Top-class three-year-old Safe Passage, who was offered for sale at the 2020 National Yearling Sale, showed his class when he ran out a brilliant winner of Saturday’s G1 Daily News 2000 (2000m) run at Hollywoodbets Greyville.

Trained by Mike de Kock, the gelding came into Saturday’s R1 000 000 race having won five of his previous eight starts but had not raced since finishing second in March 5th’s G1 WSB Classic.

Under a confident ride from Muzi Yeni (who is unbeaten on Safe Passage), Safe Passage hit the front full of running and powered away to beat favourite, and G1 Jonsson Workwear Cape Derby winner, Pomp And Power by over two lengths.

The 2022 Daily News 2000 was another great result for Bloodstock South Africa, with horses sold at or offered for auction on BSA auctions filling the first four placings! (In fact, the first three home, Safe Passage, Pomp And Power and Aragosta are all graduates of the 2020 National Yearling Sale).

Safe Passage also provided owner-breeder Drakenstein Stud with one of two G1 wins on Saturday, with the Drakenstein bred and owned filly Silver Darling running out a classy winner of the G1 Woolavington 2000 on the same card.

Both Safe Passage and Silver Darling were sired by Maine Chance Farms’ late, great sire Silvano, whose outstanding son Vercingetorix is the sire of Daily News 2000 runner up Pomp And Power.

Knocked down to John Freeman for R500 000 at the 2020 National Yearling Sale, Safe Passage is out of the Antonius Pius mare My Sanctuary -whose four wins included a score in the G2 The Debutante.