Bjorn Nielsen claims top lot at Cape Premier Yearling Sale

Bjorn Nielsen claimed the top lot at the Cape Premier Yearling Sale for the second year in a row as the leading international owner-breeder bought a daughter of leading South African sire Gimmethegreenlight for R1,100,000 (£53,000/€62,000).

The major auction of the Western Cape area had been postponed from the end of January due to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions and disruption.

Held this year at the De Grendel Estate, the figures were significantly down, illustrated by the fact Nielsen had reached as far as R3million when teaming up with Nic Jonsson for a headlining Silvano colt at the previous renewal.

The filly named Strawberry Light, consigned by Lammerskraal Stud, is from a blue chip South African family, being out of Greyville Guineas runner-up Strawberry Ice and a half sister to smart performer Flying Ice.

Two yearlings shared second highest honours at R800,000. Agent John Freeman had signed for Klawervlei Stud's Trippi filly Larking Around, whose Montjeu dam Larking Around has produced a string of other capable performers.

Strawberry Light was the session's headline actCredit: Cts

Drakenstein Stud's What A Winter colt named Stratospheric, out of Grade 1 Empress Stakes winner Stratos, reached the same price to the Viljoen family.

Present global conditions were unlikely to have ever favoured the event, which had struggled last year too.

There was a healthy clearance rate of 89 per cent, with 155 of the 174 offered lots selling but an aggregate of R37,710,000 (£1,812,000/€2,111,000), average of R243,290 (£11,700/€13,600 and median of R200,000 (£9,600/€11,200) were modest compared with times gone by.

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