Clifton owned mare Valdovino has had plenty to boast about over the past week.

Peter and Jenny Blyth of Clifton Stud have advised that the daughter of Al Mufti has produced two winners, at Kenilworth and in Hong Kong respectively in a week.

Voice Of Reason won for Gavin Van Zyl and Clive Murphy in just her third start, all her rides being under Keagen De Melo. She is a full sister to Vino Veritas, a 5 time winner who also placed 8 times including second in the Gr2 Gerald Rosenberg stakes and third in the Gr2 Gold Circle Oaks.

Another full brother sold as Vacquero and now known as Chefano was a 2-time winner and placed in the Gr2 Dingaans prior to his export. Chefano won the Caroline Hill Handicap (Class 2) over 1800m at Sha-Tin.

The gelding stayed on under Joao Moreira to record a one and a quarter length win in this HK$2 100 000 race, bagging a winner’s cheque of HK$1,197,000, which boosted his career earnings to a whopping Hk$3.045-million (app. ZAR5.6-million). He’d finished second in four of his five starts prior to Sunday’s win.
Chefano, a R300,000 buy for owner Colin Bird at the 2016 CTS Johannesburg Select Sale, won his last South African race for trainer Robbie Sage in October 2017, before being sold to Hong Kong’s Chef’s Table Syndicate and joining Tony Millard. He was subsequently transferred to John Moore.

Peter has advised that Valdovino has a lovely What A Winter filly at foot this season, and is in foal to Mambo In Seattle – a stellar cross that has produced the most success for ‘Mambo’ at Gr1 level, bred to Al Mufti mares.

Valdovino is a daughter of the sharp Vino Rosa, and this is the family of Sunshine Silk and Enchanted Silk, as well as sire Majestic Crown.

To follow on, Clifton born and raised Capetown Affair won on Saturday at Turffontein, bred by Carla Da Quintas and Bruce Campbell. Capetown Affair has now won twice and placed twice.

Well done to the winning connections.

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.