South Africa’s oldest premier yearling sale kicks off on April the 15^th. The Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale, conducted by the Thoroughbred Breeders Association of South Africa, is a three day sale held in Germiston (in Gauteng).

The sale has a long history of producing top-class horses, both at home and overseas. Recent international success of such local bred stars as J J The Jet Plane, River Jetez and Bold Silvano have increased overseas interest in South Africa’s racing stock, and this success has been reflected at the yearling sales.

In recent times, a number of high-profile international buyers have bought at the sales, with the likes of Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, Shadwell Stud and Team Valor amongst the game’s big names to attend the National Sale.

Since the year 2000, there have been more than 50 G1 winners sold at the National Yearling Sale, as well as a number of top-class sires and broodmares. Recent G1 winners to have graduated off the sale include recent G1 Investec Cape Derby hero Top Seller, champion filly Ebony Flyer and recent Al Maktoum Challenge winner Bold Silvano, to name but a few.

Other big names to have been sold at this sale include Horse of the Year and leading sire Dynasty (himself represented by 11 yearlings at this year’s sale), as well as Secret Heart – the first South African bred mare to produce a Breeders Cup winner. (She is the dam of Team Valor’s 2010 Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf winner Pluck).

This year’s National Sale has 600 yearlings catalogued. All of South Africa’s top sires are represented, with the likes of Jet Master (44 lots), Western Winter (21 lots), Fort Wood (25 lots), Captain Al (33 lots), Jallad (20 lots) and Silvano (41 lots) having strong representation here.  Last season’s leading first crop sire, Tiger Ridge, has 22 choicely bred youngsters on offer.

South Africa’s current leading first crop sire, Black Minnaloushe (32 lots) also has a strong draft on offer, whilst Trippi, currently one of leading sires in the US at the moment, has his a number of his first crop of locally bred yearlings (20) up for sale. Other stallions represented by their first yearlings include SA Derby winner Ravishing, Danehill’s G3 winning son Stronghold and Machiavellian’s well performed son Mullins Bay.

There are also yearlings on offer by top-class international sires, such as Giant’s Causeway, Dubawi, Elusive Quality and Rock of Gibraltar.

The sale has catalogued siblings to no fewer than 18 G1 winners. Amongst these choicely bred youngsters is a full brother to international sprinter J J The Jet Plane, a half-sister (by top sire Fort Wood) to G1 Matriarch Stakes winner Gypsy’s Warning and a Spectrum half-sister to this year’s J&B Met winner Past Master. There is also a half-brother (by Jet Master) to the very promising filly Justthewayyouare, whose dam Promisefrommyheart was herself a champion.

The sale also consigns the progeny of 14 individual G1 winning mares. Amongst the G1 winning mares with youngsters on sale, is former Horse of the Year Ilha da Vitoria. The daughter of Candy Stripes has a colt by last season’s leading first crop sire, Tiger Ridge (a half-brother to A P Indy) on offer.

Other lots sure to attract attention are the full brother to top 3yo Run For It, a three parts brother to champion racehorse and now sire Elusive Fort, and a full brother to Mike de Kock’s promising 3yo Dark Wind. There is also a half-sister, by Black Minnalouse, to recent Dubai winner Star Empire.

The catalogue is available online at tba.co.za, which also provides more detail of the venue itself.