An Old Racing Fool Reviews NYS Day 1

I am on record as stating that I thoroughly enjoy bloodstock sales. I declared Day 1 of the NYS a private public holiday & spent most of it watching the sale.

I was royally entertained - alternating between being amazed at the prices fetched by some lots and equally amazed at prices not achieved by others.

For starters - I cannot decide whether the R100k minimum bid worked for or against the sales company. In some instances it seemed to allow the vendor to wrest a somewhat unwarranted price from some clearly reluctant bidders whilst in other cases it appeared to result in lots exiting the ring unsold with their tails between their legs (if you get my drift).

Dependent upon your view of these matters the highlight/lowlight was reached when my old mate Jehan Malherbe put up his hand for lot 113 and kept it raised until he had offloaded an eye watering R4,750,000.

The fullness of time will, I am sure, reveal whose bank account took this hit. Whoever you are - blessings on you but pour yourself a good, stiff drink or two tonight for reasons which I will detail hereunder:

1.) Sales toppers (OK - we've still got 2 days to go but this bunch was allegedly the pick of the crop ) have an almost flawless record of turning out to be 'kak' racehorses. If any poster can enlighten me as to a sales topper which turned into the champion of its generation I will be happy to be corrected. I am not sure I would be willing to challenge that millstone with my own money. ( Actually - I once did & it didn't turn out well!)

2.) Captain Al ? Really ? Remind me again - how many July & Met winners has that stallion produced? Am I misinformed in saying none? So has the owner splashed nearly 5 bar to, maybe, own a horse capable of winning a Guineas at best?

3.) Far be it for me to take on the mantle of a bloodstock agent but wouldn't a Silvano, for example, have been a better gamble? At least he can boast a number of Julys on his CV. And they sold for a far lower average.

4.) I assume the plan is to export this animal as soon as possible. Recovering even a portion of this sales price locally might be a little too much to expect of it whilst a modest racing career will hardly be an inducement to offer it as a stallion. Assuming it even retains its testicles during all of the excitement of it's racing career. As we owners all know - once your trainer is forced to trot out Volumes 1-30 of 'Why Your Horse Is Slow' he will generally produce Volume 2 - entitled 'We Need To Cut Him' - very shortly after Volume 1.

At this point the by now chastened owner has to accept that the two balls that are about to be removed have a theoretical value of about R2,250,000 each whilst also writing off what they could have generated had the poor creature simply been a little faster......

Hopefully this story ends better for the owner.

Rest assured - if it ends well the owner will still be required to repeat the process on an annual basis until it does end with the cupboard bare. It's like joining the mob. Under extreme circumstances old age will sometimes allow you a dignified exit. But usually an empty bank account or death are the preferred ways out.

That's why we mere mortals love this sport. It's such a bioscope! We, however, are allowed to leave as soon as we have done our tom.