Bloodstock South Africa sold thoroughbreds have already enjoyed plenty of success this year, and their great run in stakes races continued this weekend.
Not only did BSA alumni Luna Halo land Friday’s Listed Breeders Guineas, Bloodstock South African graduates claimed four feature races at Turffontein on Saturday.
BSA alumni claimed all of the G1 Wilgerbosdrift H F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes, G1 TAB SA Classic, G3 TAB J J The Jet Plane Stakes and Listed HKJC World Pool Event 6 April Storm Bird Stakes on Saturday.
Star three-year-old Main Defender picked up his biggest win to date when he downed some top-class older rivals to win Saturday’s G1 Wilgerbosdrift H F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes. Under Calvin Habib, the Tony Peter trained gelding unleashed a wicked turn of foot which saw Main Defender storm home to score by two and three quarter lengths.
Bred by Jagessar Limited, Main Defender was knocked down to Tienie Prinsloo for R140 000 at the 2022 Cape Yearling Sale. A son of Irish champion Pathfork, Main Defender has now won seven of just nine starts, with four of his wins having come in graded stakes races.
Owned by Messrs J J Habib, G, K & M M Nassif, Main Defender is out of the twice winning Judpot mare Alessia, a half-sister to Listed Swallow Stakes winner All At Once and from the immediate family of G1 Jaipur Stakes winner Oleksandra Rose among others.
Bloodstock South Africa sold thoroughbreds ran 1-2-4 in Saturday’s R1 500 000 TAB SA Classic, with Purple Pitcher finishing first, Sandringham Summit taking second spot and Pure Predator running fourth. Both Purple Pitcher and Pure Predator are sons of the ill-fated New Predator, winner of both the G2 Drill Hall Stakes and G2 Charity Mile in 2016.
Bred by Bush Hill Stud, Purple Pitcher picked up his second graded win on Saturday, with the Robyn Klaasen trained colt having claimed the G2 Jonsson Workwear Dingaans back in November. Under a great ride from Kabelo Matsunyane, Purple Pitcher kept going gamely in the SA Classic to hold off favourite, and Equus Champion, Sandringham Summit by three-parts of a length.
It was a wonderful training feat by Robyn, who was celebrating her first G1 success.
Speedy four-year-old Mover And Shaker, winner of the 2022 Bloodstock SA Sales Cup (C and G), caused a 40-1 surprise when he won the TAB J J The Jet Plane Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday. Given a front running ride by Denis Schwarz, the Fabian Habib trained gelding kept going to claim his first graded stakes win by three-parts of a length.
His beaten rivals on Saturday included star sprinter Dyce and fellow graded stakes winners Rulership, William Robertson and Anfields Rocket among others.
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, Mover And Shaker made it career win number six with his G3 triumph on Saturday.
Racing for Messrs J Nassif, G J Nassif, Jimmy Sarkis and the Tri-Deal Sixteen CC, Mover And Shaker was a R400 000 buy from the 2021 August Two Year Old Sale. He is a son of Ridgemont’s inform stallion Rafeef and the six time winning Silvano mare B Twenty One.
Unbeaten two-year-old Pistol Pete provided his exciting young sire Buffalo Bill Cody with his first stakes winner when he ran out an easy winner of Saturday’s Listed HKJC World Pool Event 6 April Storm Bird Stakes. Under Calvin Habib, the Tony Peter trained colt made it three wins from three starts when romping home, for owner Suzette Viljoen, to score by three and a quarter lengths.
The flashy colt, a R380 000 purchase from the 2023 Cape Yearling Sale, is out of the stakes placed, five time winner Oklahoma Sky and he hails from the same family as breed shaping stallion Pivotal.
Star Eastern Cape filly Luna Halo is yet another smart performer to have been purchased off a Bloodstock South Africa auction. Knocked down to Pine Lodge Stable for R160 000 at the 2022 National Yearling Sale, the Alan Greeff trained filly made it seven wins from just 11 starts when she won the Listed Breeders Guineas at Fairview on Friday.
Under Richard Fourie, Luna Halo got up close home in Friday’s 1600m Listed contest and claimed her fourth Listed win by a short-head.
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, the three-year-old races for Messrs Marc Greene, Greg Blank, G Piha, D Yutar, Hilton Yutar, Steve Davis, Nick & Val McFall, and Mr & Mrs Alan Greeff.
One of four stakes winners to have emerged from her sire Fire Away’s first crop, Luna Halo is out of Sun Sentinel, a twice winning daughter of Captain Al and half-sister to the G1 winner Juxtapose.
