Narrow Creek’s good year set to continue at yearling sale

With Covid-19 restrictions lifted, breeders will travel to this week’s 2022 National Yearling Sale at Germiston (Thursday and Friday) with a spring in their step, and none more so than those offering youngsters related to top horses.  

Particularly optimistic will be Narrow Creek Stud, as on Friday  they will be offering a half-brother (lot 422) to Big Burn and Catchtwentytwo by red-hot stallion Rafeef. Big Burn won the fifth race of her career when taking March’s Sycamore Sprint at Turffontein.

It has been a big year already for Narrow Creek, for a fortnight before Big Burn’s win, Red Saxon captured the R1.5m WSB SA Classic at the city track.

It’s certainly in Narrow Creek’s favour that they’re offering five yearlings by Rafeef — others include a filly (lot 138), who is a half-sister to six-time winner Alexis; a colt (lot 231), the third produce of the six-time winner Twilight Tiger; and, right at the end of the sale, a half-brother (lot 447) to Paul Peter’s talented three-year-old filly Sprinkles.

Peter probably has more owner firepower than he did a year ago and it is safe to assume he will be running his expert eye over the relations to both Big Burn and Sprinkles.

Another notable Narrow Creek offering on the first day is a half-sister (by Querari) to seven-time winner Elusive Heart. The filly (lot 128) is an early foal.

Let’s have a look at some of the first-day offerings when 250 yearlings will come under the hammer.

Six-year-old Green Haze ran third behind Golden Pheasant at Turffontein on Saturday and Lammerskraal are offering his half-sister by Dubawi’s son, Erupt. The filly (lot 57) is also a half-sister to grade 2 winner Gimme Dat.

It will be interesting to see how the progeny of Japanese champion Danon Platin are received by buyers, and on Thursday Mauritzfontein are offering a colt (lot 59) who is a half-brother to Barahin, who won five races in the care of Mike de Kock.

Just a few lots later, the Rous Bros Henham Stud will be selling a half-sister to eight-time winner Running Brave. The filly (lot 66) is by another red-hot sire in Vercingetorix.

Outofthedarkness — a three-time winner and third in the Gauteng Guineas — looks a promising three-year-old, and Ridgemont Highlands (as agent) will be offering his full-brother (lot 76) named Barbaresco. The grey is an early foal.

Another daughter of Vercingetorix has been consigned by Klawervlei, and the filly (lot 86) is a half-sister to Edict Of Nantes, Equus champion three-year-old colt in 2016/2017 — who was later exported to Hong Kong.

Klawervlei will be expecting plenty of interest in a son of Vercingetorix (lot 150), who is a full-brother to Vaughan Marshall’s six-time winner Seeking The Stars.

Vernichey is a four-time winner, including the grade 1 Allan Robertson Championship, and Birch Bros will be excited about offering her half-brother (lot 101) by Global View. He is the fifth produce of three-time winner Pirate Queen.

Avontuur have sold many top horses at this sale and another could be the Trippi colt (lot 131), who is the seventh produce of 12-time winner River Jetez. There are only nine Trippi yearlings in the catalogue, so expect some spirited bidding for the colt whose sire has produced many champions, most recently Queen’s Plate victor Jet Dark.

Vars Vicky is a popular performer on the highveld, and Sorrento Stud (as agent for Gary Player) are offering his full-brother (lot 157) on the first day. Var is represented by just nine yearlings on the sale.

War Front’s son, Lancaster Bomber, has been given good mares by Drakenstein, and one of them is grade 1 winner Spiced Gold, the dam of Sean Tarry’s eight-time winner Chimchuri Run. They are offering his half-brother (lot 189).

Drakenstein will also expect their Vercingetorix colt Call To Unite (lot 178) to have plenty of admirers as he is a half-brother to grade 3 winner Sound Of Warning.

Another talented Tarry inmate is Eden Roc, and Varsfontein Stud have produced his half-brother (lot 227) by top stallion Gimmethegreenight. As usual, the stud has come up with a strong name in Sandringham Summit.

The penultimate lot on Thursday is an Ideal World colt (lot 249) who is a half-brother to De Kock’s talented filly, Desert Miracle. The five-times champion trainer is sure to have a close look at this Wilgerbosdrift offering.