Rabada Dam Sells For R800 000: Summerhill Mare & Weanling Sale

The Summerhill Mare & Weanling Sale took place on Sunday in icy conditions, which saw 184 horses catalogued, amongst them the dams of Rabada, Royal Pleasure, Love Struck, Intergalactic, Witchcraft and multiple Black Type producer, Surfer’s Eye.

119 Lots sold for an average of R70 367. The weanlings that topped the sale included two for R170 000 each; one being out of Fusaichi Pegasus mare Dubai Jewel by Visionaire, purchased by J Ramsden and Somerset Stud. The dam is a half-sister to Gr2 Hong Kong winner Let Us Win, as well as as Aussie-bred Gr3 winner, Amarino. The mare herself placed in Dubai over 1400m.

Lot 160 is from the first crop of Capetown Noir, sold to Stonehill Stud for R170 000. The filly is out of Kingmambo mare Deceptive Charm, making the weanling a half-sister to Gr3 winner Witchcraft. This is the immediate damline of sire Casey Tibbs.

Other leading Lots from the weanling pages included Lot 115 sold for R160 000 to G Dawson, a daughter of Visionaire from the damline of Gr3 winner, O Tamara. The dam is a full sister to 7-time winner, Jet Jamboree. Surfer’s Eyes Visionaire colt was knocked down to H Odendaal for R100 000 – a half-sibling to Admirals Eye, Rapid Flow, Shogunnar and Saltwater Girl.

Gr2 winner Intergalactic and Gr3 winner Witchcraft’s dams, both racing in the colours of Chris Van Niekerk, sold enthusiastically – each dam by Galileo and Kingmambo respectively with outstanding pedigrees. 

The grey daughter of Fard, Jordie, was the top Lot of the sale selling to Nchaka Moloi for R800 000. The dam of dual Gr1 winner Rabada and debut winner Glider Pilot, has a beautiful weanling Trippi colt this year and sold in foal to Act Of War, the second Gr1 winning son of Dynasty to stand in KZN. Lot 25, the daughter of Galileo named Najoom (AUS) followed at R600 000 to G Dawson.

The dam of Gr2 winner and Gr1 placed Intergalactic couldnt be passed up with her impeccable pedigree and sold in foal to Capetown Noir. This is the damline of American champions Go For Gin, Pleasant Tap and sire Dont Say Halo.

Grail Maiden in foal to Willow Magic sold for R400 000 to R Lynch, Summerhill-bred dual Gr2 winner Fisani went for R450 000 to Ronny Napier in foal to Willow Magic, Dubai Jewel for R250 000 to T Crowe in foal to Willow Magic, whilst Checcetti, in foal to Act Of War was snapped up by Mayfair Speculators for R420 000.  Royal Purse, the daughter of King Of Kings and the dam of Royal Pleasure and Missibaba sold in foal to Act Of War for R400 000 to J Mellows.

Mick Goss in his press release to the Sporting Post:

“It was a tough day for us, not only for the challenges of the era, but more so for the sentiment involved in selling the families that have brought local and international recognition to Summerhill, that have taken my wife and I and many of our staff to most parts of the Thoroughbred world, and that delivered up our championships of the past decade and a bit.

There was also a bit of sentiment in the fellows that graced the rostrum: Clive Gardner, the most recognised South African in international auctioneering circles; Brandon Leer, the man who famously sold a buffalo bull for R168million, and the former Inglis (Australia) executive, Stephanie Grentell, who did a man’s job in sheep’s clothing when it was her turn to take up the gavel.

As you might’ve expected in the wake of a series of spotty sales this year, there were always going to be gaps in the catalogue, but there was a spirited atmosphere in the auditorium, housed as it was in the School of Management, and as we’ve come to expect from the bloodstock industry, there was good money for the better lots.

History tells us though, that it’s not only those mares that are likely to deliver the goods; its been part of the Summerhill story that good horses come from unexpected quarters, and one day we’ll look back with amusement upon yesterday’s events as to how many came from the less expensive buys.

Top of the pops, predictably, was Rabada’s ‘mum’ Jordie, followed by Intergalatic’s dam Nojoom (a daughter no less of Galileo), the ‘Rosenberg’ heroines Fisani and Checcetti, and the dam of Royal Pleasure.

One comfort for us, lay in those who attended and put up their hands: it was apparent that they had one thing in common: they bought the ones they loved. Which, in brief terms, means they’re going to good homes.

Good luck to them going forward: we’ll happily surrender the number one box to any horse that accrues from yesterday’s [sunday] events.”