A daughter of Drakenstein Stud’s resident sire Trippi proved the star attraction on the first day of the 2016 National Yearling Sale, which got underway at the TBA Complex, Gosforth Park, on Wednesday afternoon.  Consigned by Wilgerbosdrift Stud the filly was the one of the last lots to come under the hammer with the R2 500 000 Form Bloodstock purchase catalogued as lot 142 of the 251 yearlings on the first day of the three day sale.

Lot 142: Lara Yara.

Already named Lara Yara day one’s top priced lot is out of three time winner and Listed Oaks Trial winner Ilha Grande whose dam is former Horse Of The Year Ilha Da Vitoria. Lara Yara was one of two yearlings to fetch R2 000 000 plus on the opening day of trade, with Varsfontein Stud sending out a Var colt to fetch R2 000 000. Out of Western Winters Grade One winning daughter Covenant (and from the family of former Breeders’ Cup winner Pluck), the colt was knocked down to prominent owner Alesh Naidoo.

Understandably, Carl De Vos, manager of Varsfontein Stud, was delighted by his colt’s price tag not least because he is from the same family as the farm’s young sire Master Of My Fate.  “He is a colt with a stallion’s pedigree. I am glad he has gone to a great trainer (Charles Laird) and he is a colt with a lovely temperament and we are very proud of this family.’’

Day one’s statistics saw a slight drop in horses who met their reserve, with 111 lots selling (116 yearlings sold in 2015), with 20 lots not selling as opposed to six last year. The aggregate of the first day dropped by 15 percent, and fell from R40 490 000 to R34 240 000, although both the average and median prices rose. The average rose by 14 percent from R269 933 to R308 468 while the median increased from R190 000 to R200 000.

Kevin Woolward, CEO of the TBA, was positive about the day’s proceedings. “The middle market was stronger than usual in recent times. I also think we were helped by a couple of strong lots later in the sale which helped add momentum to the sale. It was a great finish to the day.”