Outstanding three-year-olds Malmoos and War Of Athena, both graduates of past Bloodstock South Africa sales, made history at Turffontein on Saturday when claiming the World Sports Betting Triple Crown and Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara respectively.
Malmoos’ Triple Crown sweep was particularly poignant given the recent passing of his owner Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum, whose death was a tragic loss to the world.
A convincing winner of the G1 World Sports Betting SA Classic and G2 World Sports Betting Gauteng Guineas, the Varsfontein Stud bred Malmoos was all the rage to win Saturday’s G1 World Sports SA Derby (2450m) at Turffontein and the regally bred colt duly did so with the minimum of fuss.
Under Met winning jockey Luke Ferraris, the Mike de Kock colt joined the likes of Horse Chestnut and Louis The King as recent South African Triple Crown winners when storming home to claim Saturday’s SA Derby by a facile five and a quarter lengths.
A R4 400 000 buy from the 2019 National Sale, Malmoos has now won seven of his eight starts, with his previous wins including triumphs in both the G2 Avontuur Estate Concorde Cup and G3 Palacebet.co.za Live Games Graham Beck Stakes.
Malmoos is one of more than 100 stakes winners sired by multiple champion sire Captain Al and his Spook Express Handicap winning dam Justthewayyouare is a half-sister to Varsfontein’s successful stallion Master Of My Fate.
The Summerhill Stud bred War Of Athena joined the likes of champions Igugu, Cherry On The Top and Summer Pudding as a South African Triple Tiara winner when she romped home to a brilliant win in Saturday’s G2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks (2450m) at Turffontein.
Under regular rider Muzi Yeni, the Paul Matchett trained filly added her Oaks win to impressive wins in both the G1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic and G2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas with a dazzling, deceptively easy two length win in the 2021 SA Oaks.
Owned by Roy Wentzel and Dr Rose Waterman-Wentzel, War Of Athena was a bargain R30 000 buy from the 2019 Ready To Run Sale.
From the first crop of Dynasty’s Cape Guineas winning son Act Of War, War Of Athena has now won 8 of her 14 starts thus far, with her eight career wins headed by five graded stakes scores.
South Africa’s star filly was produced by the Requiem mare Qaphela, a placed half-sister to G3 Pretty Polly Stakes heroine Mzwilili and Syringa Handicap victress Ithala.
Two other Bloodstock South Africa graduates won graded races at Turffontein on Saturday, with Celestial Love landing the G3 World Sports Betting Man O’ War Sprint impressively and African Adventure running out the easiest of winners to claim Saturday’s G3 WSB Best Odds, First Caradoc Gold Cup.
Bloodstock South Africa would like to congratulate all the winning connections of Saturday’s feature races and wishes them all the best going forward.
The eagerly awaited 2021 National Yearling Sale is set to take place at Germiston on April 15th and 16th. Come and find your own Malmoos!