In a weekend rich with feature races, Bloodstock South Africa graduates managed to claim no fewer than seven black type races in South Africa this week. Not only did thoroughbreds sold off BSA auction win five stakes races at Turffontein on Saturday, Bloodstock South Africa alumni also captured both the G3 Tabgold Strelitzia Stakes and G3 Tabgold Godolphin Barb Stakes at Hollywoodbets Scottsville the following day. Bloodstock South African sold thoroughbreds dominated Turffontein feature races on Saturday winning all of the G2 Jehan Malherbe Senor Santa Stakes, G2 TAB Colorado King Stakes, G2 TAB Camellia Stakes, G3 TAB Pretty Polly Stakes and Listed TAB Gold Bowl.
Trainer Sean Tarry had an excellent afternoon and saddled BSA alumni Lucky Lad and Mrs Browning to win both the G2 Jehan Malherbe Senor Santa Stakes (1160m) and G2 TAB Camellia Stakes (1160m) respectively.
Star three-year-old Lucky Lad picked up his fourth graded win when he claimed Saturday’s Jehan Malherbe Senor Santa Stakes by nearly half a length. Given a great ride by Richard Fourie, the Varsfontein Stud bred colt showed his class when accounting for some hard-knocking older rivals on Saturday, with Lucky Lad having also claimed last season’s G1 Gold Medallion, G2 World Sports Betting SA Nursery and G3 Protea Stakes. Owned by Antony and Angela Beck, Lucky Lad was an R850 000 purchase from the 2022 National Yearling Sale. A son of Varsfontein’s rampant champion sire Gimmethegreenlight, Lucky Lad, himself a colt with plenty of stud appeal, has now won five of eight starts and he has already banked R1 325 000 in prize money.
The Tarry trained Mrs Browning claimed her second graded win when she won Saturday’s TAB Camellia Stakes over a high-class field. Winner of the G3 Joburg Tourism Carry On Alice Stakes earlier in the season, the classy four-year-old claimed the sixth win of her career when she landed Saturday’s sprint by just over a length. Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, Mrs Browning was a R120 000 buy from the 2021 August Two Year Old Sale before being resold for R610 000 on the 2024 March Online Auction. One of two graded stakes winners on the day for her sire Rafeef, Mrs Browning is a full-sister to G1 World Sports Betting SA Derby winner Aragosta. The filly, who is out of the Galileo mare Miss Galidora, races for Jarryd Wernars, Laurence Wernars and Harry Willson.
Owner Laurence Wernars enjoyed a big weekend and the Wernars bred and owned (in partnership with Jarry and Tessa Wernars) Pure Predator showed his class when he won the G2 TAB Colorado King Stakes (2000m) on Saturday. Runner up in the G1 TAB SA Derby last time out, the Fanie Bronkhurst trained gelding beat fellow three-year-old, and Bloodstock South Africa graduate, Hotarubi, to land his biggest win to date by three-parts of a length.
A son of the much missed New Predator and the Var mare Little Sparrow, Pure Predator has now won three of 16 starts with his latest win taking his earnings to R910 875. A member of his sire’s first crop, Pure Predator was knocked down to Vermaak Equine for R150 000 at the 2022 National Yearling Sale.
Promising two-year-old Simply Majestic, a R250 000 buy off the 2023 National Yearling Sale, made it two wins from four starts when she won the G3 TAB Pretty Polly Stakes (1100m) for Johan Janse Van Vuuren and Gavin Lerena. Owned by Mr and Mrs Stonebridge, Simply Majestic is yet to finish out of the first three and she looks to be a very smart filly. Bred by Ridgemont Highlands, Simply Majestic is a daughter of the Ridgemont based Canford Cliffs and Listed Gardenia Stakes winner Queen Laurie.
Durable six-year-old Crimson King, a bargain R200 000 buy from the 2019 KZN Yearling Sale, took his earnings to over R850 000 when he ran out a game winner of Saturday’s Listed TAB Gold Bowl (3200m). Under an inform Kabelo Matsunyane, the Brett and James Crawford trained gelding dug down deep to win by nearly half a length. Owned by Peter De Beyer and Andre Louw, the Ridgemont Highlands bred Crimson King had won the Listed TAB Aquanaut Handicap two starts ago, and he has now won four black type races (Crimson King has won five times in total). A son of Dynasty, Crimson King, who is bred on similar lines to 2007 G1 Vodacom Durban July winner Hunting Tower, is out of the three time winning Mogok mare Cup Of Rubies.
Runner up in both the G2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Nursery and Listed Wilgerbosdrift Ruffian Stakes, the Michael Miller trained Just Reckless gained a well deserved first feature win when she romped home, under Kabelo Matsunyane, to land Sunday’s G3 Tabgold Strelitzia Stakes (1100m) by a convincing two lengths. The consistent two-year-old, who has finished first or second in each of her six starts, races for The Racing Boys (Pty) Ltd in partnership with Sterling Miller. Just Reckless, who was bred by Boland Stud, was a R500 000 purchase from the 2023 KZN Yearling Sale. The well bred filly is a daughter of South Africa’s reigning champion sire Gimmethegreenlight and the Silvano mare Sommersonne, a winning half-sister to G1 SA Fillies Sprint queen Sommerlied.
Cymric, a R1 200 000 purchase from the 2023 National Yearling Sale, was another juvenile to impress at Scottsville on Sunday. The progressive gelding, a smart maiden winner at his previous start, was always up with the pace in Sunday’s G3 Tabgold Godolphin Barb Stakes (1100m) and when Gavin Lerena asked the question, the Johan Janse Van Vuuren trained Cymric stayed on strongly to score by just over a length and a quarter. Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, Cymric races for Jarryd and Laurence Wernars in partnership with Rikesh Sewgoolam.
The blue blooded Cymric is a son of champion, and former National Sale purchase, Vercingetorix and the Fort Wood mare Savannah Cat. The latter, a winning half-sister to G3 Kings Cup winner Bulleting Home, is also dam of exported G3 HSH Princess Charlene Stakes winner Egyptian Mau.
Bloodstock South Africa’s next live auction will be the KZN Yearling Sale, which is due to be held at the Suncoast Casino on Thursday, July 4th.
