Millstream Farm heads into the August Two-Year-Old Sale on the back of another memorable season. Its graduate, Palace Of Arvernia, rounded off the 2025/26 term with victory in the Grade 2 World Pool With Race Coast Debutante on Gold Cup Day, a performance that propelled the promising filly to the top of the Equus Awards standings for Champion Two-Year-Old Filly.
Breeder Jan Mantel said receiving his invitation to the Equus Awards ceremony was the perfect way to round off a memorable season, although his hopes of collecting silverware last week ended in rather different fashion.
Mantel took a four-shot lead into the final round of the Racing Masters at Durban Country Club before being overtaken by jockey Lyle Hewitson in a finish that drew plenty of good-natured comparisons with Greg Norman’s infamous collapse at the 1996 Masters.
“I was in the zone on the first day,” Mantel quipped. “But on the second morning I woke up a bit groggy and the tricky course got the better of me.”
The veteran breeder will now turn his attention to the sales ring, where Millstream Farm has consigned a strong draft of 13 two-year-olds to the Bloodstock South Africa August Two-Year-Old Sale on 20 and 21 August.
Mantel believes the draft offers buyers a blend of proven sire power, good female families and individuals with the scope to make their mark. He highlighted a handful of the standouts among the consignment.
He is most excited about Lot 130, a full-sister to Palace Of Arvernia and Grade 1 winner Grand Empire, sired by Vercingetorix out of Palace Of Dreams (Potala Palace).
“She’s a chestnut like Grand Empire – a lovely, high-quality filly and only the fourth produce from this exceptional mare,” said Mantel.
Lot 60 is a Rafeef colt, and he’s a second foal out of Grade 2 winner Keep On Dancing (Silvano), from the close family of Let’s Rock ’n Roll and In The Fast Lane. “He’s a strong and athletic colt with black type all the way down the page.”
Millstream brought a number of well-received yearlings by Danon Platina to the National Yearling Sale in April, and Lot 112 is another good-looker by the Deep Impact stallion. He’s a first foal out of a two-time winning Silvano mare, aptly named ‘Tokyo Shine’, and from the terrific family of Triple Tiara winners Summer Pudding and Cherry On The Cake.
Lot 152 is a Gimmethegreenlight colt out of Quetta, by Kabool. Her record shows five winners from six runners, including stakes winner Sukhumvit and Grade 1 placed Satchdev (both by Silvano). “He’s big and strong and will take some time. We’re hoping that her mating with Gimmethegreenlight will produce a top, classic horse,” said Mantel.
Another mare with a good record is the breeder’s own unraced Danehill Dancer mare, Dee Dee Roo. She’s had three winners from three runners and her fourth foal is Lot 324, a colt by high-flying Malmoos. He’s a youngster with scope.
Lot 29 also received a mention. He is a son of Hawwaam and Fresh (Querari), whose first three runners Tyrion Lannister (Royal Mo), Plumbago Park (Rafeef) and just recently Hoc Est Vita (Canford Cliffs) have all made good racetrack impressions. This one is named ‘Missing Piece’ and Mantel said that he may well turn out to be the mare’s best, so far – a colt with high promise.
