A formidable collection of well-bred horses will be on the market at the two-day 2008 Emperors Palace National Two-Year-Old Sale on Saturday 16 August. Many of the top stallions and leading stud farms will be represented at the sale.

One hundred fewer juveniles than last year will be offered on the 2008 409-lot catalogue.

“I like to call this a `mixed bunch’ sale,’’ says Caroline Simpson, sales manager of BloodStock South Africa (BSA). “There is much variety on offer from the top of the market to the top-middle, to middle-bottom. There is always something for every buyer. Traditionally every year there are buyers who come away with what prove in time to be incredible deals.’’

Simpson’s words are borne out in particular by the 2006 sale which has already produced the likes of star sprinter JJ the Jet Plane (R70 000), multiple graded-placed stayer Classic Oasis (R60 000), graded placed miler Modern Monet (R50 000) and many others.

This is a sale at which sheer luck consistently seems to play a role - JJ the Jet Plane’s trainer “Lucky’’ Houdalakis explains: “I didn’t even look at JJ before the start of the sale! My patron Hennie du Preez wanted to buy a Jet Master for under R100 000 and secured this one for R70 000 merely on his pedigree, as he was nothing to look at anyway!’’

JJ the Jet Plane, who will soon be shipped overseas, earned more than R1.7 million in less than a year on South African tracks.

Albert Boshoff, who bought Classic Oasis, relates: “I marked five horses I liked on the evidence of their pedigrees. Classic Oasis was one of them. He happened to be coltish and jumped around when he entered the sales ring, so nobody really liked him and I got him for R60 000.’’ Classic Oasis’s career earnings stand at over R450 000.

Stallions represented this year include ill-fated Rich Man’s Gold (who has a couple of two-year-olds from his final crop on the sale), Western Winter, Al Mufti, Jet Master, Jallad, Silvano, Spectrum and Mogok, who had his first Grade 1 winner last Saturday.

Among the vendors, Dan de Wet of Zandvliet Stud makes a notable return to the Two-Year-Old Sale. He says: “I never have a big string at the sales. The timing of this sale is perfect as I can bring the best horses I have available at the right time.’’ He pinpointed a Captain Al filly from the family of sprinter Camp Arthur as the pick of his bunch.
(Source: Tabonline)