The Dean Kannemeyer-trained Khaya Stables homebred Gimmthegreenlight colt Green With Envy was one of seven twice Gr 1 winners during the season (Picture: Candiese Lenferna Photography)
Sarah Whitelaw
During the past South African season, 29 Grade One races were contested, and won by 22 different horses. No horse won more than two Grade One races each last season, with a total of seven horses landing a brace of Grade One races in South Africa in the 2023-2024 racing season. All of Beach Bomb, Dave The King, Gimme A Nother, Green With Envy, Purple Pitcher, Quid Pro Quo and Royal Victory won two Grade Ones each.
Gimmethegreenlight, South Africa’s Champion Sire for the past two seasons running and Champion Sire in three of the past four seasons, dominated Grade One action in South Africa last season. The son of More Than Ready was responsible for five individual Grade One winners (Gimme A Nother, Green With Envy, Lucky Lad, Proceed, VJ’s Angel), and his offspring claimed a total of seven G1 features in the 2023-2024 racing season. In other words, Gimmethegreenlight sired runners won nearly 25% of the Grade One races contested in South Africa last season.
Yet another feather in the cap of Gimmethegreenlight is that each of his Grade One winners of last season were produced by mares sired by a different stallion, with Gimme A Nother out of a mare by Tiger Ridge, Green With Envy a son of the Galileo mare Miss Coco, Lucky Lad produced by a daughter of Caesour, Gold Medallion winner Proceed out of a Captain Al daughter and VJ’s Angel produced by the Oratorio mare Tally-Ho.
Drakenstein Stud, whose alumni won eight Grade One races in 2022-2023, had another fantastic spell last season in 2023-2024. The farm bred and owned four Grade One winners of five Grade One races in 2023-2024, namely Beach Bomb, Charles Dickens, Silver Sanctuary and Snow Pilot. Beach Bomb and Snow Pilot were both sired by Drakenstein’s much missed Lancaster Bomber, while the now retired Charles Dickens was sired by Drakenstein’s former champion sire Trippi, and Silver Sanctuary by the late, great Silvano.
Dynasty mares also played a big part in Drakenstein’s Grade One success last season, with Beach Bomb out of the Dynasty sired dual Equus Champion and five time G1 winner Beach Beauty, while Charles Dickens is out of the Dynasty’s G2 Ipi Tombe Challenge winning daughter Demanding Lady.
With Demanding Lady named Equus Champion Broodmare for 2022-2023, Beach Beauty looks well poised to emulate her paternal half-sister and gain Champion Broodmare honours.
ROYAL VICTORY
Pathfork -Kailani
Grade One wins: Betway Summer Cup, World Pool Premier’s Champions Challenge
Breeder: Dr Marianne Thomson, Ambiance Stud
BEACH BOMB
Lancaster Bomber-Beach Beauty
Grade One wins: World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas, Cartier Paddock Stakes
Breeder: Drakenstein Stud
SNOW PILOT
Lancaster Bomber -Snowdance
Grade One wins: Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas
Breeder: Drakenstein Stud
CHARLES DICKENS
Trippi-Demanding Lady
Grade One wins: L’Ormarins King’s Plate
Breeder: Drakenstein Stud
DYCE
William Longsword -Beshaayir
Grade One wins: World Pool Cape Flying Championship
Breeder: Titanium Racing
PRINCESS CALLA
Flower Alley- Princess Royal
Grade One wins: City Of Cape Town Majorca Stakes
Breeder: Maine Chance Farms (Pty) Ltd
DOUBLE SUPERLATIVE
Twice Over -Come Fly With Me
Grade One wins: World Sports Betting Cape Town Met
Breeder: Patricia Devine Investments (Pty) Ltd
GREEN WITH ENVY
Gimmethegreenlight -Miss Coco
Grade One wins: SplashOut Cape Derby, Daily News 2000
Breeder: Khaya Stables
GIMME A NOTHER
Gimmethegreenlight -Nother Russia
Grade One wins: Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic, TAB Empress Club Stakes
Breeder: Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein
PURPLE PITCHER
New Predator -Heliantha
Grade One wins: TAB SA Classic, TAB SA Derby
Breeder: Bush Hill Stud
MAIN DEFEDER
Pathfork -Alessia
Grade One wins: Wilgerbosdrift H F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes
Breeder: Jagessar Limited
THUNDERSTRUCK
Rafeef-Varikate
Grade One wins: Jonsson Workwear Computaform Sprint
Breeder: Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm
QUID PRO QUO
Lance -Delightfull Diva
Grade One wins: Allan Robertson Championship, Douglas Whyte Thekwini Stakes
Breeder: Gerald Kalil
PROCEED
Gimmethegreenlight -Xplosive Kiss
Grade One wins: Gold Medallion
Breeder: Laurence Wernars
OCTOBER MORN
Trippi -Miss October
Grade One wins: South African Fillies Sprint
Breeder: Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm and David Abery
LUCKY LAD
Gimmethegreenlight -Imperial State
Grade One wins: Golden Horse Sprint
Breeder: Varsfontein Stud
SILVER SANCTUARY
Silvano -My Sanctuary
Grade One wins: Tabgold Woolavington 2000
Breeder: Drakenstein Stud
DAVE THE KING
Global View -Touche
Grade One wins: Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge, The HKJC Champions Cup
Breeder: Gary Player Stud (Pty) Ltd
ORIENTAL CHARM
Vercingetorix -Souk
Grade One wins: Hollywoodbets Durban July
Breeder: Cheveley Stud
HUMDINGER
What A Winter -Himalayan Hill
Grade One wins: Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes
Breeder: Ridgemont Highlands
VJ’S ANGEL
Gimmethegreenlight -Tally Ho
Grade One wins: World Pool Moment Of The Day Premiers Champion Stakes
Breeder:Varsfontein Stud
SURJAY
Vercingetorix -Something Of Value
Grade One wins: Mercury Sprint
Breeder: The Estate of the Late Dr Jim Antrobus
