Dr. J. Hay

Noticed a buyer at the National Yearling Sales, a Dr. J. Hay who purchased around R20million (R10mil on Select night) worth of yearlings.

Dont recognize the name. Is he a 1st time buyer, is he a foreign buyer ?

Heard that he's buying for H.Brown ?

Oscar, or anyone confirm ?

Morning Jess - I too noticed the name, but being relatively new to the game thought he must already be established.

I'll google yhe gentleman and see what info comes up.

Although very welcome indeed I must say - Jim.

...........................Jim Hay, a Scots-born engineer who owns chemicals and construction operation JMH Group, invested a fraction under R10m buying five yearlings. Hay, who turns 58 this year and lives in Dubai, is a recent convert to the Sport of Kings, having led in his first winner at Lingfield in England just four years ago. He has 16 horses in training in the UK at his Uplands Stables establishment in Lambourn which he bought in 2005. Up and coming trainer Stan Moore, a 46 year old former jockey, looks after Hay's horses at Uplands.

Hay made the UK newspapers' front pages in February when he acquired historic Savile Row tailor Kilgour for GBP 1,5m. He was assisted in the selection of his Johannesburg purchases by South African trainer Herman Brown, fresh from a dream season in his new Dubai base. The Brown trained and SA-bred Jay Peg won one of the major events at last week's World Cup night, boosting his stakes earnings to R26,5m - almost 300 times the horse's purchase price.

The Dubai-based Scotsman bumped South African industrialist Markus Jooste from his usual position atop the list of leading buyers. Jooste, whose R25bn Steinhoff International (JSE:SHF) ranks among SA's Top 40 corporations, was the second biggest buyer on Friday night, securing eight yearlings for a total of R8,4m.

Jooste's outlay was fractionally above the R8,3m paid for five yearlings at the Select Session by.......................

Thanks Keanu, a very canny scotsman. He's got much more bang for his buck than if in UK Ireland or Dubai, that's for sure.

Fair play to the good Dr - I wish him all the best, going forward.