Sarah Whitelaw
Day one of the March Cape Racing Sale saw the first draft from Paardeberg Stud go through the ring. With four lots selling for an aggregate of R1.9 million, it was an auspicious start for the new venture.
Paardeberg Stud is the result of a partnership between British businessmen Steve Ajax and Charles Palmer, alongside Sally Bruss, a highly respected figure in the South African breeding industry.
The land now occupied by Paardeberg Stud was previously a modest vineyard with a small herd of cattle. Since taking over the land in late 2023 the transformation has been remarkable and remorseless. The focus has been on creating an operation focussed on producing racehorses capable of competing at the top level.
Pride of place at the stud goes to the former Juddmonte stallion, Expert Eye. A horse for the big occasion, he won Graded races at each of the three major UK summer festival meetings, including the G2 Richmond Stakes at Goodwood, the Group 3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot (by a record margin) and the Group 2 (now Group 1) Duke of York stakes at York’s Ebor meeting. His career defining performance came at Churchill Downs, ridden confidently by Frankie Dettori, he swooped in the final straight to land the Group 1 Breeders Cup Turf Mile.
Now settled in at Paardeberg, Expert Eye has impressed visitors with his quality and especially his movement, he floats across the ground and had developed into a magnificent looking stallion. Steve Ajax says:
“We are delighted with how Expert Eye’s first season has gone, we really do think that he is a phenomenal horse. We’re so delighted to have him with his combination of quality, versatility, and affordability; we’re confident he’ll continue to be a popular choice for breeders in South Africa. We can’t wait to see his first foals this August.”
During its first eighteen months, Paardeberg has been busy building up an exciting band of broodmares, including such notable black type winners as And We Danced, Comtesse Dubois, Emirate Gina, Full Velocity, Insignis, Marigold Hotel, and Mina Salaam.
Champion Canadian Summer is another high-class mare to call Paardeberg home, while the farm’s paddocks are also graced by relatives of such outstanding performers as Sadler’s Wells, Captain Al, Western Winter, Capetown Noir, Icy Air, National Colour, Lucky Lad, Ambiorix, Circle Of Life, Make It Snappy, and Anything Goes.
Canadian Summer, Equus Champion 2YO Filly of 2021-2022, won all of the G1 Thekwini Stakes, G3 Flamboyant Stakes and Listed Devon Air Stakes, and the top-class daughter of the recently deceased Oratorio visited Rafeef in her first season at stud.
Another high-class daughter of Oratorio based at Paardeberg is Love Bomb, and that G2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper winner was covered by Expert Eye in 2024.
The 2024 Listed Pongracz Olympic Duel Stakes winner Ripple Effect, who became the first stakes winner to carry Paardeberg’s silks, is another who has retired to the paddocks, and that Erupt daughter began her stud career with a visit to Expert Eye.
Directly descended in female line from the mighty Lady Josephine, Ripple Effect is a half-sister to G2 Post Merchants runner up Chantyman (by Oratorio) and the stakes placed Varuna (by Var).
East Cape champion And We Danced is another classy resident, and that daughter of Pathfork was covered by Expert Eye in 2024. A winner of nine races (this included a five race winning streak), including the 2023 Listed East Cape Paddock Stakes, And We Danced is out of the winnning Commands mare Dance City Queen, a half-sister to G3 Strelitzia Stakes winner Royalsecuritybaby.
With such a strong foundation and a clear vision for success, Paardeberg Stud is poised to become a major force in the South African breeding industry. Expect to hear much more from this ambitious operation in the seasons ahead.
