KZN Saturday Success At Turffontein
| KZN Saturday Success At Turffontein |
The big race day at Turffontein on Saturday saw a number of KZN horses finishing high up in the Graded race placings.
The Gr3 Protea Stakes 1100m saw Redcarpet Captain take home the victory – the Klawervlei-bred is out of Kabool mare Divine.
Kabool stood at Mike and Jacquie Pappas’ Highover Stud in Mooi River before he passed away a year ago in 2014, and is the broodmare sire of the likes of Gr2 winning grey mare Go Indigo, who was recently acquired by Roski Stud to join their quality band of broodmares in Lidgetton.
Mogok Master finished in third place, trained by Paul Peter the colt out of Jet Master mare, Bennie And The Jets, finished third. Mogok Master is bred by Aldora Stud, and from just four starts has won and placed in all of them, including a fourth in the Storm Bird Listed to Isca. Owners Messrs D U Kruger and P U Kruger have a good juvenile on their hands who can only get better.
Five year old Summerhill-bred mare Fortitude finished second in the Gr3 Jacaranda Handicap by less than a length to Amber Orchid(AUS). The daughter of Stronghold out of Mininski by Ahonoora is owned by Stone Hill Stud and trained by Lucky Houdalakis.
She is a three time winner who recently ran second, just a length off Clifton Stud’s Jet Master filly Whatalady in the Gr3 Acacia Handicap. She has placed 15 times – six times from her last seven starts. Her dam Mininski is out of a London Bells/Tom Rolfe mare, and produced 12 runners and 11 winners at stud.
Three of Yellow Star’s sires featured over the weekend, with Spectrum featured after having his grandson Tellina finish second in the Gr1 Horse Chestnut Stakes over 1600m, behind Captain America. Tellina finished third in this race last year. Trained by Geoff Woodruff and bred and owned by Maine Chance Farms, Tellina is the past winner of the Gr2 Gauteng Guineas and Gr3 London News Stakes.
Lion Tamer followed suit with his four year old son Lions Emblem finishing second to Kingston Mines(GB) in the Gr3 Caradoc Gold Cup over 2850m. A three time winner, Lion Emblem won his previous start over 2600m from Supertube(AUS) by almost two lengths. Bred, trained and owned by Eric Verdonese, Lions Emblem is out of National Emblem mare Model Emblem. He has placed seven times previously, with this being his first Bold Black Type to date.
Another sire who stood at Yellow Star before his death, was Second Empire – who had his talented staying son finish second in Dubai on Dubai World Cup day in the Gr3 Dubai Gold Cup.
Star Empire finished three lengths off Brown Panther under Christophe Soumillon for trainer Mike De Kock, over 3200m on turf.
The nine year old gelding is out of Maroof mare Lady Maroof, and since being in Dubai he has placed four times in the Gr3 Nad Al Sheba trophy, and the Dubai Gold Cup previously. He is a winner of the Darley Arabian Listed.
Yellow Star stand Tropical Empire(AUS) [pictured left], a magnificent looking dark bay stallion by Second Empire who has his first runners on the tracks – only two, both Yellow Star-bred.
Carribean has placed third, twice from three starts in Borrowdale, with Daiquiri owned by Yellow Star Stud placing at Scottsville and Greyville three times from only five starts.
Second Empire made the news a few years ago after his son Auroras Encore won the 2013 Grand National.
