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!

A respected business lady in Johannesburg who also owns a farm in the beautiful Birnamwood area outside of Howick, Ms Mlonzi made the news when she sold her Master Of My Fate filly, Master Keys, at the National Yearling Sale in 2017 for R100 000 to Nathan Kotzen.

In doing so, Ms Mlonzi become the first black lady to do so in the history of the National Yearling Sale. Master Keys won impressively on debut yesterday at Scottsville. Its never an easy task to breed a winner, let alone the first runner and a winner to boot! [read NYS story at the follow link]

Nothemba retained a share in the well-bred filly along with Alderman R F Haswell, Mr Steven Chetty and the P D T Racing Syndicate (Nom: Mr Trevor Naicker).

Master Keys gave an impressive performance to fly through and win on debut by by almost two lengths – showing a powerful finish that indicates much more to come from the classy filly.

Out of On A Wing by Tiger Ridge, this filly who is a second foal, shares a damline with the incredible international champion Able Friend – a winner of five international Gr1’s.

Able Friend also was the Head of the 2015 World Thoroughbred Rankings (Sprint),Equal Leading Older Male on the 2015  WTR (Mile), Horse of the Year Champion Miler in Hong Kong in 2014-15 and had 13 wins in total.

Another horse bred by Ms Mlonzi of Mwetwood Stud was Galaxy Tunes, who finished five lengths off on debut yesterday at Scottsville for trainer Mark Dixon.

The 2yo Toreador gelding is a full brother to winner Cumulus (trained by Nathan Kotzen) remembered for his courageous Johannesburg run where he finished second behind Mike De Kock’s imported Mujaafy – the latter who has since accounted for the likes of Search Party, Attenborough, Talktothestars and Brutal Force at Kenilworth.

Cumulus has won and placed four times from six starts.

They are both out of Celestial Cloud by Invincible Spirit – Celestial Cloud is a half-sister to Patchit Up Baby, and this is the immediate family of sire Qui Danzig.

Congratulations to Nothemba Mlonzi on an outstanding achievement, and may there be many more to come in the future!

Mike and Tanya McHardy’s Rathmor Stud dominated the first day of the National Yearling Sale for the KZN Breeders, achieving outstanding results from four horses sold for an average of over R740 000 each, whilst history was also made when a yearling bred by Nothemba Mlonzi was sold at the Nationals for R100 000 from her Mwetwood Stud.

Rathmor got their day off to a good start with Lot 44, the first son of Noble Tune to enter the TBA auction arena knocked down to Glen Kotzen for R240 000. The handsome colt is a half-brother to a winner, out of a dam that is a half-sister to Potent Power. The Noble Tune’s have attracted attention at the Nationals with several leading trainers viewing.

The next Lot 66, Identity Thief, lit up the boards with active bidding only to be knocked down to John Freeman for R1,7-million. The handsome son of Dynasty is out of Mystery Dame by Jet Master, the female line of Lizare, Solid Speed and The Merry Widow.

The next was Rathmor’s Silvano colt – a yearling with immense presence and a big walk, once again John Freeman didnt miss the opportunity and took the yearling home for R700 000. Named Snowy Mountain, Lot 142 is a half-brother the Listed winner Royal Trip, the family of Kournikova and Harry Hotspur.

Rathmor also topped the boards for the top priced KZN-bred filly, with a beautiful daughter of Oratorio selling for R350 000 to Dennis Bosch. The filly is out of Mitra – a half-sister to Val De Ra, Tevez and Palladium. Named Mitra Music, she went as Lot 52.

Summerhill sold two Visionaire fillies – one to Duncan Howells Racing for R250 000 as Lot 4. The filly named Pulling Strings is out of Gr2 winner, La Pucelle, the damline includes Please Be True. The other, Lot 14 out of Legally Blonde was knocked down to Dynamic Syndications.

Scott Bros top seller of the day was an outstanding black filly by Crusade – a half-sister to Stakes winner Matador Man and Desert Fighter. The Tawny Syndicate snapped her up for R200 000.

Bush Hill Stud’s chestnut Crusade colt, which was seen frequently out for inspection went to Paul Lafferty for R150 000. A quality colt out of Royal Canton by Dominion Royale, this is the family of Hail Caesour and Cold As Ice.

Clifton Stud presented an eyecatching grey filly by Golden Sword out of Banyana Handicap winner, Sapphire Ring. She sold for R150 000 to Boneast (Pty) ltd, from the damline of Midnite Serenade and Smanjemanje.

The TBA Complex also saw history as Mwetwood Stud sold a beautiful Master Of My Fate filly for R100 000 – the first yearling to be bred and sold by a black lady. The filly is bred by businesswoman Nothemba Mlonzi and she was absolutely thrilled to see her filly sold to Nathan Kotzen.

The filly is impeccably bred – out of On A Wing by Tiger Ridge, this is the immediate damline of the brilliant 5-time Gr1 winning Hong Kong star, Able Friend – who headed the 2015 World Thoroughbred Rankings (Sprint), Equal Leading Older Male on the 2015 WTR (Mile), Horse of the Year, Champion Miler in Hong Kong in 2014-15.

The middle market of the sale was once again challenging this year but it was positive to see the average per horse sold at over R350 000 overall, for 122 Lots sold from 170 consigned on the first day.

The overall top seller was Lot 42 – a Silvano colt out of a full sister to KZN-sire Capetown Noir, knocked down to Form Bloodstock for R4-million.

The sale continues from 4-5 May, beginning at 11am each day.