Alumni of past Bloodstock South Africa sales made a big impression over the past weekend, winning feature races in both South Africa and Zimbabwe, and also tasting success in Hong Kong!
Exciting two-year-old Thunderstruck stamped himself as a star of the future when the Sean Tarry trained colt romped away to claim Saturday’s G1 Gold Medallion, run at Hollywoodbets Scottsville, by nearly three lengths.
Under an inform Calvin Habib, the Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm powered home to score as he like while taking his tally of wins to two from just three starts.
The 2022 Gold Medallion was a great triumph for Bloodstock South Africa, with BSA graduates Thunderstruck, Now I Got You and Ocean Time filling the first three placings.
Racing for Wilgerbosdrift, Thunderstruck was knocked down to Form Bloodstock for R1 000 000 at the 2021 National Yearling Sale.
A third G1 winner, from his first two crops, for Ridgemont Highlands’ sensational sire Rafeef, Thunderstruck is out of the Var sired G2 Post Merchants winner Varikate.
Star filly Captain’s Ransom, one of the most exciting horses currently gracing the South African turf, once again showed her class when she won Saturday’s G1 South African Fillies Sprint Brought to you By The Witness for Justin Snaith, Richard Fourie and owner Suzette Viljoen. Bred by Moutonshoek, the flashy bay showed her versatilty when outclassed her opponents to land Saturday’s sprint by just over a length.
One of the very best daughters of multiple champion sire Captain Al, Captain’s Ransom was knocked down to John Freeman for R225 000 at the 2019 National Yearling Sale. The brilliant bay has proved an absolute bargain, with Captain’s Ransom having now won 11 of just 13 starts (she has now won five G1 races) for earnings well over R2 million.
Who Do You Love, yet another rising star sired by Rafeef, was yet another BSA sold horse to impress when she won Sunday’s Listed TAB Perfect Promise Sprint at Kenilworth.
One of two Listed race winners on the day for trainer Candice Bass-Robinson and jockey Aldo Domeyer, Who Do You Love produced a fine turn of foot to mow down her rivals and land the Perfect Promise Sprint by a length and a quarter.
Yet another classy sort bred by Narrow Creek Stud, Who Do You Love is now unbeaten in three starts for owners the ASSM Racing Syndicate. Who Do You Love, a R200 000 buy from the 2021 National Yearling Sale, is out of the winning Model Man mare Fair Enough.
Bloodstock South Africa’s weekend success was carried into Zimbabwe, where the Digteby Stud bred Seven Seas won Saturday’s OK Grand Challenge in thrilling style.
Offered for sale at both the 2018 National 2YO Sale and 2020 August Online Sale, the Gokhan Terzi trained Seven Seas dug down deep to claim Saturday’s Borrowdale Park feature by a nose, under a fine ride from Nathan Klink.
A five-year-old daughter of inform sire Elusive Fort, Seven Seas is owned by Christopher Peech, and her win on Saturday took her tally of wins to five.
