I was interested to see an investment website run a series of articles on the forthcoming Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale that commences this Friday in South Africa. What sparked my interest was the fact that the portal typically has absolutely nothing to do with racing.

The interviews with "Mike Rattray: Lammerskraal Stud (and Mala Mala Game Reserve)" and former New Zealand All Black Alan Sutherland (Somerset Stud, KwaZulu-Natal) that appeared on the MoneyWeb.com site are an interesting twist to the traditional coverage provided by the racing media given the audience are a business (investing) group. It's interesting marketing - although perhaps not that far different from a bloodstock summary in The Australian Financial Review on a Monday - and it will be interesting to see what comes of this approach in the future.

Postscrip: Another story went up on Friday as well - see following URL]

Speaking of South Africa, it's a country that has been dominating a few headlines of late: first Charles Laird's spending spree at Easter, then Irridescence's Group 1 win in Hong Kong last Sunday; and this week the second and third highest priced lots at the Easter Broodmare sale were none other than South African mares (3-times Group 1 winner Paraca who sold for $800,000 and another G1 winner Battle Maiden who sold for $625,000).