Clifton Stud who are riding a purple wave this season lead by unbeaten Gr1 winning filly Mrs Geriatrix, saw their super chestnut Act Of War half brother to Gr3 winner Cliff Hanger, sell for R420 000 to E&R Farming.

Although a different colour to his Graded Stakes winning sibling, this colt carried the same and unusual facial markings as his brother.

Cliff Hanger (Canford Cliffs) recently changed hands for a rumoured seven figures.

They are out of Luneburg, a Clifton-bred herself by Var out of She’s A Winner – Cliff Hanger won the same race his third dam did, the Gr3 Godolphin Barb Stakes.

This is the immediate family of famous speedster, Tommy Hotspur. Clifton averaged R173 000 for all nine yearlings sold.

Blue Sky brought a large and consistent draft, and their top seller was knocked down to Sandy Arundel for R260 000 by Ideal World.

This handsome chestnut sold as Lot 5 is out of a Judpot mare, from the family of Consensual, Attenborough and Myfunnyvalentine. Blue Sky brought 23 yearlings to the sale, and averaged R103 095 for 21 sold.

Bloomhill Stud sold their lovely Master Of My Fate filly for R200 000 to Bass Racing, who recently won a Listed race with a member of this family, October Morn. Out of Miss December, this is also the family of Tempting Fate and August Rush.

Hadlow Stud’s top price was R240 000 for their Futura colt named Rainwater, out of Daintree Dancer, selling to Glen Kotzen. It is the family of Aussie import and South African Gr2 winner, Karaka One.

Camargue Stud’s top lot sold for R150 000 to Robinson Racing, a Global View out of Salimah by Trippi. This is the immediate family of Gr2 winner, Zouaves.

Mwetwood Stud owned by Mrs Nothemba Mlonzi presented a small but neat draft, and saw Tony Peter and Wendy Whitehead each purchase two of their four well bred yearlings on offer.

After Willow Magic’s sterling Sunday where his progeny won 50% of the race card, he sold all four yearlings for an average of R105 000 each, his highest price of R200 000 sold to OPELPROP 205 out of Sauna’s Rose, from Clifton Stud.

KZN’s leading sire Act Of War found himself on the top five sires of the sale, with 10 Lots sold.

Bloodstock South Africa reported, “The 2023 KZN Yearling Sale, which took place at Durban’s Suncoast Casino on Thursday, proved a great success, and underlined the fact that this is a sale going from strength to strength. Well attended by an enthusiastic crowd, the sale took place in glorious weather with plenty of interest coming from all over South Africa.

The sale’s aggregate rose by a staggering 50%, with the 2023 KZN Sale aggregate of R27.1 million way up on the aggregate of R18.1 million achieved at the previous year’s auction. A strong and resilient middle market ensured that both the average and median prices rose, with the average reaching R184 354, up from R123 129, and the median soaring from R75 000 to R145 000.”

Congratulations to all concerned and we look forward to following your horses in the future!

Clifton Stud have enjoyed a magnificent season, with Clifton enjoying particular success with some very exciting two-year-olds this season. The Clifton Stud bred filly Mrs Geriatrix made it four wins from four starts when she romped home to a facile win in the recent G1 Allan Robertson Championship at Hollywoodbets Scottsville, with Mrs Geriatrix having previously won both the G2 World Sports Betting SA Fillies Nursery and Listed Ruffian Stakes.

Clifton Stud are also the breeders of another classy two-year-old this season in the form of Cliff Hanger. Himself a R90 000 buy from last year’s KZN Yearling Sale, Cliff Hanger won his first two starts including the G3 Godolphin Barb Stakes where he accounted for, among others, subsequent G1 Gold Medallion runner up Outlaw King.

Clifton will be offering an Act Of War half-brother Luneluck (Lot 154) to the aforementioned Cliff Hanger at the 2023 KZN Yearling Sale, with this colt also a half-brother to recent winner Zululanga. Cape Guineas winner Act Of War, whose progeny also includes champion War Of Athena and G1 winner Battle Force, is well represented in this draft, with Act Of War also responsible for Real War (Lot 29), a colt from the family of high-class two-year-old Swingtime, Run For Peace (Lot 116) a filly whose granddam is a full-sister to Met winner Angus, and Courtly (Lot 12), a colt bred on the same cross as Act Of War’s talented son Bartholdi.

Other attractive lots to be found in this draft include Davos (Lot 54), a Global View half-brother to former KZN Yearling Sale Million runner up Dandolo and this season’s promising two-year-old Predator’s Feast, Unsung Hero (Lot 48), a Master Of My Fate three-parts brother to G1 winning champion Tempting Fate, and She’s A Machine (Lot 19), a New Predator half-sister to four winners out of a daughter of the brilliant Igreja.

This draft can be found in Blocks A and B at the Suncoast Casino in Durban.

Hadlow Stud, a long time vendor at the KZN Sale, will be offering seven yearlings at the KZN Yearling Sale this year with Cathy and Jonathan Martin offering thoroughbreds sired by a host of attractive stallions namely Act Of War, Danon Platina, Erupt, Futura, and New Predator.

Japanese champion Danon Platina has made a sensational start with his first two-year-olds this season, and the son of Deep Impact is represented here by Take Note (Lot 99), a half-sister to seven winners, including the useful Hong Kong galloper Travel Comforts as well as the stakes placed pair of Smart Colleen and Troop The Colour. Former Cape Guineas winner Act Of War, sire of this season’s Listed World Sports Betting East Cape Derby winner Machete Man, has two lots on offer here. Running Eagle (Lot 44) is a filly from the family of numerous G1 winners including current successful sire Red Ray, while Queen Amina (Lot 83) is a filly whose dam is a three-parts sister to the very high-class racemare Hawker Hunter.

Boom sire Futura, like Act Of War a son of Dynasty, is another proven stallion doubly represented in Hadlow’s KZN Sale string. The former Horse Of The Year is the sire of both Quiz Party (Lot 40), a colt whose dam is a full-sister to G1 winner and Equus Champion Let’s Rock’N Roll, and an unnamed colt (Lot 107) whose dam won three and also finished third in the G3 Champagne Stakes, with this colt hailing from a potent Australian family.

The Martins will also be offering Hot Lava (Lot 81), an Erupt filly whose dam is a winning own-sister to multiple graded stakes winner African Night Sky, and an unnamed filly (Lot 61) by the exciting young sire New Predator. The latter filly, who is from the same family as champions Jay Peg and Kochka to name but two, is out of a half-sister to three black type horses including the stakes winning millionaire Formation.

Hadlow’s string can be viewed from Blocks B and C at Durban’s Suncoast Casino.

Grace Stables’ Winnie Fourie has plenty of experience with top-class thoroughbreds, and she will be offering buyers the chance to acquire some high-class performers when she brings a pair of well bred yearlings to the 2023 KZN Yearling Sale. Grace Stables will be offering a filly (Lot 90) from the first crop of the well bred Talk Of The Town and a colt (Lot 91) by Talk Of The Town’s late, great sire Var at the KZN Sale this year.
Winnie says of her two yearlings:

The Talk Of The Town – Car Park Queen filly is a three-parts sister to the G3 placed, and Var sired, Var Park
She is a late foal but stands over a lot of ground. She has a nice top line and is a very flashy filly with lot of white on her face. She has a lovely walk on her and will grow into a really nice racy individual. You have a filly that comes from sprinting female line but that will be able to go to a mile.

The colt by Var out of Catskill Queen. He is from the same family as champion sprinter and G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen winner Sterling City among others.
He is small but very well built .Compact and strong all around. I can’t fault him much. He is by a sprinting sire but you can go anywhere with him as the female line can go up to staying distances.

The aforementioned two yearlings can be viewed from Block E at the Suncoast Casino in Durban.

Bloomhill Stud is another farm with a small but quality draft on offer at the 2023 KZN Yearling Sale. The farm will be offering a pair of fillies sired by proven sires Futura and Master Of My Fate respectively. Palpable (Lot 4), who shares her four time G1 winning sire Futura with such high-class fillies as Pink Tourmaline, Light Of The Moon and Vihaan’s Pie among others, is out of a twice winning daughter of multiple champion sire Silvano and four time G1 winner, and dual Equus Champion Princess Victoria. This filly also hails from the same family as current standout Princess Calla and former champion sire Jallad among many others.

Master Of My Fate, whose daughters include G1 winners Sentbydestiny and Zarina as well as this season’s G2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas winner Lady Of Power, is represented here by a three-parts sister to the Master Of My Fate sired Equus Champion, and G1 Gold Medallion winner, Tempting Fate, with this filly’s other notable relatives also including this season’s G3 Winter Nursery runner up October Morn.

These two fillies can be found in Block A at the Suncoast Casino in Durban.

Camargue Stud will bringing a draft packed full of quality to the upcoming KZN Yearling Sale, with this consignment not only including yearlings sired by the likes of Act Of War, Erupt, Global View, Last Winter and What A Winter, but also horses hailing from some outstanding families.

Sire sensation What A Winter, whose flagbearers this season include G1 Jonsson Workwear Computaform Sprint winner Isivunguvungu among others, is represented here by Summer Heat (Lot 43), a half-sister to five winners including G1 Tsogo Sun Medallion winner Guiness. Camargue’s Brett Van Laun is understandably very high on this filly, and says of her, “She is a strong, powerful filly who looks quick in the paddocks, and is a half-sister to a G1 horse.”

Global View, whose son Dave The King ran a blinder when second in the recent G1 Daily News 2000, is the sire of a colt (Lot 20), whose dam is a winning full-sister to G1 SA Nursery runner up Ziparana and half-sister to G3 UAE 2000 Guineas second place finisher Zanzamar, and this is also the family of French classic winner Zalaiyka.

He is a “smashing colt, from a great international family. Out of a daughter of Trippi, this colt is an absolute eye-opener!”

Other attractive lots to be found in this draft include the Erupt filly (Lot 106) whose dam is a stakes placed daughter of Jet Master, the Captain Of All colt whose immediate relatives include G1 Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes victor MK’s Pride, and the Act Of War colt (Lot 167) whose dam is a three-parts sister to Listed Irridescence Stakes winner Anglet.

This draft can be viewed from Block A at Durban’s Suncoast Casino.

Cathy and Jonathan Martin presented a well bred draft of superbly turned out yearlings at the KZN Yearling Sale which saw the auction return to Suncoast Casino, and the Martin’s reap the rewards and average R219 000 for five yearlings sold.

Their top seller, Lot 117 by Rafeef out of Daintree Dancer by Mossman sold to Form Bloodstock for R520 000 from the female line of Karaka One.

The second highest price of the day also went to Hadlow with the beautifully bred Lot 95 – a daughter of star sire Vercingetorix out of Blue Rhone Sky, a full sister by Dynasty to African Night Sky. She sold to Paul Gadsby for R270 000.

Hadlow presented a smashing colt by Canford Cliffs out of a Jet Master mare, knocked down to Howells Racing for R210 000. This is the family of Red Ray and Set Afire.

Blue Sky Thoroughbreds sold a handsome son of Just As Well out of Island Girl by Trippi for R230 000. This is the family of Buy And Sell and Count The Money. Knocked down to Gareth Van Zyl, who trained Just As Well’s Gr2 Caradoc Gold Cup winner, Just Cruised In.

Bush Hill Stud’s top seller, a quality New Predator colt knocked down for R170 000. This is the family of Alastor, Wild Aster and Eyes Wide Open.

Clifton brought a handsome draft to the sale and averaged R92 500 for 10 lots sold. Their top price was R170 000, again by New Predator, sold to Mervin Govender. Out of Sagrada by Danehill Dancer, the second dam is South African raced Igreja (ARG), a 6-time winner including the Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas.

Congratulations to all concerned!

Hadlow Stud’s Cathy Martin is very excited by the quality of her string for this year’s KZN Yearling Sale.

Cathy says, “We are bringing a very strong draft of horses to the KZN sale this year.  It was a conscious decision on our part to bypass the National Sale and bring them all to the KZN Yearling sale rather than split the draft and go to two different sales.”

Enticed into the thoroughbred industry by Craig Ramsey, Cathy and Jonathan Martin have bred horses in the beautiful KZN Midlands for over 20 years. Among the horses to have graduated from Hadlow are five time G1 winner Dancewiththedevil, G1 HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes winner Ronnie’s Candy as well as former East Cape Horse Of The Year Celtic Fire and the talented Thunderflash. Both Celtic Fire and Thunderflash were sold off past KZN Yearling Sales.

Hadlow Stud will be offering yearlings by such notable or promising stallions as Canford Cliffs, Danon Platina, New Predator, Rafeef, Willow Magic and champion sire elect Vercingetorix at the 2022 KZN Yearling Sale.

Cathy had the following to say about her string for the KZN Yearling Sale:

Lot 67 is a colt by Canford Cliffs out of a Jet Master mare.  He is related to multiple black type winners including Captain Chaos, Set Afire, Rudra, Nania, Red Ray

Lot 86 is a filly by the exciting new stallion New Predator, and she is out of a half sister to eight winners 3 black type horses.

Lot 87 is a filly by Danon Platina.  She is a half sister to 2 winners and closely related to the people’s horse Kommetdieding.  

Lot 95 is a filly by sire of the moment Vercingetorix.  Her dam is the winning full sister to African Night Sky from a top-class US female line. One to take note of.

Lot 117 is a lovely athletic colt by the well received sire Rafeef.  His dam is a stakes placed Australian mare.  Another one to take note of.

Lot 145, a large colt by Willow Magic, a stallion who is doing it on the track. This colt is a half brother to two winners out of a well related Trippi mare.

This consignment can be found in Block B at the Suncoast Casino in Durban.

Piemonte stud will be bringing four smart lots to the upcoming KZN Yearling Sale.

KZN farm Piemonte Stud will be bringing lots by Ideal World, Lancaster Bomber, New Predator, and William Longsword to this year’s sale. 

The Scribantes’ Piemonte Stud, who have bred such notable performers as East Cape champion Kalamain and G3 winner O Tamara, enjoyed good success at the 2022 National Sale. Piemonte Stud yearlings made up to R500 000 at this year’s National Yearling Sale, with the farm’s top lot being a Vercingetorix filly who was knocked down to Manie Pillay.

Piemonte’s consignment at the 2022 KZN Yearling Sale includes a William Longsword colt (Lot 116) whose dam is a half-sister to four stakes winners including champion Jay Peg, and an Ideal World colt (Lot 157) from the famed Soho Secret family.

Piemonte Stud string can be found in Block A at the same Durban based casino.

The catalogue for the 2022 KZN Yearling Sale has been published and can now be viewed online at www.bsa.co.za

One of the best value for money thoroughbred auctions in South Africa, the KZN Yearling Sale has proved a constant source of top-class thoroughbreds, with the sale unleashing high-class gallopers each and every year.

Among the numerous high-class graduates of the KZN Sale are such G1 winners as Louis The King, Same Jurisdiction, Seal, and Wild One, while in recent times, notable alumni of the KZN Yearling Sale include G1 Allan Robertson Championship winner Vernichey, G1 Mercury Sprint winner Pearl Of Asia, last season’s G3 WSB Pocket Power Stakes hero Crimson King, and this season’s G1 World Sports Betting Presents The Gauteng Summer Cup winner Flying Carpet.

In 2022, the KZN Yearling Sale is set to be held at the Suncoast Casino in Durban on Thursday June 30th, and trading is scheduled to commence 11:00 AM sharp.

Many of South Africa’s top stallions are represented at the KZN Sale this  year, with such high-class sires as Act Of War, Captain Of All, Duke Of Marmalade, Elusive Fort, Flower Alley, Gimmethegreenlight, Ideal World, Master Of My Fate, Oratorio, Pathfork, Pomodoro, Querari, Rafeef, Silvano, Trippi, Twice Over, Var, Vercingetorix, Visionaire, and What A Winter.

Canford Cliffs, who currently heads South Africa’s Leading First Season Sires list for 2021-2022, has five lots on offer, while sires with members of their first crops on offer include Danon Platina, Fire Away, Hat Puntano, Heavenly Blue, Horizon, Lancaster Bomber, and New Predator.

KZN farms with yearlings on offer include Blue Sky Thoroughbreds, Bush Hill Stud, Clifton Stud, Grace Stables, Hadlow Stud, Keivan Stud, Piemonte Stud, Summerhill Equestrian, The Fort Stud and acting as agent for Mwetwood Stud.

Potential standout lots include:

Lot 35 -the Master Of My Fate filly out of a stakes winning daughter of Captain Al

Lot 40 -the Rafeef colt from the family of champions All Is Secret, Bela-Bela and Rabiya

Lot 79 -the Erupt half-sister to smart filly Wisteria Walk

Lot 95 -the Vercingetorix filly whose dam is a full-sister to Winter Series hero African Night Sky

Lot 117 -the Rafeef colt out of G3 Champagne Stakes third Daintree Dancer

Lot 120 -the Act Of War colt out of G3 winner Daring Diva

*Bold denotes KZN horses