First Stakes Winner For Crusade
The Scott Bros’ well performed young stallion Crusade was represented by his first stakes winner when his progressive daughter Covered In Snow captured the Listed Swallow Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday.
Bred by the Clifton Stud, and owned by Peter White, the Dianne Stenger trained three-year-old made it three wins from just four outings when victorious in the Swallow Stakes, defeating a host of high class fillies in the process.
Covered In Snow, who was ridden to victory by Muzi Yeni, has now won her last three races in a row.
Peter Blyth of Clifton Stud said he was very excited about the result and “delighted all round – just what the doctor ordered!” Peter was very pleased to note that the dam Blue Nevada is currently in foal to Crusade once more. He ended off with saying, “hold thumbs we get a smart full to Covered In Snow!”
Blue Nevada by Anytime – a 5-time winner herself by a good stallion that sadly died prematurely, has a thorough Clifton damline, descending from the same family as Clifton-bred Gr2 winner, Glenrossal.
Blue Nevada, out of Crystal De Roche mare Sierra Blue has produced three winners from three runners. Her 2016 foal is by Jackson, whilst her filly currently at foot is by Ideal World.
Purchased with the assistance of the KZN Breeders Premium Scheme and owned in a syndicate by the KZN Breeders Club, sire Crusade won the Gr1 Middle Park Stakes, one of the most prestigious 2yo races in Britain, and a race won previously by sire greats Oasis Dream, Diesis, Petingo, Djebel and Sharpen Up.
Stuart Crawford, the secretary of the Crusade Syndicate commented on the great result: “Judging by the quality of his stock and the number of winners, we were confident that he will get his share of Black Type progeny.”
Slightly Scottish, by Crusade and trained by Dean Kannemeyer, has been entered for the upcoming Michael Roberts Listed, and looks on course after placing at Scottsville yesterday behind Redeemer.
Crusade is one of more than 60 stakes winners sired by Gone West’s Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint runner up Mr Greeley.
The latter is also responsible for star fillies Finsceal Beo and Saoirse Ab, G1 Sussex Stakes winner Reel Buddy and Gr1 winner and successful sire El Corredor.
Crusade is out of the brilliant Johannesburg mare La Traviata, who won the Gr3 Victory Ride Stakes by nine and a quarter lengths.
La Traviata is also the dam of Gr1 Irish/Yorkshire Oaks winner Seventh Heaven, the earner of more than £1.6 million in prize money, as well as last season’s high class Irish 2yo Coat Of Arms.
The latter, runner up in the Gr2 Futurity Stakes last year, holds an entry for the 2018 G1 Investec Derby.
Look out for his next crop on offer at the upcoming National Yearling Sale in April 2018 – including a full sister to 2x time winner Subtropical (and half-sister to Gr1 placed Matador Man), the first foal out of a full sister to The Apache, a half-sister to multiple winners Cannes, Runalong and The Rising Legend, a half-sister to Angel’s Power, half-brother to African Dream and to D’Arrivee.
-extract bsa.co.za (Sarah Whitelaw)
