Picture : This Barnane Stud-bred Dubawi colt out of their Group 1-winning mare Urban Fox (Foxwedge), fetched 1,100,000gns at last year’s Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, purchased by Godolphin. (Picture: Laura Green).
The Kieswetter family, who own Ridgemont Stud, also own the Barnane Stud in Ireland.
The latter has been in the news lately through their racing partnership with the Hollywood Syndicate.
Their latest runner together has been Bourgeoisie, a two-year-old filly trained by Richard Hannon.
She is by Siyouni, who is also sire of one of the world’s best racehorses at present, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Paddington.
Bourgeoise has been running at some of England’s top racecourses like Newbury and Newmarket, which means she has been facing strong opposition, and she has finished second in her last two starts.
On Saturday she ran in a seven furlong Novice Fillies event in soft going on the Newmarket July course and, having run on well over six furlongs in her previous start, the slow pace of the race did not suit her as she had to race prominently under Jamie Spencer, who is also known for his hold up style.
However, she travelled well throughout and was just run out of it late, finishing second by half-a-length to the King and Queen’s Dubawi filly Hard To Resist, trained by William Haggas.
Craig Carey, stud manager at Ridgemont, said, “All of these fillies we own overseas, at some stage their progeny or themselves could easily end up in South Africa. That is always in the back of our minds with the two operations in South Africa and Ireland. Bourgeoisie will obviously go to Ireland when her racing career is over, but some of her babies might end up here one day, because we are always looking to upgrade at Ridgemont. We look to bring back nice fillies out of those mares. And even colts to try and bring back a stallion one day.”
Meanwhile, Ridgemont’s three current stallions are doing well.
Craig said, “Rafeef is obviously very busy, he is doing well and is very popular. Malmoos is very, very popular, guys love him, and Real Gone Kid has been an exciting sire. We’re waiting now for the first babies of Malmoos and Real Gone Kid.
Make It Snappy, the dual Gr 1-winning Ridgemont filly leased to the Hollywood Syndicate, is doing well in training with Brett Crawford and is being prepared for the Cape Summer Season.
Her overseas mission to compete in the Breeders Cup, which she qualified for through winning the Cartier Paddock Stakes, was eventually aborted.
Craig said, “If you can’t travel directly, it becomes a bit of a worry with these expensive fillies. To send them to Mauritius for three months is not ideal.”
