Bloodstock South Africa dominated feature race action at Turffontein on Saturday. Not only did BSA alumni finish 1-2-3 in Saturday’s G1 Betway Summer Cup, but Bloodstock South Africa sold horses won all five of the graded stakes races run at Turffontein on the day.
Varsfontein Stud had a memorable day on Saturday, with the Varsfontein bred pair of Atticus Finch and World Of Alice winning the G1 Betway Summer Cup (2000m) and G3 Betway Fillies Mile respectively.
The Alec Laird trained Atticus Finch picked up his biggest win to date when he stormed home to land Saturday’s R6 000 000 Betway Summer Cup in convincing style. Under Calvin Habib, the five-year-old produced a powerful turn of foot which saw Atticus Finch power away to beat the gallant Purple Pitcher by over a length, with 33-1 longshot Rule By Force back in third spot. Now a winner of six races with seven places from 18 starts, Atticus Finch, also victorious in the 2023 G3 Betway Victory Moon Stakes, took his stakes earnings to R4 237 00 for owners Lance Clark, Gary Basel, Grant Cornwall and Phil Gregory with his Summer Cup victory. The Summer Cup was a well deserved first G1 for Atticus Finch’s enthusiastic owners. Atticus Finch, Purple Pitcher and Rule By Force are all Bloodstock South Africa graduates, with Atticus Finch knocked down to A G Racing for R150 000 at the 2021 National Yearling Sale. A fourth G1 winner for Varsfontein’s homebred stallion Master Of My Fate, Atticus Finch is out of the unplaced Caesour mare Alexia, who also ranks as the dam of Listed Swallow Stakes winner All At Once (Captain Al) and the granddam of fellow G1 Betway Summer Cup contender Main Defender (Pathfork).
Varsfontein Stud are also breeders of classy filly World Of Alice, whose dam Alice Springs hails from the immediate family of Atticus Finch, a game winner of Saturday’s G3 Betway Fillies Mile. Despite having a bridle mishap before the race and suffering a bump in the running of the Fillies Mile, the Sean Tarry trained three-year-old got up close home to deny a game Fiery Pegasus victory by a neck. Runner up in the G3 HSH Princess Charlene Starling Stakes previously, the Sandy and Eugene Arundel owned World Of Alice has won twice in seven starts for earnings of R456,875. A daughter of Drakenstein Stud’s sensational young sire One World and the four time winning Hussonet mare Alice Springs, World Of Alice was a R240 000 buy from the 2023 National Yearling Sale.
However, perhaps the most impressive winner on Saturday was champion Quid Pro Quo, who demolished some top-class male rivals to win the G2 Betway Dingaans in scintillating style. Despite having her first start in four months, the Barend Botes trained star outclassed her rivals, with Piere Strydom bringing the Lance filly home to score as she liked by two and a half lengths. The Equus Champion 2YO Filly of 2023-2024, the Gerald Kalil bred and owned Quid Pro Quo was offered for sale at the 2023 KZN Yearling Sale. Now a six time winner (she has already won four graded stakes) in eight starts, Quid Pro Quo, a half-sister to Listed Ruffian Stakes winner Daring Diva, is out of the five time winning mare Delightfull Diva.
Chasing Happiness and Mount Pilatus added to the wonderful day enjoyed by Bloodstock South Africa when they won the G3 Betway Carry On Alice Stakes and G3 New Turf Carriers Merchants respectively.
Progressive four-year-old Chasing Happiness, a R200 000 buy from the 2022 National Yearling Sale, made it three wins in a row when she won Saturday’s Betway Carry On Alice Stakes. Under a great ride from Aldo Domeyer, the Johan Janse Van Vuuren trained filly put her head down where it mattered most to score by a head over a game Elegant Ice. Bred by Ridgemont Highlands, Chasing Happiness races for the Wernars family. A daughter of Ridgemont’s top-class sire Rafeef, Chasing Happiness has won five of 11 starts and she has earned R472,375 in prize money.
The Clifton Stud bred Mount Pilatus picked up his first graded stakes win when he won the 2024 G3 New Turf Carriers Merchants. Under a well timed ride from Rachel Venniker, the gelded four-year-old powered home to get up and win the Merchants by three-parts of a length. Trained by Paul Matchett for owners Bryan and Taryn Spong (who were enjoying their first graded win), Mount Pilatus was originally sold for R170 000 at the 2022 National Yearling Sale, before being sold for R293 500 at the 2023 March Online Sale. A son of Pomodoro and Listed Swallow Stakes/Bauhinia Handicap winner Covered In Snow, Mount Pilatus, winner of three of his last four starts, has won four of 17 starts for earnings of RR585,250.
