BACK in the day, in Johannesburg, city slickers gathered en masse when the Travelling Carnival came around. There won’t be any sideshows featuring buskers, elephant men or bearded ladies when CTS hosts the Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale at Sandton’s Inanda Club on Sunday, but the innovative Cape-based bloodstock company is making an entertaining weekend of it all the same!

The dusty old mining town is set for a few raving sunshine days at one of its most  prestigious venues with smashing thoroughbreds, sports, big business and probably any number of Sandton’s two-legged, perfumed bombshells within free ogling range.

The ‘locals’ are set to lay it down to their compatriots from the Mother City and elsewhere with some spirited bidding. Rumours have it that a number of Capetonians who have made the journey upcountry are showing symptoms of hay fever – a good opportunity for the seasoned Jo’burg buyers to pinch a few choice lots when the Mountain Goats suffer bouts of sneezing around Andrew Miller and Graeme Hawkins’ auction ring in the Inanda Ballroom on Sunday.

CTS’s COO Adrian Todd and Sales Manager Amanda Carey will be in attendance throughout the weekend and Amanda said on Friday morning: “We’ve got a super event planned and we welcome all prospective buyers and horse lovers.”

The Terrace Restaurant, Simpsons Bar and Inanda Club’s various plush lounges will be open on Friday to serve horse viewers while complimentary snacks and drinks will be served on Saturday. Sports and racing will be televised on three big screens and CTS will host a “Cocktails and Rugby Evening” featuring the two World Cup Quarter-Finals and commencing at 4pm on the day. (Please RSVP Amanda@cthbs.com if you’d like to attend).

The Sale itself starts at 1pm on Sunday and buyers will have the opportunity to choose nomination into either the Johannesburg or Cape Town races for 2016, both carrying R2,5-million in stakes. They will also be given an opportunity to nominate for both races upon payment of an additional levy. (Buyers cards can be obtained from CTS staff on site, or mail Amanda@cthbs.com)

Amanda noted that four lots have been withdrawn – 17; 25; 84 and 151 – which leaves 195 others to choose from and R5-million up for grabs in the R2R races next year – this gives everyone a pretty decent chance from a relatively small selection of getting the ‘special one’ who will bring home those wonderful riches in 2016.

All that’s left to do is to get to the Inanda Club this weekend, with Sunday as your focus. Remember to take an alternative to Grayston Drive on your way there, and don’t worry about the Gatekeeper’s Password. In the old days only well-prolonged vowels in the expression of  “Inaaaandha” could get you past the boom and into the Old Boys Club – this weekend Adrian and Amanda will gladly accept ‘Inanda’ and give you a complimentary refreshment and a chance to feast your eyes on some Horseflesh Proper. Not a lot wrong with that!

Photo: Hamish Niven Photography.