Ric Wylie ends inspection of horses set for Cape Racing Premier Yearling Sale

New Zealand-based bloodstock consultant Ric Wylie has completed his inspection of 240 horses earmarked by various stud farms for the Cape Racing Premier Yearling Sale to be held on January 25 2024, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. The sale will be powered for the second year in succession by Tattersalls, Europe’s leading bloodstock auctioneers.

This is Wylie’s third stint as yearling inspector in the Western Cape. He and fellow inspector, Karl Neisius, looked at horses on stud farms in the greater Western Cape area and reported an “exuberant optimism” among breeders. This, Wylie opined, was in stark contrast to the sombre moods that prevailed over most of the past decade.

Wylie quipped: “This is not purely as a result of the Springboks’ exploits on rugby fields. I call it the Greg Bortz Effect. He [the new Cape Racing chair] has certainly generated positive energy, all round. There is genuine appreciation for his shake-up of the industry and his business approach. The young thoroughbreds inspected were of high quality, across the board, Wylie noted.

“There were numerically more horses to look at and we agreed that the quality is notably stronger. We saw some amazing candidates at wonderful stud farms. Among the new sires, I was really impressed by the offspring of the new Silvano stallion, Hawwaam. I didn’t know much about him at all, just saw his yearlings walking by and they were eye-catching. I think Wilgerbosdrift can look forward to offering them at the auction.”

It’s payback time for Kinshin Sha in race 2 over 1,200m on the straight course at the Vaal on Thursday. Edged out of first place twice when well fancied, he looks a blinder again on Thursday. The handicapper seems to agree that he’s a good sort, having allocated a 91 rating to this maiden runner. Kinshin Sha faces a potentially serious rival in the improving Pocket Watch, but it seems an all or nothing race for our selection. He should win handsomely this time and is a bi-pot and place accumulator banker.

Striking Angel (race 3, 1,200m), was beaten into second by the smart sort Storm Player a fortnight ago and, on the handicapper’s early assessment of her ability, should leave her opposition with a bit to do here. If there is to be a Pick Six banker, she goes close to qualifying on exposed form.

Opera Glass and Apache Fighter fought an exciting duel at the Vaal last week, Opera Glass prevailing by a shorthead. They’re back in action for a rematch and Apache Fighter is 0.5kg better off. The luckless Paton’s Tears, beaten 3.5kg by the pair last week, is also back for another try and will do better.

There is a strong argument for a race between those, but rival runners Special Charm and Princess Kesh have enjoyed longer periods of rest after their last runs and it may pay to include them for good measure.

Vaal selections

1st race: (3) Breath Of Magic (9) Rock Of Bismantova (7) Guardia Regine (6) Crepuscolo

2nd race: (2) Kinshin Sha (3) Pocket Watch (5) Circle Of Grace (4) Battle Of Kursk

4th race: (2) Duke Of Rock (3) Bregardt (5) Eiger Sanction (4) Anamericaninvenice

5th race: (6) Angel Of My Heart (7) Ariel’s Jet (1) The Work Of Life (4) Villa Semaya

6th race: (2) Diesel’s Shadow (1) Godfather (5) Gregor McGregor (9) Parker Getrix

7th race: (2) Apache Fighter (3) Paton’s Tears (1) Opera Glass (4) Special Charm

8th race: (4) Coromandel (7) Ideal Future (9) Go Dream Machine (10) Lidl Miss Sunshine