Al Muthana Given 133 And Is Highest Rated In SA
The handicappers now make Al Muthana the highest merit rated horse in the land on 133, one clear of Charles Dickens, who was raised four points to 132.
Jet Dark and Kommetdieding were used as line horses and remained on their marks of 130 and 129 respectively.
The Grade 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes winner make It Snappyh becomes the highest rated female in the land on 125, one clear of reigning Equus Horse Of The Year Captain’s Ransom. who she beat i n the weight for age event by 0,30 lengths.
All the handicapping changes for the weekend’s racing are explained by the handicappers below.
- L’ Ormarins King’s Plate (Grade 1)
AL MUTHANA has had his merit rating raised from 125 to 133 following his success on WFA terms in the Grade 1 L’ Ormarins King’s Plate over 1600m on the summer course at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday 7 January. This was his second Grade 1 victory at WFA terms over the 1600m trip having won the 2022 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge Grade 1 some 6 months earlier when accounting for multiple Grade 1 winner JET DARK.
The Handicappers were of the view that 3rd placed JET DARK made for the best line horse, leaving him unchanged on a mark of 130. This view was reinforced by the fact that in assessing the race this way 4th placed KOMMETDIEDING also runs to his rating of 129, effectively making him a line horse as well.
There were also ratings increases for 2nd finisher CHARLES DICKENS, who is up from 128 to 132, and for 6th placed ZAPATILLAS, who goes up from 118 to 122. This makes him equal to 5th placed LINEBACKER, who finished a short head in front of ZAPATILLAS and who was dropped from 124 to 122. LINEBACKER, in finishing just behind JET DARK and KOMMETDIEDING, is effectively confirming past form with this pair, which also strengthens the choice of JET DARK and KOMMETDIEDING as joint line horses in this event.
Aside from LINEBACKER, the only other drop was for GOLDEN DUCAT, who is down from 125 to 120.
- Cartier Paddock Stakes (Grade 1)
MAKE IT SNAPPY has seen her rating climb from 115 to 125 after winning the Grade 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes for fillies and mares over 1800m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. Here it was runner-up CAPTAIN’S RANSOM who was considered to make for the best line horse, leaving her unchanged on a mark of 124.
There is no real reason to believe that CAPTAIN’S RANSOM didn’t run her race, given that she was beaten only by a hugely progressive three-year-old and that she finished comfortably ahead of everything else.
Aside from the winner, the only other increase was for 3rd placed SILVER DARLING, who goes up from 113 to 122. The solitary drop was for RAIN IN HOLLAND, who is down from 118 to 116.
- Cartier Sceptre Stakes (Grade 2)
PRINCESS CALLA remains unchanged on a rating of 121 after winning the Grade 2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes for fillies and mares over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. Here it was 4th placed TIME FO ORCHIDS who was deemed to make for the most suitable line horse, leaving her unaltered on a rating of 107. In assessing the race this way PRINCESS CALLA only runs to a rating of 115, hence her unchanged mark.
There were increases for 2nd placed STIPTELIK, who is up from 107 to 109, and for 5th finisher LIVE MY LIFE, who goes up from 86 to 101 to at least make her equal to the 101-rated 7th placed WHOA WHOA WHOA.
There were drops for two horses. GIMME DAT is down from 107 to 105, while KISSING POINT is down to 99 from 102.
- Anthonij Rupert Wyne Premier Trophy (Grade 2)
RASCALLION remains unchanged on a rating of 122 following his win in the Grade 2 Anthonij Rupert Wyne Premier Trophy over 1800m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. Here it was runner-up NEXUS who was considered to make for the best line horse, leaving him unchanged on a mark of 114. In assessing the race this way, 6th placed SILVANO’S TIMER runs to his mark of 109, effectively making him a line horse as well. RASCALLION however only runs to a mark of 113, hence his unchanged rating.
The only ratings increase was for 3rd placed Warrior, who is up from 107 to 112.
Two horses were given a drop. POMP AND POWER is down from 116 to 114, while AIRWAYS LAW drops from 112 to 110.
- Merchants On Long Chairman’s Cup (Grade 3)
CROME YELLOW has had his rating raised from 106 to 109 after winning the Grade 3 Merchants On Long Chairman’s Cup over 2500m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. Here it was 4th placed ARCTIC DRIFT and 5th finisher BARATHEON who were deemed to make for the best line horses, leaving them unchanged on ratings of 93 and 96, respectively. In assessing the race his way, runner-up SENSO UNICO runs to his mark of 106, which effectively makes him a line horse as well.
There were drops for five horses. SUPER SILVANO is down from 108 to 106, REX UNION drops from 104 to 101, ONE WAY TRAFFIC is down to 110 from 111, BLACK THORN goes to 102 from 103, and lastly CHOLLIMA drops from 98 to 95.
Horses Are Not Machines
Mark Van Deventer’s Analysis Has Charles Dickens Running Considerably Below His Previous Performance
Al Muthana (speed score 107) stunned odds on favourite Charles Dickens by a nose to win the 2023 King’s Plate at odds of 80/1. Upsets are rare in this historic WFA contest, but Ricky Maingard’s runner provided a massive boil-over when hurtling through against the grandstand rail under the vigorous exhortations of jockey, Bernard Fay’d Herbe.
Charles Dickens appears to have peaked in his Cape Guineas tour-de-force where he merited a speed figure of 120. Horses can regress after a draining race (or “bounce” as American handicappers are apt to say) and they may have led to CD running 13 points off that last huge effort.
Brett Crawford’s rapidly progressive Dynasty filly, Make it Snappy (s/s 95 + has run 100 +) put her hand up for a possible tilt at the Met when following up on her recent Fillies Guineas victory with another G1 success in the Paddock Stakes. She proved too good for sprint/miler champ Captain’s Ransom who found 1800m at the outer limit of her stamina range.
Rascallion won the Premier Trophy in a blanket finish, which is often the case when the early pace is slow. Only Warrior made up significant ground, so he is perhaps the horse to take out of the race for future betting purposes, but it was an exceptionally gutsy performance by Rascallion to ward off all challenges.
Earlier on the card, good speed figures were recorded down the straight course by Mr Cobbs (s/s 108) and Princess Calla (s/s 104 +). The former dashed past the entire field in a career best whilst “the Princess” sustained a strong gallop throughout to clinch the G2 Sceptre Stakes.
Isivunguvungu, Resonate and We’re Jamming all merited 107’s when just denied by Mr Cobbs and have potential to win strong sprint races.
Desert Miracle (s/s 102+) is another worth following as she did well to get as close as she did to Princess Calla after a tardy start.
Big Burn Confirms She Is A Grade 1 Sprint Contender
Big Burn was simply held together in front for most of the journey in a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1100 at Turffontein Standside today before 4kg claimer Siyando Sosibo let her go and she cruised in by 3,25 lengths from Gallic Chief.
The Sean Tarry-trained Elusive Fort four-year-old was admittedly the best in at the weights.
Furthermore, the three scratchings included two Grade 1 winners Bohica and Master Archie.
In addition, two of the main contenders still remaining in the field, Vars Vicky and Moonshingthrough, suffered terrible starts.
The handlers were still holding the horses, who were deemed by the starter to need a hold, after the gates had started opening, although their hands do come up at about the same time the gates are fully open.
Does this not put a horse off and should the hands not come up just before the gates start opening?
Nevertheless, Vars Vicky dropped her head and did not jump, losing five lengths, but the stipendiary stewards were satisfied it was of her own accord and that she had not been impeded by the handler.
In my opinion all “hold” horses should be declared on the race card, especially over sprints, where a fast start is often imperative.
The problem therein is that some horses which have not been classified as “hold” horses before the races are sometimes deemed to need a hold on the day because of fractious behaviour in the gates.
Hong Kong never have to consider these variables, because handlers are not allowed in the stalls.
However, it is unlikely the winning position would have been effected in today’s race in any event, because Big Burn looked to still have a ton in hand at the line.
Owner Arun Chadha of the ASSM Racing Syndicate was on course to lead her in.
He spoke afterwards of how important Big Burn’s last two wins (including today) had been in order for her to get her confidence back.
She won on December 10 over 1000m, beating Grade 1 Golden Horse Sprint winner Alesian Chief, although she was receiving 6,5kg and also had 4kg claimer Sosibo on then.
The former Paul Peter-trained filly’s previous win had been back in April in the Grade 3 Sycamore Sprint over 1160m.
However, she did subsequently run a 2,25 length second to Master Archie in the Grade 1 wfa Computaform Sprint over 1000m, a 1,60 length fourth to Captain’s Ransom in the Grade 1 wfa SA Fillies Sprint over 1200m and a 1,30 length third in the Grade 1 wfa Mercury Sprint over 1200m.
The Grade 1 Computaform Sprint might be her first big goal or will it be the Grade 1 Cape Flying Championship in less than three weeks time, a tough 1000m which should suit her down to the ground, considering she enjoyed today’s easy 1100m.
On the form of her penultimate win she will be held on paper by Alesian Chief over 1000m due to the weight turnaround, although Tarry is still likely getting to the bottom of her having had her for less than half a season.
Nevertheless, the SA Fillies Sprint over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on June 3 looks likely to be her main hope for Grade 1 glory.
She will have matured since her good performance there as a three-year-old last year and should now be the perfect type for the Hollywoodbets Scottsville 1200m i.e. a horse who has a cruising speed high enough to stay in touch with the leaders coupled with the ability to kick and then stay on resolutely up the hill.
He has made a fine start to his stud career.
He has had two runners, Predator’s Feast, who is out of Western Winter mare Snow Tune and is thus a half-sister to the at one stage promising Dandolo, and Teerex, who is out of Danehill Dancer mare Sagrada who had previously had five runners and four winners.
Both Predator’s Feast and Teerex were bred by Clifton Stud.
The Yadav Singh-trained Predator’s Feast finished close up fourths in her first two starts over 800m and 1000m respectively and she then came out and won a 1000m race on the Hollywoodbets Greyville turf and by an easy 2,80 lengths under S’Manga Khumalo.
In second place in that race was the Mike Miller-trained Romance In Rome, who later became Danon Platina’s first winner, and in third place was New Predator’s other runner to date, Teerex.
Teerex has had three runs now for two seconds and a third, meaning New Predator’s runners are yet to miss the frame.
Danon Platina has had eight runners around the country.
Romance In Rome beat Teerex comfortably by 2,80 lengths over 1000m on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly on Sunday to give Danon Platina his first winner.
He has a couple of promising Justin Snaith-trained runners, including the colt Kyomai, who finished a close second on debut over 1000m to the well bred William Longsword colt Dumbledore.
Kyomai is out of the Tiger Ridge mare Folk Dance, who won the Grade 3 Fillies Mile and who is a half-sister to Grade 3 Cup Trial winner Capoeira (Oratorio).
Kyomai was bred by Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein and is owned by Suzette Viljoen.
Danon Platina is the only son of Deep Impact at stud in South Africa and he was Japan’s Champion 2YO Colt of 2014. Danon Platina won three of four starts at two, including the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes –a race won previously by champion and successful sire Fuji Kiseki – and he went on to win a Group 3 as a three-year-old.
Danon Platina has two colts and two fillies at CPYS 2023.
Oldlands Looking To Breed Another Star
Hardly a season goes by without Oldlands Stud featuring somewhere in the headlines, their most recent success being Oratorio’s daughter Canadian Summer, the multiple Graded winner and one of the stars of her generation.
Barbara Sanne of Oldlands has a four-strong draft at the Tattersalls Cape Premier Yearling Sale this year and she said: “The Oratorio fillies are jewels, Canadian Summer has done so well for us. We have a nice colt by Oratorio on sale this year. He is Lot 32, a well-balanced, neatly put together colt out of Captain Al mare Full Regalia, whose runners have all been winners so far. He looks an early type to me.” (see picture above the headline)
Lot 39 is Querari Rose, a filly by Querari out of Guns and Roses (Trippi) who won five in a row before injury. “This is her second foal, the first is unraced so far. The filly has class about her, and a good international female line.” (see picture below)
Lot 50 is Julie’s Quest, by Querari out of Julie Doolittle by Horse Chestnut. “She is a beautiful half-sister to Dr Doolittle (Ideal World), a top horse whose career was limited by the handicapper. Julie’s Quest is my pick of the draft, she is just superb with a thin skin, something I associate with top horses. She is a lovely walker too.” (see picture below)
Lastly, Lot 18 is a colt by Vercingetorix to be sold by Oldlands as agent. He is Taxi To The Moon, the next in line for the prolific Earn A Moon (Indigo Magic) whose previous foals include Cat And The Moon (5 wins), Light Of The Moon (4 wins) and Summer Sensation (6 wins). “He is a tall, smart horse,” said Sanne. (see picture below)
All The Details Of Superb Ridgemont Highlands Draft
Ridgemont Highlands, who bred last Saturday’s G1 Cartier Paddock Stakes winner Make It Snappy, presents a varied and exciting draft at the 2023 Cape Premier Yearling Sale, powered by Tattersalls, at CTICC on Thursday.
Below are detailed notes on the individual lots:
Lot 3: Cadenza – colt by Rafeef out of Casadesus: By the same sire as G1 winners Aragosta, Master Archie and Thunderstruck, as well as recent G2 Dingaans winner Union Square, Cadenza hails from a truly exceptional female line. She is out of the smart race mare Casadesus, who won three times up to 1600m. Already the dam of three winners, Casadesus is a half-sister to four black type horses including G3 winner Offenbach (the latter’s sire Danehill also ranks as the grandsire of Rafeef).
The granddam Push A Venture, a daughter of outstanding broodmare sire Shirley Heights, was a half-sister to none other than the dam of legendary racehorse and top-class sire Rock Of Gibraltar. The latter, a son of Danehill, won a record breaking seven G1 races in a row, and was Cartier “Horse Of The Year” in 2002.
The classically bred Casadesus is by dual Derby winner High Chaparral, who also ranks as the broodmare sire of recent G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile winner California Spangle.
Lot 9: Umfula – colt by Canford Cliffs ex Cool River: This colt shares his five-time G1-winning sire Canford Cliffs with a host of high-class performers, including group/graded stakes winners Cliff’s Edge, La Falaise, Crystal Cliffs, Fish River, Jin Jin, and champion Cima Emergency.
Umfula is also bred on the same Canford Cliffs/Western Winter cross as multiple stakes winner Cliff Top, one of his leading performers from his first South African-sired crop.
Cool River, the dam of Umfula, has already produced four multiple winners, headed by Listed KZN Guineas Trial winner Stream Ahead and the stakes placed, five-time winner Zambezi Rapids. The three time-winning Cool River, herself a daughter of Roland’s Song Stakes winner Riviersonderend, is bred on very similar lines to G2 winner Humdinger and speedy Milkwood Stakes heroine Glacier Gold.
The latter pair were sired by Western Winter’s son What A Winter and are out of Cool River’s stakes winning half-sister Himalayan Hill.
Umfula hails from a high-class family with his relatives including the very successful stallion Crafty Prospector, and G1 winners Bond Holder, Wild Spirit and outstanding South African sire, VAR.
Lot 15: African Memoir – colt by Canford Cliffs x Dinesen: This colt is a son of sensational miler and five-time G1 winner Canford Cliffs, whose progeny have earned more than $34 million in prize money. A half-brother to 2 winners, African Memoir is out of the smart four-time winner and Listed East Cape Paddock Stakes runner-up, Dinesen.
Dinesen, a daughter of the Al Mufti sired Divine Nymph herself is a half-sister to six stakes horses, including G1 SA Classic winner Divine Jury and Ruffian Stakes victress Velvet Hue. The latter has also made a name for herself at stud as the dam of G3 Champagne Stakes victress Phil’s Dancer.”
Lot 29: Wing Walker – colt by Rafeef ex Fly Phillippa Ridgemont Highlands’ resident stallion Rafeef has proved a revelation at stud. The leading First and Second Season Sire of his year, Rafeef’s stellar first crop produced G1 winners Aragosta and Master Archie, as well as the top-class millionaire William Robertson, while his second crop includes G1 Gold Medallion winner Thunderstruck and this season’s G2 Jonsson Workwear Dingaans winner Union Square.
Rafeef has a very well bred son on offer at the Premier Sale this year in the form of Wing Walker. The latter, who shares his broodmare sire Dynasty with the likes of Charles Dickens and Wild Coast, is a half-brother to the speedy Winter Flight, a stakes-placed winner of six. Wing Walker is out of the stakes placed Dynasty mare Fly Phillippa, a full-sister to the G3 placed Dame Kelly.
The blue-blooded Fly Phillippa is also a half-sister to a pair of graded stakes winning two-year-olds as well as this season’s Listed Topbet Spring Spree Stakes winner Team Gold, and further back, this is the family of outstanding US sire Exclusive Native and a host of international G1 winners.
Lot 31: Show Off – colt by Canford Cliffs x Front And Centre This colt, a son of outstanding miler Canford Cliffs, is the first foal of Ridgemont’s brilliant race mare Front And Centre. A half-sister to G1 Premier’s Champion Stakes winner, and successful sire, Potala Palace, Front And Centre (by outstanding sire and emerging broodmare sire Dynasty) won her first four starts, culminating in a scintillating win in the 2018 G1 World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas. The classy Front And Centre went on to capture the G3 Diana Stakes and ended her career having banked more than R1.448 million in earnings.
Front And Centre, who is from the immediate family of English classic winners Golan (2000 Guineas) and North Light (Epsom Derby), is directly descended in female line from one of the greatest mares in the stud book – Simons Shoes. The latter features as the ancestress of numerous star performers including the breed-shaping sires Sadler’s Wells, Nureyev and Fairy King.
Show Off’s five-time G1 winning sire Canford Cliffs has sired group/graded stakes winners in all of Australia, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and South Africa.
Lot 43: Unnamed colt by Rafeef ex Hope Solo: Redoute’s Choice’s top-class son Rafeef has some cracking lots on offer at the 2023 Cape Premier Yearling Sale. One such lot is the colt out of the winning Silvano mare Hope Solo, a three-parts sister to Listed Jamaica Handicap/East Coast Handicap winner Epona. Hope Solo is herself a half-sister to dual G2 Hawaii Stakes winner Whiteline Fever, who earned more than R1.8 million in stakes.
Hope Solo’s dam Hockey Corner was herself a half-sister to outstanding broodmare Laptop Lady –dam not only of the aforementioned Epona, but also graded stakes winners Barrack Street and Cyber Case, and, more importantly, the mighty Jay Peg. The latter, a champion in South Africa, went on to win G1 races in three different countries, including triumphs in the G1 Cape Guineas, G1 Cape Derby, G1 Dubai Duty Free and G1 Singapore Airlines International Cup.
Lot 57: All About Love – colt by Trippi ex Let Me Love You: Former champion sire Trippi is enjoying a fantastic season in 2022-2023. The End Sweep son’s current flagbearers include sensational three-year-old Charles Dickens, multiple G1 winning champion Jet Dark, top-class miler Trip Of Fortune and high-class fillies Santa Maria and Sound Of Warning. Currently sire of more
than 80 stakes winners, Trippi is no stranger to sales ring success, and has had yearlings make up to R6 000 000.
He is represented here by All About Love, a colt with a classic pedigree. All About Love is out a Silvano own sister to G1 SA Derby winner Seal and half-sister to two other stakes winners notably Jet Master Stakes winner Fifty Cents. The latter, like All About Love, was sired by Trippi making the two three-parts brothers. This colt’s granddam Prestine Performer is also second dam of current high-class galloper, and 2022 Summer Cup contender, Raiseahallelujah.
Lot 69: Colt – Superhero – colt by Futura ex Nona In Command: The blue-blooded Superhero is truly bred to be anything. A son of champion Futura, whose three-year-olds this season include the likes of Le Morne and Rockpool, he is a full-brother to G3 WSB Variety Club Mile winner, Warrior. The latter, himself a R1.2 million Cape Premier Sale buy, accounted for July/Met winning star Kommetdieding when victorious in the 2021 Cape Mile (now a G3 contest).
Also a three-parts brother to G3 Prix Du Cap/G3 Poinsettia Stakes winner Pretty Young Thing (also sired by a son of Dynasty), Superhero is out of Swallow Stakes winner Nona In Command. A daughter of top Australian sire Commands, Nona In Command hails from one of the very best families in the Australian stud book.
Lot 85: Sir Korski – colt by Rafeef ex Samarate: Few, if any, yearlings on offer at the upcoming Cape Premier Yearling Sale, hail from a stronger and more impressive female line than Sir Korski. This blue-blooded colt is directly descended from outstanding race mare and producer Fanfreluche – Canada’s “Horse Of The Year” in 1970. Among the numerous star performers descended from Fanfreluche are champion sire Encosta De Lago and fellow G1 winners Aube Indienne, Hi Happy, I Am A Star and Pear Tart.
Sir Korski’s dam, the Fastnet Rock mare Samarate, is very closely related to the Fastnet Rock sired New Zealand Derby winner Sherwood Forest, with both horses descending in female line from the Secretariat mare L’On Vite.
Danehill, grandsire of Rafeef, enjoyed great success when mated to mares from this family, with this cross producing such standout G1 winners and sires Flying Spur and Holy Roman Emperor to name but two.
This is also the family of dual G1 winner, and promising sire Erupt, as well as the now Coolmore Australia based dual G1 winning sprinter Home Affairs (see picture of Lot 85 below).
Lot 91: Run The World – colt by One World x Six Blue Notes: Champion One World looks to be a very attractive addition to the South African stallion band. One of more than 100 stakes winners sired by multiple champion South African sire Captain Al, One World won 10 of just 14 starts including the 2020 G1 Sun Met. Equus Champion Older Male of 2019-2020, One World shares his outstanding broodmare sire Giant’s Causeway with sensational US sire, Gun Runner.
His son, Run The World, is a half-brother to five winners including the stakes placed Studio Blues. His dam Six Blue Notes showed high-class form at two, running third in both the G1 Golden Slipper and G1 Thekwini Fillies Stakes. Six Blue Notes was sired by Qui Danzig, whose daughters have produced such top-flight G1 winners as champion Via Africa (dam of Australian G1 winner In The Congo), Buy And Sell, Count The Money and Pierre Jourdan (see picture of Lot 91 below).
Lot 100: Unnamed Colt by Futura ex Sweet Red: Ridgemont Highlands have already struck Premier Sale gold with a son of Futura, having sold subsequent G3 winner Warrior for R1 200 000 at the 2019 Cape Premier Yearling Sale. They will be offering another son of Dynasty’s champion son at this year’s Premier Sale, with this colt’s first two dams sired by champion Australian sires Snitzel and Encosta De Lago.
His dam Sweet Red is a Snitzel winning half-sister to smart Australian galloper Superare and Sweet Red also ranks as a three-parts sister to G3SAJC South Australian Fillies Classic winner Mimi’s Award (sired by a son of Snitzel). Sweet Red is herself out of a stakes winning daughter of multiple Leading Broodmare Sire Encosta De Lago and she is bred on the same Snitzel/Encosta De Lago cross as the G1 winners Invader, Sword Of State and Summer Passage.
Lot 109: Kaisarissa – colt by Vercingetorix ex Whatalady: Equus Champion Vercingetorix had a phenomenal season in 2021-2022, when finishing second, to his sire Silvano, on the General Sires List. The 2014 G1 Jebel Hatta winner was responsible for 14 black type winners in South Africa last season, his stakes winners picking up no fewer than 21 South African black type races in 2021-2022.
His champion son Cousin Casey, winner of both the G1 Premiers Champion Stakes and G2 Durban Golden Horseshoe at two, remains a great flagbearer for his sire, having claimed the G2 Cape Punters Cup on his first start at three.
Vercingetorix colt Kaisarissa is out of a top-class daughter of multiple champion sire Jet Master and is bred on the same Vercingetorix/Jet Master cross as millionaire African Warrior and G1 Daily News 2000 runner up Padre Pio.
His dam Whatalady won five times including the G3 Acacia Handicap and is a half-sister to graded stakes winners Fort Vogue and Prince Of Kahal.
Remarkably, Kaisarissa’s first three dams were all high-class stakes performers, with granddam Vogue finishing second in the G1 SA Fillies Sprint and third dam Thousand Nights capturing the now G3 Jubilee Handicap.
Lot 115: Sicily – colt by Rafeef ex Baltia: Rafeef colt Sicily has a very attractive pedigree. Bred on the same Rafeef/Var cross as G1 Gold Medallion winner Thunderstruck and G1 Computaform Sprint hero Master Archie, this colt is out of a winning daughter of G3 Kenilworth Fillies Nursery third place getter Baltic Beauty.
The latter, a daughter of high-class broodmare sire Windrush, is a full-sister to Equus Champion, and four-time G1 winner Mother Russia. The latter, despite dying young, also left her mark at stud, through her champion daughter, and dual G1 Empress Club Stakes winner, Nother Russia.
This is also the family of Equus “Horse Of The Year” Winter Solstice, and the Derby winners Bravura and Tribesman.
Lot 117: El Capitan – colt by Rafeef ex Baqueira: A half-brother to Listed Summer Juvenile Stakes/Listed East Cape Nursery winner Cliff Top, El Capitan, closely inbred to successful sire National Assembly, El Capitan is out of a winning own sister to the brilliant Cold As Ice.
A winner on two different continents, Cold As Ice won five of just seven starts in South Africa including the G2 Choice Carriers Fillies Championship and Sceptre Stakes, and was beaten just a head when runner up in the 2015 G1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes (beating among others multiple Equus Champion Carry On Alice).
Her sister Baquiera also numbers R4 million plus earner Live Life (like Cold As Ice, winner of the G2 Sceptre Stakes) as a half-sister (see picture of Lot 117 below).
De Melo is now on 129 wins achieved at a strike rate of 20.51% and he 36 wins clear of second-placed Richard Fourie.
Tarry now has 43 wins and has done it at a strike rate of 15.25%
Smith is on 22 wins at 12.09%.
Lasy year’s WSB Met winner Kommetdieding (Wayne Marks).
Today’s Question
Which horse holds the record for carrying the biggest weight to victory in Cape Town’s flagship race, The Met?
Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.
Click Here To See Hollywoodbets Greyville Poly Fields, Wednesday
NB Please wait a few seconds for fields to appear.
The great Moonlit carried 66kg to victory in the 1938 Met (southafricanracehorse.wordpress.com)
