Clifton Stud’s Peter Blyth has a long background with horses, having enjoyed plenty of success as a polo player before turning his hand to training and then breeding thoroughbreds.
His father Tim bred on a small scale, and enjoyed success with a number of above average winners.
Peter, whose father could not afford the more commercial mares at the time, grew up listening and learning from his father, and he would later put these lessons to good use.
After an injury ended his polo career, Peter decided to become an owner-trainer (as his father had been), and duly moved to the Vaal. Family needs, however, resulted in Peter returning to help his parents on the farm, and he left his string with the likes of Ormond Ferraris, Jean Heming and Spike Lerena.
The Blyths’ Clifton Farm was at the time situated 60kms from Ermelo and in 2008, Peter took the decision to move to KwaZulu-Natal.
The farm has bred numerous high-class horses over the years -notably former July winner and Horse Of The Year Classic Flag, as well as the likes of Prince Of Kahal, Bezanova, Whatalady, Olympic Flag, Fort Vogue, Print The Pounds and Jet Express who won the Jebel Ali Mile in Dubai.
Clifton also stood a number of stallions over the years including Allied Flag (sire of Classic Flag among others), A P Answer, Crusade, Sharp Romance and Commodore Blake. The latter has a lasting place in South Africa as the broodmare sire of outstanding racehorse and sire Dynasty.
The stud is currently home to the regally bred Kingmambo horse Mambo In Seattle, a prolific source of winners whose progeny include the likes of dual G1 winner Same Jurisdiction and talented Dubai based galloper Majestic Mambo.
Long time supporters of the National Sale, Clifton Stud will be offering another smart draft at the 2022 National Sale.
Peter says of his string, “We have a particularly nice Rafeef filly on offer -and the rest of the string look great too so buyers must come and pull them out!”
Clifton’s other yearlings on offer include sons and daughters of such notable stallions as Canford Cliffs, Danon Platina, Pomodoro, What A Winter and champion sire elect Vercingetorix, with the stakes winning mares Covered In Snow and Esterel representing by colts by Pomodoro and What A Winter respectively.
This draft can be viewed in Block E at the TBA complex in Germiston.