Picture: Boeta Engelbrecht gets a congratulatory handshake from breeder, Carl de Vos. (Chase Liebenberg/Race Coast).
WJ ‘Boeta’ Engelbrecht, the third generation of a proud racing family that has bred and raced horses since the 1960s, made a milestone purchase at Saturday’s Race Coast Sales October Two-Year-Old Sale at Hollywoodbets Durbanville – his first-ever R1-million buy.
It was a fittingly curious moment in a family with more than six decades and hundreds of runners behind them. Because, as Boeta admits with a laugh, he has no idea why he bought Lot 70, Another Hero. His hand just went up before the hammer fell. No jokes!
“I didn’t look at this colt at all, and nobody looked at it on my behalf,” Boeta said. “I didn’t know its pedigree, and I don’t even think I had a catalogue in front of me when I raised my hand. Somewhere during the bidding, I must’ve sensed there was a bit of spirit around this lot. Glen Kotzen was bidding hard, and when auctioneer Alistair Cohen called R950,000, my hand just went up. Next thing I knew, I’d bought him – and Greg and Naz Ennion and everyone at my table were up hugging and congratulating me!”
Now, Boeta may well be the undisputed Champion of the World in the Heavyweight Sauvignon Blanc Division, but he vehemently denies that consumption of said product had anything to do with the movement of his arm which, in all fairness, got him a rather lovely specimen from a top stud farm.
“Listen, it’s easy to think that’s what happened, but it’s not,” he insisted. “I joined a table of friends and had no intention of buying at this sale. In fact, I’ve been thinking of cutting back on the stock I have in training at the moment. But then I got the bid, and now I have a R1-million horse! You know, they say good horses find you. I think this one found me.”
Another Hero (Lot 70) is by champion stallion Gimmethegreenlight and is the first produce of Grade 1 winner Sentbydestiny. He’s a cracking first colt foal from a renowned Varsfontein family, closely related to Badger’s Cove, Lion Rampart, and Double Grand Slam – conceivably acquired for less than his true worth, especially if he’d been a filly.
“My dad phoned me to ask why on earth I’d bought a colt,” Boeta chuckled, “because we normally buy fillies. Even Varsfontein’s Carl de Vos looked a bit puzzled when he wished me well on the purchase. He said, ‘I didn’t know you guys bought horses at sales.’ ”
Lot 70: Another Hero.
Boeta’s father, the legendary Elandsbaai farmer and businessman ‘Willempie’ Engelbrecht, represents the second generation of the family that began its racing journey with Boeta’s grandfather, ‘Oupa’ Willie, back in the 1960s. The original blue, grey and red silks they raced under are still in use today.
The Engelbrechts began breeding in the seaside village of Elandsbaai, later moving their mares to Klipdrift Stud, and eventually to Eugene Freeman’s Boland Stud. Oupa Willie famously won the 1973 Met with Gold Flame, while Willempie campaigned the likes of Blue Cossack (G1 Cape Derby), Bold Messenger, and Joshlin. The family’s breeding influence has also been felt in the bloodlines of – to name but a few – Ebony Flyer, Captain’s Lover, Lady In Black, and Mr Flood.
There are illustrious names among those – the Engelbrechts clearly know their way around a good horse, and perhaps, as Boeta suspects, Another Hero really did find him.
“He’s got a deep black-type pedigree,” Boeta said with a grin, “so you never know!”
Another Hero will be trained by Greg Ennion at Milnerton.
