Bloodstock South Africa sold horses dominated feature race action at Turffontein on Saturday, with BSA graduates Feather Boa and Main Defender victorious in the G2 Betway Joburg Spring F and M Challenge and G2 Betway Joburg Spring Challenge respectively.
Further more, the Bloodstock South Africa sold pair of Mrs Geriatrix and Purple Pitcher both impressed when they won the Bloodstock SA Sales Cup (Fillies) and Bloodstock SA Sales Cup (C and G) on Saturday.
Classy four-year-old Feather Boa claimed her first graded win when she stormed home to claim the 2023 Betway Joburg Spring F and M Challenge (1450m) in convincing style. Under Gavin Lerena, the Stuart Pettigrew trained four-year-old hit the front close home and stayed on nicely to win by a length. Runner up in both the G1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic and G1 HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes last season, Feather Boa has now won four of 15 starts and has banked R1 546 250 in prize money.
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, Feather Boa is owned by Wayne Jackson, Mark Campbell, Anton Marx and Clint Valjalo.
A daughter of Wilgerbosdrift’s very much inform sire Flower Alley and the three time winning Silvano mare Osprey, Feather Boa was a R200 000 purchase from the 2021 August Two Year Old Sale.
Trainer Tony Peter looks to have a potential star on his hands in the form of Main Defender, with that three-year-old making a huge impression when winning Saturday’s Betway Joburg Spring Challenge (1450m) by a whopping six and a half lengths.
Under July winning jockey Kabelo Matsunyane, the gelded Main Defender outclassed a high-class field to land the first graded win of his career as he liked, leaving such G1 winners as Thunderstruck, Anfields Rocket and MK’s Pride struggling in his wake.
Bred by Jagessar Limited, Main Defender has won four of five starts thus far, with his sole defeat coming at the hands of fellow BSA graduate, and Equus Champion, Sandringham Summit. The exciting three-year-old races for Messrs J J Habib, G, K & M M Nassif and he looks sure to provide his connections with plenty of excitement this season.
A son of the Sandown Stud based Irish champion Pathfork and the Judpot mare Alessia, Main Defender was a R140 000 purchase from the 2022 Cape Yearling Sale.
Last season’s Equus Champion Mrs Geriatrix made her eagerly awaited return to the racetrack a successful one when she won Saturday’s Bloodstock SA Sales Cup (Fillies) (1450m) convincingly. Under a confident Richard Fourie, the Sean Tarry trained three-year-old put her head down where it mattered most to claim the R180 000 first place prize by a head. Bred by Clifton Stud, and racing for the Magical Lady Syndicate, Mrs Geriatrix is now unbeaten in six starts with the star filly having won all of the G1 Allan Robertson Championship, G2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper, G2 World Sports Betting SA Fillies Nursery and Listed Ruffian Stakes last season.
A daughter of Maine Chance Farms’ star sire Vercingetorix and the well related Kahal mare Velvet Glove, Mrs Geriatrix was a R200 000 buy from the 2022 National Yearling Sale.
The Bush Hill Stud bred Purple Pitcher caused a 14-1 upset when he won Saturday’s Bloodstock SA Sales Cup (C and G) (1450m) for Robyn Klaasen and the inform Kabelo Matsunyane. The son of now deceased New Approach horse New Predator, powered home to upset favourite Gimmeanotherchance and land the R180 000 first prize by a decisive two lengths.
Racing for Mr Pooe, Purple Pitcher, a R170 000 buy from the 2022 KZN Yearling Sale, was making it three wins in a row with his victory on Saturday, with the gelding having won three of seven starts.
Out of the Count Dubois mare Heliantha, Purple Pitcher is a half-brother to 2022 G3 HSH Princess Charlene Starling Stakes winner Miss Daisy.
