Three Winners In Four Days For Crusade
Crusade is continuing his good form and has produced three winners in four days at Greyville, the Vaal and Turffontein – in particular, Piemonte Stud is having a lot of success with recent Stakes Winner Alfeo, and breeding two of the winners over the past four days – including a half-sister to Gr3 placed Celestina.
Crusade also has 4 Black Type wins this season from three of his runners, which puts him in the lead for first season sires of 3yo’s when it comes to Black Type achieved.
The winner at Greyville on Wednesday was most impressive on debut, after the filly finished second in her Barrier Trial. The Piemonte-bred carries their tradition of Italian names for their horses, and Noemi beat the much talked about Charge D’Affaires, a full sister to speedster Always In Charge, by half a length at even weights.
Out of Sully’s Landing by Jet Master, she is a half-sister to Sean Tarry’s Celestina – a lightly raced 2-time winner who finished 2nd in the Gr3 Pretty Polly Stakes to Green Plains.
The grey Colombina was another, this time for Johan Janse Van Vuuren. She has placed second on three occasions and primarily over 1200m – but flew in to win by over 5 lengths when reduced to 1000m. She is out of Hard To Get by Fard.
Swell Time, out of Lite Spark by Sportsworld and bred by Alan and Vera Sutherland of Somerset Stud, had her second career win from four starts today at the Vaal for trainer Barend Botes, winning very comfortably by over two lengths over 1200m.
Crusade has also had six places in the past four days including the unlucky Jaunita in Gauteng – a half-sister to the white colt Gran Blanco and winner Shandy, she has raced 37 times for 13 places during her 3yo career.
Crusade will be represented on Tsogo Sun Sprint Day with Be Happy from the stable of Michael Roberts in the Gr1 Allan Robertson.
The third season for any sire at sales can be a difficult one, but Crusade impressed to keep his April Nationals average at R160 000 per yearling sold – for 12 yearlings – taking into account his service fee, he offers a return to breeders in a challenging market at sales and he is yielding the winning results on the tracks.
A Gr1 winning half-brother to Coolmore star filly Seventh Heaven, Crusade stands for a fee of R20 000 at Scott Bros Highdown Stud.
