Southford Stud’s well performed resident stallion Admiral Kitten came up with his first South African winner when his two-year-old son, and Bloodstock South Africa purchase, Zuzan broke his maiden at the Vaal on Tuesday.

Trained by Paul Matchett, the gelded Zuzan had finished third on debut and went one better in Tuesday’s race with a courageous performance.

Under Muzi Yeni, the Maine Chance Farms bred two-year-old stuck his head down close home and went on to score by a neck.

Tuesday’s winner races for Messrs G H Normand, D Anthony, V J Backos, A A Dormehl, J A Maroun & D A Simpson, and Bloodstock South Africa would like to wish the winning connections all the best going forward.

Zuzan was a R70 000 buy from the 2020 National Yearling Sale. He is out of the Silvano mare Zafira, who won four times and finished second in the Listed Spook Express Handicap, and Zuzan’s granddam Zahira was a half-sister to G1 winner James Jaguar.

One of the best of his age in North America on turf, Admiral Kitten is also the sire of four North American winners from just a handful of runners.

A stakes winner at two, three and four, Admiral Kitten showed his class when landing the G1 Secretariat Stakes at three, and he earned nearly $800 000 in prize money.

He is a son of US champion Kitten’s Joy, who was North America’s Champion Sire in 2013, and whose 100 plus stakes winners include such champions as Roaring Lion, Big Blue Kitten and Hawkbill.

Kitten’s Joy, whose offspring have earned over $151 million, is also sire of 2000 Guineas hero Kameko, dual Breeders’ Cup heroine Stephanie’s Kitten and promising young sire Bobby’s Kitten.

Admiral Kitten, who has some well related stock entered for the August Two Year Old Sale, hails from the same female line as champion sires Cozzene and Fort Wood, with his other notable relatives including the likes of Dubai Millennium, Serape, Elnadim and Mondialiste.