FOOLS & HORSES

I love horse sales. They represent for me one of the most entertaining aspects of the thoroughbred industry and also because I have learned, with rare exceptions, to walk away from all but the most irresistible of bargains.

The CTS sale has come and gone but it has taken me some time to scrape off the bullshit and spin that accompanies a sale of this nature. And they sure lay it on in a fashion that would have had Joseph Goebels nodding in approval.

‘It’s A Lifestyle!’. Really?

Much of the hype centres around the remote possibility that you may acquire an animal capable of winning a $1 million prize but even this carrot is more fiction than reality as that incentive has now been diluted into two races of $500k apiece with total gross winners’ prizemoney of $645k if you miraculously win both events. We won’t even go into the detail of how much of that money you actually pocket after the multitude of deductions that accompany a win of that size. And that’s before SARS gets involved……….

Interestingly there seems to have been little comment regarding the fact that it is the buyer who probably contributes the majority of that prize money through a cunning add on of R16,000 to each lot purchased. Do the math.

So what we end up with is a monumental pissing competition between the mega wealthy whilst the remainder of us look on with undisguised amusement as godzillions are redistributed.

To illustrate my point I detail hereunder some interesting facts from the 2014 sale. (I have used this sale as an example as a polite period of time has now elapsed for these graduates to strut their stuff). Furthermore it is now a sobering reality that few, if any, of these horses are likely to excel as many of the opportunities to do so are already behind us.

But the figures do serve to re-inforce two hoary old racing mantras;

Money cannot buy you a good horse.

And

Sales toppers are more often than not ‘dogs’.

I researched the top 12 lots by price sold at the 2014 sale. A not unreasonable sample as these were - based on their pedigrees, conformation and price - the perceived cream of the crop.

The top twelve lots sold for a combined total of R 33,55 million excluding vat, insurance and whatever other charges might have been added.

To date they have performed as follows :

1x horse has yet to run.
3x horses have run without finding a place
2x horses have run and found places
4x horses have won 1 race each
2x horses have won 2 races each

Cumulatively they have contested 57 races for 8 wins and 26 places.

So it looks as if this ENTIRE group is well on track for career ratings unlikely to exceed ‘moderate’.

A lifestyle! But perhaps not one that you would hope for from an ‘investment’ of R33 million plus keep.

This brings me on to my next point:

Innumerable industry ‘professionals’ have ragged me over the years for failing to use their services. My reasoning has always been – As the selection process has often proved to be the high point of the ownership experience why would I want to outsource that brief pleasure to a third party? I’ll happily seek advice on the conformation of my fancy but would prefer to do the picking myself.

So next time you are at a sale have a good laugh when you see the usual band of suspects earnestly examining yearlings whilst making copious notes in their catalogues. They are guessing just like you and me. But usually with someone else’s money.

………….and it’s maybe a good idea to remember that the majority of tomorrow’s superstars are usually more modestly priced and often attract no interest at all.

Lifestyle? More like a system of redistribution once the racing gods have had their say.

Race 1 at the Vaal was won by a filly by War Lord out of a mare rated 35.

Beats De Kock A$360 000 purchase.

Need more be said?

Huchergh wrote: Race 1 at the Vaal was won by a filly by War Lord out of a mare rated 35.

Beats De Kock A$360 000 purchase.

Need more be said?

I posted this before but this Fard is starting to be a very good Broodmare sire with the offspring that he produced.

Interestingly I see, Fard has a broodmare sire has produced, Captain of All (Dam Serious Side), and this week I see Rabada (Dam Jordie) running. Also Silver Mist (Dam Silver Wraith), shd 2nd in the Queens Plate to Pocket Power and West is Wide (Dam Poppy) I have come across. Not to shabby.

www.africanbettingclan.com/index.php/kun...y-sprint-wrap#565682

Pocket Power.

Don wrote: Pocket Power.

Ha, I see now I have inserted the bracket by Pocket Power instead by Silver Mist but I stated "Also Silver Mist". Thanks.

Colts and Fillies selling for 500k as yearlings from sires and mares with no records just doesn't make sense

naresh wrote:

Huchergh wrote: Race 1 at the Vaal was won by a filly by War Lord out of a mare rated 35.

Beats De Kock A$360 000 purchase.

Need more be said?

I posted this before but this Fard is starting to be a very good Broodmare sire with the offspring that he produced.

Interestingly I see, Fard has a broodmare sire has produced, Captain of All (Dam Serious Side), and this week I see Rabada (Dam Jordie) running. Also Silver Mist (Dam Silver Wraith), shd 2nd in the Queens Plate to Pocket Power and West is Wide (Dam Poppy) I have come across. Not to shabby.

www.africanbettingclan.com/index.php/kun...y-sprint-wrap#565682

The War Lord filly today walked like a cat.

some people have more money than common sense. Its all about egos and to prove that they spend way over the top for an inferior product. Happens all the time, i mean who goes and pays £280 for a meal at Heston Blumenthals restuarant or why spend £40k on champagne (oh yes politicians do and then claim it back from the tax payer)

chicken n chips wrote: some people have more money than common sense. Its all about egos and to prove that they spend way over the top for an inferior product. Happens all the time, i mean who goes and pays £280 for a meal at Heston Blumenthals restuarant or why spend £40k on champagne (oh yes politicians do and then claim it back from the tax payer)

Would be able to feed a family of 3 or 4 for quite some time with that amount !!

33 bars will buy you around 25 dwellings (middle of the range) in a complex in Jhb and earn you around 3 bars per annum in rental.

Those 25 dwellings would be worth 60 bars in 10 years

"The top twelve lots sold for a combined total of R 33,55 million excluding vat, insurance and whatever other charges might have been added.

To date they have performed as follows :

1x horse has yet to run.
3x horses have run without finding a place
2x horses have run and found places
4x horses have won 1 race each
2x horses have won 2 races each"


Just out of interest I was wondering how the bottom 12 did?

Good question?