Rathmor Stud once again did KZN proud as they dominated the KZN Yearling Sale on Day 1, topping the sale with an outstanding Duke Of Marmalade filly who sold for R460 000 to Team G Racing.

KZN topped the first three places on the top prices of the day – after Rathmor’s Lot 25 Cést Serra, Summerhill followed with a handsome Visionaire colt that went for R320 000, while Scott Bros’ young stallion Crusade came in third position, with a full brother to The Byzantine selling for R280 000 to Mr Ben Jonsson.

Piemonte Stud sold the most expensive Jackson on the sale to date – a handsome colt as Lot 121, Reymundo went to Alistair Gordon for R240 000.

The colt is out of Trippi mare Taj Mahal Trip, from the immediate damline of leading European sire, Invincible Spirit.

Clifton Stud had an exceptional sale, bringing to outstanding colts by Crusade and Noble Tune – both selling for R200 000 and R240 000 respectively.

Robbie Hill purchased the Crusade as Lot 93 named Polweni, whilst Mario Ferriera purchased the Noble Tune, named Frozen Tune, from the damline of Festive Forever.

Redoute’s Promise was only represented by a single Lot, and the Bush Hill Stud-bred colt out of London News mare as Lot 42 (named Lickandapromise) was secured by John Freeman for R110 000.

The handsome colt whose dam is multiple Group Placed and a half-sister to Gr2 winner Mike’s Choice, descendes from the damline of Gr1 winner, Oriental.

Rathmor Stud will be very pleased with the results of their stallion Noble Tune – their own three Lots sold for between R100 000 to R115 000, out of mares African Love, 8-time winner Thunderous Belinda and a handsome aptly named colt, Painted Black, out of Australian mare Silent Nights.

Scott Bros sold their Noble Tune colt, Noble Beat, to Pierrick Maujean for R100 000 from the family of Midnite Ale.

The second and final day of the KZN Yearling Sale will start again at 12:00 this afternoon, with Lots 151 – 276 going under the hammer.

Imported in utero to South Africa and bred on the same famous Galileo/Danehill cross that has produced numerous champions, including the great Frankel with a TimeformRating of 143, The Assayer is the first son of Galileo to go stud in South Africa.

He sold for R1-million at Nationals and began his training career with Charles Laird for the Jooste / Kantor racing partnership, later relocated to Mike De Kock, racing 10 times to win once (by almost four lengths) and place twice in two Gr1’s – the Golden Horseshoe and Premier’s Championship. The Assayer placed nine times in total but unfortunately an injury prevented The Assayer fulfilling a promising race career.

His dam Crystal Charm made two appearances as a two year old in the UK, placing in both with Listed status.

She was sent to Hong Kong, finishing second to Fairy King Prawn at Sha-Tin in the Hong Kong Sprint by a length. A year later she finished with the same result in the same race, and sent back to Ireland for stud duties. Sold in foal to Cadeaux Genereux, she was then sent to Australia where she was covered by Galileo.

The Cadeaux Genereux mating produced Les Alizes, in turn the dam of 4-time winning Arrived Ahead in Hong Kong; also placing in the Gr3 Sha-Tin Vase.

A dam-line bursting with Gr1 winners, it includes the likes of half-siblings Timely Writer (4 x Gr1 wins) and dual Gr1 winner Timely Assertion – both found under the second dam Timely Tammy.

Others include Wild Wolverine, champion filly Indian Skimmer, Dark Mirage, Missy’s Mirage, sires Bluebird, Java Gold and Madeglia d’Oro, and local Gr1 Mercury Sprint winner All Will Be Well. Galileo has been Champion sire in 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. His is the sire-of-sires of New Approach, Teofilo, Frankel and Cape Blanco, and produced South African champion filly Igugu.

Galileo’s stud fees in 2014 were reportedly in the vicinity of 350 000 Euros per mare covered, whilst Frankel stands for a fee of £125,000 once again this season.

The Assayer stands for a fee of R5 000.