The French Connection: Cascada

Cascada is owned by French couple Xavier and Nathalie Bozo. They have been breeders for over 40 years in France, where they own a stud farm. Xavier is also a bloodstock agent.

Also following Cascada on Sunday was the Bozo’s great friend Aliette Forien, who bred last year’s Epsom Derby winner Wings Of Eagles.

She has displayed an interest in taking a share in Cascada. Another follower from France was the Bozo’s friend Emmanuel Chevalier Du Fau, who trained French Oaks winner Dunette, a daughter of Cascada’s fourth dam, Pram. Dunette’s half-sister Godille, who is Cascada’s third dam, was imported to South Africa.

Godille’s claim to fame is that she is the grandam of the Summerhill-bred Gold Cup winner Desert Links.

It was little wonder Xavier believed Cascada should be tried over more ground.

He said, “She ran twice over 1000m at Scottsville last year, but just to learn because she was not ready and was very green. Then she had a three month break and came back to finish second over 1200m on the Greyville turf.”

In her next start over 1400m she was too far back from a wide draw and finished fourth. Xavier persuaded Campbell to put her over further and she was duly entered in Sunday’s 1600m event.

Unfortunately she landed a wide draw of ten. However, Campbell managed to get in-form Warren Kennedy to ride her. Kennedy knew the main danger, Two Moon Junction, was a handy but somewhat one-paced horse, so he planned to be close to her in the running. He managed to get on to the flank of Two Moon Junction and Cascada duly quickened past her and then found another gear to fend her off.

Xavier reckons Cascada, despite being quite “hot” and possessing plenty of speed, will stay 2000m “easily”. She looks to have a bright future ahead of her.

She was bought for a mere R25,000 at the Summerhill Summer Ready To Run Sale. The chief reason for the purchase was the Bozo’s recognising the French mares in her female line. Nathalie inspected Cascada in the rain before the Sale. Like some of her French ancestors, the filly was small but nicely put together. So the Bozo’s decided to buy her “for fun”.

The Bozo’s approached Richmond-based Doug Campbell at the Sale and asked him to train the filly, having been told he trained the good Visionaire filly Lala.

Nathalie and Cascada (Candiese Marnewick)

The Bozo’s have bred some good horses in France in their time, including the Group 1-winning filly miler Gorella, who was by the British-bred Grape Tree Road (Caerlon).

Gorella’s nemesis during her two and three-year-old seasons in France was the brilliant Divine Proportions, who happens to be the dam of Scott Brothers-based sire Eightfold Path.

However, Gorella did win a Group 2 for trainer Jean De Roualle and among her stakes places were a Group 1-second and third. She then departed for the USA to be trained by Patrick L Biancone and won the Group 1 Beverly D Stakes as well as two Group 2s. She was considered good enough to run in the Breeder’s Cup Mile but had no luck and finished seventh.

The Bozo’s first visited South Africa in 2008 to visit some friends and see Cape Town and the KZN Midlands. They stayed at Summerhill Stud and were invited by the TBA to the National Yearling Sale. They ended up buying a Summerhill lot, an Australian-bred by Fantastic Light, for R900,000.

This filly, African Love, was trained by Geoff Woodruff and won two races over 1700m and 1600m respectively. Like Cascada, she raced in Nathalie’s dark green and beige colours. African Love is closely related to the New Zealand-bred champion Bounding, who happens to be the half-sister to African Love’s dam. Bounding, a Gr1 winning daughter of Lonhro, sold for A$1,900,000, making news headlines the world over when she was purchased by Stonestreet Farm in the United States. The mare currently resides in the USA and has just foaled a strong Curlin colt.

African Love now stands at Rathmor Stud in KZN. Her first foal by Captain Al, African Victory, sold for R1 million at the CTS Premier Yearling Sale (CPYS). In his recent debut as a four-year-old gelding over 1200m at Fairview, African Victory won by 9,5 lengths for Tara Laing. African Love’s second foal, the Rathmor-bred Var colt Pata Pata, sold for R475,000 at the CTS Cape Premier Yearling Sale. Trained by Brett Crawford, he won his maiden over 1000m at Kenilworth in December.

The Bozo’s enjoyed their first visit to South Africa, so returned in 2009 and without any pre-planned intention ended up buying a small farm in the KZN Midlands. The farm is called Springwater and their goal at present is to buy weanlings, rear them and then pinhook them.

Consequently, the Bozo’s spend a lot of time in South Africa and will be valuable assets to KZN racing. Doug Campbell is enjoying training for them and has already had a TV crew visit his farm to film a piece for a French Racing program.

-By David Thiselton / Gold Circle