The Oppenheimer racing Dynasty have played a big part in improving the quality of South African thoroughbred bloodlines over the years with their astute imports and this is reflected in their July record.
Saturday’s July winner Sparkling Water is out of the former De Kock-trained British-bred Espumanti.
She was bought by Wilgerbosdrift Stud’s bloodstock agent Jehan Malherbe (Form Bloodstock) at the Tattersalls sale in Newmarket for 130,000 Guineas in 2011.
Espumanti is by Dansili (Danehill) and is a half-sister to a dual Listed winner by Efiso.
She is from the family of Dick Turpin (Arakan), who won the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville in France in 2010, and perhaps that was one of the reasons for the purchase because the first stallion the Oppenheimers ever imported, Janus, also won the Prix Jean Prat.
Janus, who was by Pharis (Pharos), sired the Oppenheimer’s first July winner Tiger Fish.
Ironically Espumanti was retired after finishing last in the July in 2014.
However, before that she had been well performed. She won six races including two Grade 2s and was runner up to Beach Beauty in the Grade 1 Garden Province Stakes.
At stud her first foal was the useful speedster Gin Fizz, a multiple stakes runner up.
Sparkling Water (Silvano) was Espumanti’s second foal.
In 1959 the Oppenheimers imported British-bred Wilwyn, who won eleven successive races in the USA, including the important Baltimore Washington International Turf Cup.
Wilwyn became a champion stallion and sired the Oppenheimer’s second July winner King Willow.
Wilwyn was also broodmare sire of the like of Sentinel.
Wilwyn’s son Col. Pickering was damsire of the great Horse Chestnut.
In 1965 the Oppenheimer’s imported the champion older horse in France, Free Ride (Free Man).
Free Ride produced the Oppenheimer’s next July winner Principal Boy.
Principal Boy was out of SA Oaks winner Julie Andrews (SNL) (who also produced Col Pickering, and SA Oaks winner, Grease Paint).
Julie Andrews’ dam, Eliza Doolittle, by Epsom Derby winner and champion sire Never Say Die, was imported in foal by Mauritzfontein in 1960.
In 1994 the Oppenheimers imported their best stallion of all, the mighty Fort Wood (Sadler’s Wells), winner of the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris.
This champion stallion not only became sire of Horse Chestnut, but also of the Oppenheimer’s July homebred winner Hunting Tower, sire of the Wilgerbosdrift Stud-bred July winner Dynasty and damsire of the Mauritzfontein Stud-bred July winner Marinaresco.
Dynasty went on to sire two July winners himself, Legislate and Belgarion.
Fort Wood is also grandsire of last year’s July winner Kommetdieding (Elusive Fort).
The Oppenheimer’s 2004 July homebred winner Greys Inn was actually born in the USA. Bridget Oppenheimer purchased his Australian-bred dam Great Verdict in foal to great New Zealand sire Zabeel and sent her to the USA to be covered by Horse Chestnut.
Thus Greys Inn was born in Kentucky, earning him a (USA) suffix. Great Verdict arrived in SA with Greys Inn at foot and carrying Good Judgement, who was unraced but went on to breed the champion Mauritzfontein homebred Met winner Smart Call.
All of the above facts give an inkling of the impact the Oppenheimers have had on South African thoroughbred bloodlines.
That is not to mention the 4Racing operated jurisdictions of the SA racing industry, Gauteng, the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape, having recently been given massive monetary support by Mary Slack and family to help them through an ongoing financial crisis.
It is little wonder Mike de Kock said on Saturday’s there was no one more deserving winner of the July than Mary Slack.
Picture: Mary Slack (Chase Liebenberg).
