Hopes for an EU-inspired boost to the bloodstock market were only partially realised at last Friday’s Cape Yearling Sale at the Mistico Equestrian Centre near Paarl.

The R66 992 average showed a 3.1% increase on last year but this was partly due to a fall in the proportion of the catalogue finding buyers – 66% down from 77% 12 months ago.

The average at this sale has increased from its 2011 low point of 47 587 almost every year since but it is still some way below the 2007 R93 212 highpoint.

The R40 000 median was down by a fifth on last year and the aggregate fell 22% to R7.9 million and is less than half the 2007 high of R16.7 million.

The top price of R360 000 was paid by Sterling Miller’s Pound Bloodstock for Mauritzfontein’s Edgartown, a Soft Falling Rain colt out of the winning Fort Wood mare Mrs Brock, a full sister to the much travelled eight-time winner Mr Brock.

BLOB Adrian Todd, boss of SA Equine Health & Protocols, told last month’s Asian Racing Conference that the EU audit of South Africa’s export protocols will start on April 20 and that he hopes to receive the go-ahead for direct exports in November.

By Michael Clower