[dropcap]B[/dropcap]e it the excitement of watching your Thoroughbred approaching the starting gate on race day, or the lifestyle afforded to South Africa’s glamourous horse racing fraternity, owning a racehorse is a pursuit with many enjoyable benefits. For those who are interested in investing in a racehorse of their own, the Bloodstock South Africa National Yearling Sale is a great place to start.
Any racehorse owner will tell you that there is little to match the thrill of watching your Thoroughbred galloping down the racetrack in pursuit of victory, or the unique sense of camaraderie shared by fellow competitors. As a racehorse owner in South Africa, you can look forward to unrestricted access to exclusive member’s lounges where you’ll rub shoulders with fellow owners including Olympian Chad le Clos, Mr and Mrs Wittstock – the parents of Princess Charlene of Monaco, Lady Christine Laidlaw and Jessica Slack – granddaughter of the late Sir Harry Oppenheimer.
If you are lucky enough to have a winning horse, you will enjoy prize money, prestige and, when your horse retires from racing, in many cases, a potential return on your investment. Successful racehorses are considered valuable assets, and will be snapped up by stud farms eager to breed future generations of champions.
If this is something that appeals to you, a great place to start would be at a racehorse auction such as those held by Bloodstock South Africa (BSA), the sales arm of the Thoroughbred Breeders Association (TBA). From 3 to 5 May this year, BSA will be hosting its annual National Yearling Sale at its sales complex in Germiston, during which some of South Africa’s most promising young racehorses will be knocked down to investors with the mutual desire of owning South Africa’s next champion.
In 2016, this dream became a reality for prominent racehorse owner, Alesh Naidoo. During the 2016 BSA National Yearling Sale, Alesh purchased Varsfontein Stud-bred colt Varallo. Since then, Varallo has surpassed all expectations, achieving two wins from only two starts as a two-year-old on Scotsville Racetrack in Pietermaritzburg.
Whilst Alesh is a seasoned racehorse owner with huge amounts of experience when it comes to selecting a promising Thoroughbred, those wishing to buy into their first horse might need a little more guidance. Therefore, the TBA is inviting anyone with an interest in horse racing to a free information session which will be held on the final day of the National Yearling Sale. Attendees will be shown what physical characteristics to look out for when selecting a horse as well as given a brief introduction to the ins-and-outs of racehorse ownership and the various options available to those interested in investing.
If you would like to attend, please register your interest with Catherine at breedaffairs@equine.co.za
So, if the exhilaration of racehorse ownership appeals to you, or if you’d simply like to find out more about the inner workings of South Africa’s multi-million rand horse racing industry, come and learn from those in the know at South Africa’s most prestigious annual racehorse sale.
For further press information, contact dei Gratia on +27 21 701 1772 or e-mail megan@dei-gratia.co.za.
For an updated online catalogue, price list, vendor and sire listings and pedigree updates, go to www.tba.co.za/bsa or contact Bloodstock South Africa directly on +27 31 303 1017 or e-mail enquiries@tba.co.za