Jet Dark is the perfect mix of Trippi and Jet Master (supplied).
The five times weight for age Grade 1-winner Jet Dark will stand at the stud that bred him, Drakenstein Stud.
Owners Nick Jonsson and Tommy Crowe felt when retiring the Justin Snaith-trained Trippi five-year-old to stud, there could be no more appropriate choice than the farm who originally produced this “extraordinary horse”, Drakenstein Stud. Both partners said they were delighted to welcome Gaynor Rupert.
An appropriate poem accompanied the announcement, “Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colours. And the people there see you differently too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving. “
Jet Dark retires rated merit rated 130.
He was believed to be the first horse in South African history to win two open weight for age Grade 1 races over classic distances as a three-year-old. He won both the L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate over 1600m and the HKJC World Pool Champions Cup over 1800m in 2021 as a sophomore.
He retained his title in both of those races in 2022.
Those two Grade 1s were respectively run at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth and Hollywoodbets Greyville, proving he could travel and still win at the highest level.
In 2023, in his last start, he added Cape Town’s most prestigious event, the WSB Grade 1 wfa Met to his glittering CV, proving he was as effective over 2000m as he was over a mile.
That race highlighted both his brilliance and his courage. He was bumped and jostled at a crucial stage, but lifted himself off the floor to produce his famous and exhilarating late burst.
He bears resemblance to both his sire Trippi and damsire Jet Master and his groom Rasta Mwelase will attest to him being a horse of tremendous character.
He is a very exciting stallion prospect indeed.
Jet Dark was bought for R200,000 at the 2019 BSA National Yearling Sale and helped Justin Snaith win one of his three national trainers championship in the 2020/2021 season.
His stud fee has been set at R30,000, a bargain for an Equus Champion three-year-old colt who won five Equus awards in total.
Snaith described him as easy to train due to his kind temperament.
As well as bringing Trippi and Jet Master with his pedigree, his third dam Pine Chip is a full-sister to the 1997 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Peintre Celebre.
As a stallion prospect, Jet Dark ticks absolutely every box – conformation, athleticism, speed, stamina, temperament, action, pedigree, soundness and most importantly, heart.
An official press release today promoted the great horse in more detail, stating:
In addition to nine wins from his nineteen career starts, the 16.1hh five-year-old also holds the distinction of being named 2020/21 Equus Champion three-year-old colt, 2020/21 and 2021/22 Equus Champion Miler, 2021/22 Equus Champion Older Male and 2021/22 Equus Champion Middle Distance Horse.
Champion trainer Justin Snaith, who helped select Jet Dark as a yearling and produced him throughout his career commented, “Jet Dark was an incredibly easy horse to train. He was a gentleman with the most kind temperament which allowed me to get the best out of him while retiring him completely sound. I will be sad to see him go as I believe he had a few Group Ones left in the tank. I cannot wait to buy his yearlings!”
A group winner at ages two, three, four and five, the son of Trippi accumulated no fewer than five Group One wins, beating 2021 Horse Of The Year Rainbow Bridge in the 2021 Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and Gr1 Champions Cup. He repeated the feat in 2022, beating Kommetdieding in both the 2022 Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and Gr1 Champions Cup and put the final seal on his glittering career with victory in the 2023 Gr1 WSB Cape Met over ten furlongs. In his only attempt at the HWB Durban July over 2200m, he flew home under top weight to run a fast finishing second. He also has the unique distinction of being the only two time LQP winning colt since his maternal grand sire Jet Master, in 1999 & 2000.
Jet Dark not only combines all the best attributes of Drakenstein stalwart and Champion Sire Trippi, and seven time Champion Sire and four time Champion Broodmare Sire Jet Master, his impressive pedigree also boasts 1997 French Derby and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner, Peintre Celebre.
As a stallion prospect, Jet Dark ticks absolutely every box – conformation, athleticism, speed, stamina, temperament, action, pedigree, soundness and most importantly, heart.
He won over five furlongs as well as proving effective up to eleven furlongs at Group One level.
The losses of Captain Al, Silvano, Dynasty and Jet Master have created an urgent requirement for a top class classic sire to fill the mile to twelve furlong category and it is this which makes Jet Dark uniquely appealing.
To make him as accessible to all breeders as possible, Jet Dark is being launched at a service fee of R30,000. His owners also offer the assurance that breeders who support him early, will receive preference for repeat bookings.
Jonathan Snaith will manage Jet Dark with the assistance of Drakenstein Stud and Kevin Sommerville. They say you haven’t really been anywhere until you’ve got back home. Why not take a trip with us?
