SUMMERHILL Stud will be contributing well over a million to the Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup stakes, the biggest breeder sponsorship of horseracing in Africa.

Each horse is eligible for the world’s richest Ready To Run Sales race, the Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup, with a 2013 stake of R3million, making it the second biggest race in the country. Limited to the sales candidates, these are irresistible odds.

Summerhill will be contributing well over a million to the stake, the biggest breeder sponsorship of horseracing in Africa, and the surest indication of the faith we have in these horses.

Besides God, we owe our nine National Breeders Championships to our horses. The roll of honour speaks of a racehorse of abiding talent, of an indomitable spirit, an animal that knows what he owes.

Igugu, Pierre Jourdan, Smanjemanje, Love Struck, Fisani, Imbongi, Paris Perfect, Hear The Drums, Desert Links, Checcetti, Blue Voyager, Hollywoodboulevard, Mannequin, Icy Air, Emperor Napoleon, Pick Six, Rebel King, Nhlavini, Amphitheatre, Disappear, Fork Lightning, Catmandu, Phunyuka, Outcome, Bianconi, Bold Ellinore, Fanyana, Vangelis, Majestic Sun, Dynamite Mike, Bhekinkosi, Galant Gagnant, Umngazi, Talahatchie and Salutation.

As many as 22 of the horses that have lined up in recent times for the Emperors Palace Ready to Run Sale have become millionaires and stars on the local and international circuits, while thirty-one of the top 35 in the Merit-Rating log for this year’s race, galloped at Summerhill last year.

Besides, three (or 20%) of the 15 top-rated juveniles of the past season, were graduates of last year’s Summerhill draft. Twenty Percent. From one farm! Go to www.summerhill.co.za for the full list of “bargain buys”.

The draft this year includes the progeny of several top sires on the National log, as well as a unique collection of some of the best stallions and racehorses in the world. International celebrities Encosta De Lago, Danehill Dancer, Rock Of Gibraltar, Hussonet, Dylan Thomas and Linngari, and the household names Jet Master, Western Winter, Trippi, Silvano, Kahal, Mullins Bay and Admire Main, as well as the much anticipated first crop of Brave Tin Soldier. There are obviously a few rare “stallion-making” opportunities among them, while there hasn’t been a more appropriate moment for our overseas investors to dabble in the South African market, with the Rand at four year lows.

Continuing our “world first” innovation of the past six years, attendees at the Post Gallops interview in 2012 will remember Paul Lafferty’s “lifer” best performance as convener of a panel of judges comprising of champion and leading trainers Mike de Kock, Dean Kannemeyer, Alec Laird, Sean Tarry, and top “bloodstocker”, Jehan Malherbe, former Champion jockey Michael Roberts, race commentator, auctioneer and administrator Graeme Hawkins, racecallers “Eagle Eye” Craig Peters and Nico Kritsiotis. This year’s guest panelist is internationally renowned horseman, Simon Vivian of Inglis in Australia.

These wizards will provide their traditional picks on which horses took their eye as future investments, and equally importantly, which horses they feel are the most likely to line up for next year’s race. Views from the audience will be welcome, as these will be carried on TV.

Finally, no country has ever known a sale in which the major vendor offers 100+ horses with the right to settle one’s purchases with as many as six installments, depending on aggregate purchases.

There is a horse for everyone in the “Ready To Run” sale, as evidenced by the attached pamphlet, and this way we can ensure that everybody gets a roll of the dice. It’s not often you can buy from the Champion stud in any country on these terms, out of a sale which has become the undisputed premier source of Feature race performers in the land.

Access to this year’s draft on the Summerhill website and the opportunity to log their daily progress through interviews with their riders, has proven a boon to would-be buyers.