Klawervlei Stud’s exciting young stallion Coup De Grace (the only son of multiple champion US sire Tapit at stud in South Africa) made headlines at Wednesday’s Cape Premier Yearling Sale.
The handsome chestnut ended the one day auction as the Leading First Crop Sire by Aggregate, with Coup De Grace having 17 lots gross R4 895 000- placing him above such sire standouts Silvano, Trippi, Camelot and Frankel on the Top Sires List.

Coup De Grace’s top yearling was a colt (Lot 224), consigned by Klawervlei Stud, who was knocked down to Rathmor Stud for R750 000.

Leading bloodstock agent John Freeman bought a Coup De Grace colt for R600 000, while three other members of his first crop made R500 000, and Coup De Grace looks to have a made a very encouraging start to his stud career.

One of the fastest horses of his generation, Coup De Grace won both the G2 Amsterdam Stakes and G3 Bay Shore Stakes, and he also finished third in the G1 King’s Bishop Stakes at Saratoga.

A half-brother to G1 winning 2yo Dancing Rags, Coup De Grace is a son of triple US Champion Sire Tapit, the sire of  over 100 stakes winners, and his 25 individual G1 winners including last season’s Starlet Stakes winner Chasing Yesterday.

Tapit also made news in North America on Thursday when his multiple G1 winning daughter Unique Bella was named Champion Older Dirt Female for 2018 at the Eclipse Awards ceremony yesterday.

Tapit’s son Tapizar is the sire of brilliant filly Monomoy Girl – who was named Champion Three-Year-Old  Filly for 2018 at the same ceremony.