THE first foals of star race mares are always eagerly awaited and the offspring of several such classy mares are included in the 2014 Cape Premier Yearling Sale catalogue. The CTS Sale starts in Cape Town on Thursday, 23 January.

Captain Al’s talented daughter Captain’s Gal, winner of the Gr. 1 S A Fillies Sprint Stakes, has her first foal, a filly by Trippi, on offer as Lot 52. Another first timer is Gr.3 Final Fling Stakes winner Crimson Blossom(IRE), who hails from one of the coveted HH Aga Khan families and her Trippi colt will enter the ring as Lot 60. Full sister to class mare Mother Russia, Baltic Beauty was herself no slouch. On offer as Lot 43 is her first foal, a gorgeous Var filly named Baltia.

Leading the pack in the second foal stakes is a quartet of Gr. 1 winning mares, including dual hemisphere Group winner Captain’s Lover, whose victories include the Gr.1 Cape Fillies Guineas, the Gr. 3 Prix du Pin at Longchamp and the Listed Matchmaker Stakes at Monmouth. Consigned by Drakenstein Stud as Lot 53, her bay filly by Giant’s Causeway, is likely to have outstanding paddock value. And who can forget the great filly Dancer’s Daughter(GB) dead-heating with Pocket Power in the 2008 Gr. 1 Vodacom Durban July? On offer as Lot 62 is her grey colt by Captain Al, named Winning Dancer.

The speedy Sparkling Gem, another Gr.1 Cape Fillies Guineas winner, returned to Trippi for her second foal and Drakenstein Stud consigns a bay colt named Cuban Emerald as Lot 193. Last but certainly not least is Lot 28, a magnificent Western Winter colt, aptly named Zud Wes, consigned by Maine Chance Farms. With Gr. 1 South African Fillies Classic winner Zaitoon as his dam and from a top American family, this bay colt is certainly bred in the purple.

There are also several “royal relations” waiting to be snapped up by discerning buyers. Current J & B Met favourite and 2013 Gr. 1 Champions Cup winner, Jackson, has a half brother by Trippi on the Sale. Consigned as Lot 143 by Highlands Farm Stud, the aptly named Magical Moon could see a flurry of hands. Trippi is the sire of three more royal relations with Klawervlei Stud offering Lot 188, a half brother to dual Gr.1 winner Thunder Dance, while Depardieu and The Hangman both have Trippi half brothers on offer in Lot 67 from Normandy Stud and Lot 103 from Highlands Farm Stud.

Highlands Farm Stud’s Dynasty is not far behind in the royal relations stakes with two on offer. Mike de Kock’s international superstar Soft Falling Rain, whose only defeat came in the mud on Champions Day at Ascot, has a Dynasty half brother, who is by all accounts outstanding. Offered as Lot 89 the colt is very likely to be snapped up by the international buyers’ contingent. Divine Nymph, dam of Divine Jury and Divine Jet, visited Dynasty for the first time and Highlands Farm Stud consigns the resulting filly as Lot 69.

Another yearling that is worth taking notice of is the superbly bred Lot 182. A half sister to Sweet Sanette, third in the Gr. 1 King Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot and Franny, Gr.3 Magnolia Handicap winner, the bay filly by Captain Al oozes paddock potential. With European Sprint Champion Var as her sire and Gr.1 Allan Robertson winner Happy Valentine as her half sister, Lot 99, Maine Chance Farms’ Happy Avenue is bound to be a speedy addition to any stable, while Lot 16 Giveusakiss rounds off the royal relations. Consigned by Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm, the beautiful Greys Inn filly is a full brother to Gr.2 Selangor Cup winner King Of Pain and is certain to have the buyers queuing.