South Africa’s opening yearling sale of 2010 was held in Cape Town on Sunday and heading the leader-board among the 254 lots was a Right Approach colt that made R700,000 (AUD 103,985).

Right Approach (Machiavellian) was a G1 winner of the Dubai Duty Free and he was also runner-up to Dubai Destination in the G1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.  His sale topping colt is from a half sister to the dam of Jay Peg who was a G1 winner of the Cape Guineas and Cape Derby.

Offered by Daytona Stud he was purchased by prominent owner Chris van Niekerk who was seated with leading trainer Sean Tarry.

Highland Stud stallion Dynasty was second on the leader board with a colt out of Winter Kill (Western Winter) that realized R500,000 (AUD 74,275).  The colt was consigned by Zandvliet Stud was sold to champion trainer Mike Bass.

The Sale was given a tremendous boost when the first five runners home in this year’s Group 1 J&B Met were graduates from sales held under the auspices of BloodStock SA.

The biggest success story of the Cape Summer Yearling Sale is the mighty Pocket Power who sold for only R160 000 (AUD 30,100) in 2004.  His third placing in last month J&B Met took his career earnings past R9.4 million (AUD 1.4 million).

The next South African major is the 2010 Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale starting on April 23.