Promising three-year-old Coast Of The Sun has changed hands in a deal that could see him line up in races at the Dubai Racing Carnival in 2028. The sale was brokered by Vermaak Equine.
Coast Of The Sun, a smashing bay colt by 2019/20 Equus Horse Of The Year Hawwaam out of 2014 Equus Champion Three-Year-Old filly Alboran Sea, was sold by his former owner Rakesh Singh to the partnership of Laurence Wernars, Rikesh Sewgoolam, Mukund Gujadhur and Harry Willson, and will remain in training at Summerveld with Tienie Prinsloo.
Justin Vermaak said Coast Of The Sun will be kept racing in South Africa for selected races in his three-year-old season, but that the long-term objective was to launch his international career via De Kock Racing’s recently announced ‘Global Stable’ in Dubai.
Vermaak commented: “Coast Of The Sun will be having his first start as a three-year-old at Hollywoodbets Greyville this Friday. A decision will be made whether to prepare him with a view to the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas or to keep him in Durban for the 2027 Champions Season in KwaZulu-Natal, which will include races like next year’s Grade 3 Byerley Turk and the WSB KZN Guineas.
“By the end of the 2026/27 season, Coast Of The Sun will be shipped to Dubai – provided he has proven himself to be good enough – with other potential candidates including Graded winners Red Spice and Erik du Bois, and 2026 Race Coast Slipper winner Turn It Up, who is on the comeback trail following an injury.
“The intent is to send a strong group of three-year-olds, turning four, to join the Global Stable, and Coast Of The Sun adds another dimension. But we have some way to go, and our plans will only come to fruition once our early recruits have shown they’re up to international standards.”
Coast Of The Sun’s four new owners have already tasted a good measure of success in various existing partnerships with runners including Quickstepgal (also bought from Rakesh Singh), Red Spice, World Series, On My Honour and Rivera, and Vermaak noted: “Harry Willson is keen to expand his interests in the team as an owner, and we hope this will be a big start for him at the higher level.”
Coast Of The Sun has raced three times for two eye-catching wins over 1400m. He was very green and raced four wide when winning his Maiden Plate with a powerful finish at Hollywoodbets Greyville, and then defeated a useful older horse in a MR82 Handicap at Hollywoodbets Scottsville, a significant achievement for a two-year-old.
The astute Prinsloo, who rose to prominence with the exploits of Quickstepgal, said that Coast Of The Sun was a ‘freaky horse’, who is doing everything asked of him and going the right way. “He is laid back for a Hawwaam, and he’s improved with every run. We really like him. He still has some maturing to do and more to learn, but he’s proper. I hope he can go all the way to the top.”
Coast Of The Sun, bred by Wilgerbosdrift/Mauritzfontein, was a R1-million purchase at the 2025 Bloodstock SA National Yearling Sale and Prinsloo recalled: “He was destined to join us. Rakesh had bought his half-brother Torremolinos, by Vercingetorix. He was the top seller at the 2024 BSA August Sale.
“Torremolinos was a monster of a horse, looked like a future star. But he died unexpectedly of colic before we could race him, so his owner went to the National Sale last year with the sole purpose of buying the next colt out of Alboran Sea. He came back with Coast Of The Sun. So far, so good for all!” – vermaakequine.com
