Sale. The filly on offer, the fifth foal produced by National Colour, is a half-sister to two more than useful winners in South Africa, including the very promising Rafeef (Redoute’s Choice).

The latter has won four of his six outings to date for trainer Mike de Kock. Bred by Altus Joubert, National Colour was an outstanding racemare, who competed at the top level both in South Africa and overseas. She won seven of 10 outings in South Africa, where her wins included the Gr1 Computaform Sprint, Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint and the Gr1 Mercury Sprint.

National Colour was subsequently named joint Horse Of The Year in 2005-2006. Exported to compete overseas, the grey flying machine did not enjoy the best of fortunes, although she won in Dubai and also finished a close up second in the historic Gr1 Nunthorpe Stakes.