Bloodstock South Africa sold thoroughbreds had a wonderful time of it in 2022-2023, and BSA graduates claimed yet more big-race success on Sunday, when Bloodstock South Africa alumni claimed no fewer than seven black type races at Hollywoodbets Greyville.

Star stayer Future Pearl, a R525 000 purchase from the 2021 National Yearling Sale, confirmed his status as South Africa’s top stayer when he ran out a convincing winner of Sunday’s G3 World Pool Gold Cup, South Africa’s most famous long-distance horse-race.
Under a great ride from Richard Fourie, the Sean Tarry trained three-year-old hit the front full of running and powered away to land the first prize of R625 000 by nearly two and a half lengths.
Future Pearl, who had won both the G3 WSB Gold Bowl and G3 DStv Gold Vase earlier in the season, was bred by Drakenstein Stud, who have had a wonderful season in 2022-2023. The gelded son of former Horse Of The Year, and Drakenstein resident sire, Futura races for Antony and Angela Beck.
Out of G1 Woolavington 2200 runner up Arabian Pearl, Future Pearl has now won five of 14 starts for earnings of R1 192 625.

Varsfontein Stud had another wonderful day on Sunday, with the Varsfontein bred trio of Sandringham Summit, Bless My Stars and Cala Muretta winning the G1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Champion Stakes, G2 Riding High Together Gold Bracelet and G2 World Pool With Gold Circle Debutante respectively.
Star two-year-old Sandringham Summit provided his trainer David Nieuwenhuizen with his first G1 win when romping home, under Calvin Habib, to land Sunday’s World Pool Moment Of The Day Champion Stakes as he liked by nearly two and a half lengths.
An impressive winner of the G2 Durban Golden Horseshoe last time out, the Rakesh Singh owned Sandringham Summit has now won three of just five starts and looks a great prospect for the 2023-2024 racing season.
The colt was a R1 700 000 buy from the 2022 National Yearling Sale.
One of three graded stakes winners on Sunday for champion sire Gimmethegreenlight, the blue blooded Sandringham Summit is out of Captain Al’s G2 winning daughter Townsend, which makes the colt a half-brother to former G1 Gold Medallion winner and Clifton Stud’s new sire Eden Roc.

Bless My Stars, one of three graded winners on Sunday for trainer Sean Tarry, showed her class when defying 60kgs to claim Sunday’s Riding High Together Gold Bracelet. The Kestorm Investments owned filly, and recent G1 Hollywoodbets Durban July third, stormed home, under Richard Fourie, to claim the 2023 Gold Bracelet comfortably by just under a length and a half. Winner of this season’s G1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic, the Gimmethegreenlight sired Bless My Stars was a R250 000 buy from the 2021 National Yearling Sale.
Gimmethegreenlight is also the sire of Cala Muretta, who caused a 33-1 surprise when she won Sunday’s World Pool With Gold Circle Debutante for Harold Crawford and Michelle Rix, Muzi Yeni, Dylan Chinsammy and Ashwin Reynolds. The Varsfontein bred filly, who had broken her maiden last time out, was knocked down to Fortune Racing for R300 000 at the 2022 National Yearling Sale. Bred to be anything, Cala Muretta is out of the stakes placed Scandola, a daughter of former champion sire Fort Wood and G1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes winner Covenant.

Other Bloodstock South Africa sold thoroughbreds to score on Sunday were Outlaw King, who ran out an impressive winner of the G2 Tabgold Umkhomazi Stakes, and Meridius, who was victorious in Sunday’s Listed @Worldpool Twitter Handicap. The James Armitage bred Outlaw King, winner of the 2023 Bloodstock SA Sales Cup (C and G), claimed the Umkhomazi Stakes for trainer Dean Kannemeyer, jockey Keagan De Melo and owners the D K Racing Syndicate, while the Winterbach Stud bred Meridius made a winning debut for his new trainer Tony Peter when he won Sunday’s Twitter Handicap for owners Mr Vahab and the River Palace Racing Syndicate.

Fittingly, a Bloodstock South Africa sold thoroughbred Pray For Rain won the final race run in South Africa in the 2022-2023 season when he claimed Sunday’s LHKIR In December Umngeni Handicap for Carl and Lyle Hewitson. That five-year-old son of short-lived champion Soft Falling Rain was bred by Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm and he races for The Poet’s Corner Syndicate. Out of the Var mare Kitco, Pray For Rain was a bargain R35 000 buy from the2023 June Online Auction and he returned his new owners’ confidence in style, picking up R93 750 for his win on Sunday.