This weekend past saw a number of expensive thoroughbreds come to the fore in South Africa.
From Party Crasher (a R650 000 buy from the 2015 National Yearling Sale) to Live Life (a R2.5 million buy from the 2015 Cape Premier Sale), pricey purchases ruled the roost this weekend!

Live Life (Trippi), who had been second in the Listed Perfect Promise Sprint, was picking the second win of her brief career when successful in a FM 76 handicap at Durbanville on Saturday.
The Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm bred three-year-old, who is a half sister to former Gr2 Choice Carriers Fillies Championship winner Cold As Ice (Western Winter), was the eighth top lot sold at the 2015 Premier Yearling Sale, and also ranked as the third most expensive filly sold at that sale.

Live Life is out of the high class racemare Viva (National Assembly) – whose seven wins included the Gr3 Champagne Stakes.

Party Crasher, one of two winners at Durbanville on Saturday for sire Philanthropist, was the second highest priced Philanthropist yearling sold at the 2015 National Sale.
Her popularity came as no surprise, with this Hallmark Thoroughbreds bred filly being out of former champion First Arrival (Northern Guest) –whose six previous winners include 2 Equus Award winners! (Let’s Rock’n Roll and In The Fast Lane).

The beautifully bred Road To Indy looks most unlikely to earn back his purchase price of R2 500 000 back –but he was another expensive buy who scored this weekend, with the Tara Laing trained gelding landing a novice plate at Fairview on Friday. By former US champion sire Distorted Humor (sire of promising Cape sires Pathfork and Flower Alley), Road To Indy is out of an A P Indy half sister to Gr1 Kentucky Derby winner and sire Monarchos (Maria’s Mon).

Another blue blood to salute at Durbanville on Saturday was the Lammerskraal Stud bred Bishop’s Bounty (Western Winter), who was knocked down for R1 400 000 at last year’s CTS Ready To Run Sale Presented by Lanzerac Hotel & Spa. The Michael Leaf owned colt –a full brother to Gr1 winners Nania and Red Ray – downed the heavily back favourite, and four-year-old, Rodney (Tapit) to make a winning 3yo debut and Bishop’s Bounty could well provide his deceased dam Nacarat with yet more feature race glory before too long! 

IMAGE from AVONTUUR ESTATE of mare, VIVA