Visionaire achieved a 1-2 in the 11th race on J&B Met day, when the Joey Ramsden-trained Mr Wise Guy galloped to a near two length victory from Vilakazi, a son of Visionaire and half-brother to Hong Kong winner, Mighty Emperor.
It was the third career win and the first over 1600m for Mr Wise Guy, who is out of Jet Master mare Catch The Wind, owned in partnership by Mrs Vanashree and Mr Anant Singh, Mrs I Jooste and Mr M J Jooste. From a total of nine starts, the three year old gelding has in addition placed four times. Mr Wise Guy sold at the 2014 CTS Ready To Run Sale for R350 000, his dam is a three parts sister to Gr1 Mercury Sprint winner, Fly By Night.
Brett Crawford-trained Vilakazi, bred by Northfields Stud and owned by Messrs T H Fenner, M O C Wauchope, A R M Wood & Mrs F Samuelson is an exciting individual to watch, having won twice and placed twice from all four of his starts. He has won over 1200m – 1600m and is out of Casey Tibbs mare, Sweet Virginia. Vilakazi was consigned by Drakenstein Stud, and sold for R450 000 off the 2014 National Yearling Sale. Bearing a striking resemblance to his handsome Gr1 King’s Bishop winning sire, Vilakazi shares a dam-line with five-time Gr1 winning mare, Dancewiththedevil.
Visionaire, a son of Grand Slam standing at Summerhill Stud, was last season’s National Champion Freshman Sire and sees him leading the new Three Year Old Sires once more on the National Log by Stakes Earned – with Warm White Night and Querari following suit.
Visionaire’s other more recent winners include his Gr3 placed daughter Lala, and Revelation providing a special win for the partnership of Louis Goosen and Piere Strydom last week – the 150th to date. Revelation is a half-brother to Gr1 winner, Love Struck.
Visionaire stood for a fee of R40 000 last season.