Kevin Sommerville, Racing Manager of Drakenstein Stud, receives yet another trophy on behalf of the reigning champion breeders. (Candiese Lenferna Photography)
There have been a number of thrilling record chases and championship tussles this season, not least of which is the race for the Breeders Championship.
Reigning champion breeders Drakenstein Stud’s exacta in the Gr 1 R1,5 million Woolavington Stakes saw them closing the gap on championship leaders Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein Stud to less than a R1 million.
Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein’s progeny have earned stakes of 27,018,894 and Drakenstein are on 26,278,331, which is a gap of R740,563.
Drakenstein have only been in existance for about 20 years and won their first title last season.
Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein, since combining for the championship, have won the title in 2018/2019 and in 2021/2022.
The tussle between the two breeding giants should go down to the wire.
The pending venture overseas with the crack filly Gimme A Nother will effect Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein’s chances.
But on the other hand Drakenstein stalwart colt Charles Dickens has been retired and their dual Gr 1 winner Beach Bomb has gone overseas.
Gimme A Nother is the third highest earning horse (non-restricted race earnings) in the country this season behind the Ambiance Stud-bred Royal Victory and the Khaya Stables homebred Green With Envy.
The Bush Hill Stud-bred Puple Pitcher is next best and then comes Drakenstein’s homebred Silver Sanctuary.
The Hollywoodbets Durban July is often the key race in deciding the championship and was won by Wigerbosdrift homebred in 2022 and a Drakenstein homebred last year.
Both studs will be hoping for good representation in that R5 million event this year.
Meanwhile, Drakenstein just need three more individual stakes winners to break their record of 20 individual stakes winners in a season.
They had 20 individual stakes winners of 35 races last season and this season have had 18 individual stakes winners of 27 races.
