A number of prominent South African owners, trainers and bloodstock agents have been in action during the first sessions of the 2017 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale in Australia.

Form Bloodstock’s Jehan Malherbe has picked up two lots thus far –a colt by Black Caviar’s four time Gr1 winning half-brother All Too Hard (Casino Prince) for AUS$30 000, and a brown filly by Gr1 Cox Plate hero Shamus Award (Snitzel) for AUS$90 000. The latter, consigned by Two Bays Farm (as Agent), is out of a winning Fastnet Rock ¾ sister to former SA champion and multiple Gr1 winner Alboran Sea (Rock Of Gibraltar), now retired to Wilgerbosdrift.
(Alboran Sea was herself a AUS$105 000 from this sale back in 2013).

Paul Guy’s Heritage Bloodstock South Africa has also been busy at the Premier Sale thus far, with Heritage SA signing for two lots at the time of writing.
First of the yearlings bought by Heritage was lot 112, a daughter of Montjeu’s four time Gr1 winning son Camelot, out of a three time winning ½ sister to Australian Gr3 winner Speedy Natalie (Al Maher). The Camelot filly was purchased for AUS$100 000.

Heritage also picked up a filly by prominent Australian sire Snitzel for $210 000. This filly is out of a five time winning More Than Ready half-sister to Gr1 AJC Sydney Cup winner No Wine No Song (Song Of Tara).

Heywood Bloodstock/Mayfair Speculators also picked up two lots off a sale which previously yielded Mayfair’s Gr1 Vodacom Durban July winner The Conglomerate (Lonhro). Their lots bought included a $260 000 filly by champion sire Fastnet Rock (sire of Saturday’s Gr1 Blue Diamond Stakes winning filly Catchy), who was produced by five time Gr3 winner Lady Melksham (Artie Schiller), and a colt by former Gr1 Investec Derby winner Camelot (Montjeu) for $110 000. Ironically, the colt is from the same family as ill-fated Gr1 Ladbrokes St Leger winner Encke (Kingmambo) –who denied Camelot an historic win in the 2012 British Triple Crown.

Top price paid at the sale, which continues until March 1st, is AUS $1.4 million for an I Am Invincible colt.
Purchased by leading Victorian trainer Ciaron Maher, the colt (consigned by Gilgai Farm) set a new record price for the Premier Sale.
The record breaking colt is out of the Encosta De Lago mare Soorena, and is a full brother to seven time winner Ra Ikane, and a half-brother to Gr1 Newmarket Handicap winner The Quarterback (Street Boss) and to G1 Australian Derby runner up Philippi (Host).