DURING a media briefing held at the Emperors Palace Convention Centre on Monday, 11 March 2013, Cape Thoroughbred Sales announced an exciting new Challenge Series for Graduates of its Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 2.

While only in operation since late 2011, Cape Thoroughbred Sales have brought a breath of fresh air to the bloodstock sales industry with bold innovative moves such as the hosting of the first ever inner city sale at the Cape Town Convention Centre and guaranteed payment to vendors within 30 days of a sale’s conclusion.

The new CTS Challenge Series, for graduates of the Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 2, is another exciting innovation that was hailed by all who attended, as the greatest racing challenge South Africa has ever seen.

Three crops of qualifying yearlings from the 2013, 2014 and 2015 Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 2 sales will be competing in three Three-year-old Challenge Series races for a total of R7.5 million in prize money. The first race, for graduates of the 2013 Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 2, is to be contested over 1400m in Johannesburg during February 2015.

Graduates of the 2014 Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 2, will compete over 1400m in Cape Town in early February 2016, while graduates from the 2015 Book 2 Sale will be competing over 1400m in Durban during February 2017.

Each race will carry prize money totalling R2.5 million, with the winner earning R1.1 million and the runner up R500 000. The rest of the stake will then be divided between the next eight finishers, with the tenth placed horse earning R50 000.

In an unprecedented move, Cape Thoroughbred Sales also added a Trainers Challenge with the winning trainer being awarded a R1 million bonus.

Adrian Todd, Chief Operating Officer of Cape Thoroughbred Sales, explained the rationale behind the new CTS Challenge Series – “Cape Thoroughbred Sales is always striving to improve the market place for our buyers as well as for our vendors. We believe this Challenge Series is a great incentive for all buyers and vendors of our Book 2 sale”.

With such exciting incentives in place, buyers and trainers alike can look forward to finding the horse of their dreams at the 2013 Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 2, being held at the Durbanville Racecourse in Cape Town on the 23rd and 24th of March 2013.