South Africa’s Ready to Run Sale at in Gosforth Park on Sunday returned better than expected results with the average up 9% from last year to R189,895 (AUD 27,568).

Trainer Mike de Kock paid top price of R2.10 million (AUD 304,877) for an Australian bred Galileo filly named Uthawini on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa.  She was a pin-hooker’s dream for Livestock Traders who bought her for $40,000 at the 2009 Inglis Melbourne Premier yearling sale.

“She has everything,” de Kock said.  “Looks, pedigree and conformation.”  De Kock trains Galileo’s Australian bred filly Sidera who was a Listed winner of the Starling Stakes at Turffontein a day before the Ready to Run Sale.

Like Sidera, Uthawini is out of a Danehill mare.  Her dam Tramore is a half-sister to Champion filly Triscay (Marscay) and has already foaled the Sydney winners Superreact (Reenact) and Petulie (Magic Albert).

Andre Macdonald was the under-bidder on Uthawini but he bounced back to buy the only other Galileo at the sale.  She is a filly named Igugu and cost R1 million (AUD 145,179).

Igugu is from the Irish bred mare Zarinia (Intikhab) and was bred by Kia Ora Stud.  Her pedigree has been developed over several generations by the Aga Khan and includes his Champion filly Zarkava (Zamindar) who retired in 2008 after a career-high victory in the Arc de Triomphe.

Livestock Traders made another nice profit on Igugu who was a $65,000 buy from Kia Ora Stud at the 2009 Inglis Melbourne Premier.

“We are thrilled with the results,” BloodStock SA manager Caroline Simpson said.  “There are lots of positives including the clearance rate which was over 90%.  Thoroughbred sales in South Africa continue to perform extremely well.”