Sons of Camelot and Frankel add intrigue to National Yearling Sale

A total of 565 blue-blooded youngsters, including some by top European sires, have been selected for this week's Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale, which takes place at the TBA complex in Johannesburg from Wednesday until Friday.

As in 2018, the National Yearling Sale has been separated into a first and second session.

Camelot and Frankel are both represented by a colt apiece, both of whom were bred by leading vendor Klawervlei Stud.

Rathmor Stud consigns the Frankel colt (), who has already been named Juan Carlos.

The September-born yearling has a particularly attractive page being out of the winning Holy Roman Emperor mare Queen Of Spain, who was fourth in the Listed Blenheim Stakes at the Curragh as a juvenile.

Queen Of Spain is closely related to champion two-year-old and sire Mastercraftsman, a son of Danehill Dancer who strung together four wins at the highest level, including the Irish 2,000 Guineas in his Classic year, and also the Moyglare Stud Stakes runner-up Famous.

The August-foaled Camelot colt (), consigned by Klawervlei, is out of the Power mare Sukiwarrior, who was unplaced in four starts for Charlie Hills but whose pedigree suggests she may have more to offer as a broodmare.

Her own dam, Umniya, posted her highest Racing Post Rating of 104 when a close fourth to Kew Gardens' dam Chelsea Rose in the 2004 Moyglare.

Umniya was also third in the Group 3 Premio Dormello over a mile at San Siro and third in the Listed Swordlestown Stud Sprint Stakes at Naas.

Umniya's half-sister Lady Links begins a three-generational sequence of stakes winners through her daughter Selinka and grandson Hit The Bid. Umniya's other half-sister White Daffodil produced Log Out Island, runner-up in both the Norfolk and Mill Reef Stakes.

Bloodstock South Africa's flagship sale - where the cream of the South African yearling crop is auctioned - first took place in 1907 and has been held at the Germiston complex every year since 1977.

Graduates of the sale include Horse of the Year and subsequent outstanding stallion Dynasty and fellow champions Futura, Legislate and Legal Eagle.

Another alumnus Do It Again was crowned champion three-year-old colt in South Africa for his win in last year's Durban July at Greyville, with the son of Twice Over annexing the L'Ormarins Queen's Plate at Kenilworth in January as a four-year-old.

South Africa's top sires of recent times are all set to be represented at this year's sale, with the likes of Captain Al, Dynasty, Gimmethegreenlight, Querari, Silvano, Trippi and Var all handsomely represented.

Two sons of Galileo will be represented by their first yearlings including Bush Hill Stud resident , a Galileo full-brother to Magical and Rhododendron, and , a US Grade 2 winner standing at Ascot Stud.

A total of 387 yearlings were sold last year for total receipts of R140,345,000 (£7.685 million/€8.88m), up 25 per cent on the previous year.

The average leapt by 20 per cent to R362,650, while the median increased by 14 per cent to R200,000.

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