Double For Bruce Le Roux
A breeder who produces consistent winners which is evident in his above average winners to runners percentage, Bruce Le Roux enjoyed yet another double at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Wednesday.
New Predator is setting the tracks alight with his progeny – and settled into Bruce Le Roux and Tinus Gericke’s Blue Sky Thoroughbreds last year after Bush Hill Stud reduced their breeding aspect of their farm. Every single runner so far of New Predator has yet to be out of the money for their connections from all of their starts – an incredible feat.
He has now produced three winners from just four runners, two of those debut wins. They are running according to their looks – strong, early precocious horses filled with speed.
Owned by Laurence Wernars during both his racing and stud career, the imported son of New Approach won two Gr2’s and placed in multiple Gr1’s, defeating countless Gr1 winners during his career. He was trained by Johan Janse Van Vuuren. Bred on the fantastic Galileo x Fastnet Rock cross, New Predator is an easy horse to mate in South Africa with his looks and pedigree and buyers will certainly be marking their catalogues ahead of the National Yearling Sale in April.
Calling All Angels, an athletic chestnut filly with a good attitude who was a head turner at Nationals sold for R225 000. She repaid most of her sales price winning on debut and winning her connections the R100 000 BSA Maiden Juvenile Plate bonus. Her owners include Laurence Wernars, who wons the filly in partnership with Jared Wernars, Mr S Venger, Jean Hardy and Mrs and Mrs Green. She is trained by Paul Lafferty and ridden by South Africa’s leading jockey for the season, Keagan De Melo.
Calling All Angels is out of The Angelus by Windrush – this broodmare sire also a double for Bruce Le Roux on the day. Her half-brother by Just As Well recently won for Gary Rich and Julie Guthrie at Hollywoodbets Greyville, named Majestic Power.
The Angelus is a 7-time winner, including the Queen Of The Sand Listed. She has produced three winners to date, and decends from the female line of 11-time winner including the Gr1 Cape Flying Championship, Simonside. It is the family of Dashing Hussar, Stud Muffin and five-time winner Pimp My Ride.
The next to come for Bruce was the handsome Beechamwood Boy, by Eightfold Path who also stood for a time prior to retirement at Blue Sky Thoroughbreds. Racing in the colours of 93 year old passionate racing enthusiast Mr Ian Gibson, it is rare to see solid coloured silks on course these days as colours such as those were snapped up in the early years – a full burgundy set of colours. The 4yo gelding is finding great recent form and has produced three wins from 16 runs and six places to date.
He is co-owned by Ian’s son Peter, in partnership with Messrs Sharkey and Sinnema and trained by in form Wendy Whitehead. It was also a double for Keagan who produced three winners on the day.
His fourth dam is the famous mare Party Time; the founder of her own dynasty in the form of First Arrival, who produced multiple Group winning stars such as In The Fast Lane (dam of Ridgemont Highlands sire Real Gone Kid), Keep On Dancing, Summa Cum Laude and Pack Leader to mention a few. It is also the family of Clifton Queen, Flowers Of Spring and Appelate Court.
Bruce Le Roux’s winners to runners percentage is outstanding at 46% and and AEPR over R45 000, and not surprisingly his young Blue Sky Thoroughbreds partnership is also enjoying success at a similar winners to runners percentage rate.
The National Yearling Sales catalogue is due to be launched soon, keep on eye on the Blue Sky Thoroughbred pages for more to come!
