Maine Chance Farms’ wonderful sire Silvano, recently crowned South Africa’s champion sire for a fifth time, dominated proceedings at Friday’s Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale.

Silvano supplied the four top lots, all colts, at Friday’s sale, and ended Friday having eight yearlings gross R15 635 000, with Silvano’s yearlings on Friday averaging an impressive R1 954 375.

Top lot sold on Friday was Silvano’s regally bred son Celestial City (Lot 185), who was knocked down to Summerhill Stud’s Henning Pretorius for R7 000 000.

Consigned by Wilgerbosdrift, the colt is a full-brother to Equus Champion, and five time G1 winner Hawwaam, and half-brother to G1 ARF Commemorative Cape Derby winner Golden Ducat and triple G1 winner Rainbow Bridge.

Remarkably, Celestial City is just the fifth foal out of G3 Prix du Cap winner Halfway To Heaven, South Africa’s Broodmare Of The Year in 2018-2019.

Wilgerbosdrift also consigned Friday’s second top lot, a Silvano colt by the name of Scarlet Ibis (Lot 106) who was knocked down to Form Bloodstock for R4 500 000.

Very closely related to the Silvano sired Kings Cup winner Born To Perform, Scarlet Ibis was produced by the dual winning Western Winter mare Dashing Scarlet, herself a daughter of Equus Champion, and five time G1 winner Dancer’s Daughter.

While Silvano topped the sires’ standings on Friday, Wilgerbosdrift topped Friday’s vendors list, with the Piketberg farm selling eight of their nine yearlings offered for an aggregate of R1 653 125.

Form Bloodstock topped Friday’s buyers list, purchasing 12 yearlings for R9.74 million.