KZN-bred Meadow Magic Triumphant In Emerald Cup and Spectrum Spectacular

KZN-bred Meadow Magic Triumphant In Emerald Cup and Spectrum Spectacular

Two of KZN’s stallions stood head and shoulders above the rest at the major Vaal racemeeting on Thursday afternoon, with a son of Mogok, bred by Scott Bros, Meadow Magic, retaining KZN’s title of the Gr 2 Emerald Cup for yet another year and Spectrum’s daughter Sapphire Ring winning the Banyana Listed, as well as having son Beacon Flare as a close runner-up in the Gr 2 Emerald Cup.

The Emerald Cup was originally scheduled to be run on Saturday, but stormy weather put an end to the race when the runners were lining up to enter the stalls. Three subsequent scratchings took place after it was announced the race was to be postponed and the two reserve runners were given their chance to run.

The 2012 Gr 2 Emerald Cup, for a stake of R600 000 over 1450m, was the second win for trainer Mike De Kock and Meadow Magic became the fifth KZN-bred to retain the title in the seven years of the running of Africa’s richest race on sand.

The five year old, out of Meadow Rhumba by Shoe Danzig, has now won and placed in his last four starts, including placing to another Scott Bros-bred, Eton Square in the
Gr 3 Jubilee Handicap. Drawn second, he was ridden to victory by Anton Marcus carrying 57.5kgs, defeating Beacon Flare by a close head.

Beacon Flare is a chestnut son of Yellow Star’s resident sire Spectrum out of Perfectly Placed by Rakeen. Trained by Weiho Marwing, he was given a strong ride by Sean Veale shouldering 53kgs.

Just a R10 000 graduate of the National Two Year Old sale, he has now earned over R500 000 in stakes, with four wins and five places – including a second in the Gr 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes.

He recently finished second to Mr Tobin(ARG) over 1450m at the Vaal sand track. His full-brother is Danger Point, a colt who won twice over distances of 2500 – 2600m and placed six times.

Meadow Magic is now a six-time winner with six places (five of those places being Stakes races) from 15 starts. A descendant of the broodmare Corn, this dam-line includes Flaming Corn, Equus Champion Irish Flame and Vertical Takeoff, as well as Lion’s Blood.

Congratulations must go to breeders Robin and Joyce Scott of Highdown Stud, as well as owners Messrs Nestadt, Blank, Finlay, Georgas and Nathan.

Mogok, the best-performed son in South Africa of Storm Cat and a half-brother to Machiavellian, has produced Gr 1 winners with the likes of Gypsy’s Warning (a Rathmor-bred Gr 1 winner in the USA too), The Apache who is destined for a career in Dubai, and Orbison. Mogok stands for a fee of R20 000 this season.

Sapphire Ring, by Spectrum out of Star Sapphire by Elliodor, was ridden to victory by Robbie Fradd in the Banyana Listed Handicap for Fillies and Mares over 1000m. The five year old grey mare, trained by Diane Stenger, ran a close race finishing just ahead of Ikati, another KZN-bred by Cataloochee.

Ikati, out of Jumping Jaguar, is another successful Summerhill-bred to graduate off the Emperors Palace Ready-To-Run Sale. Variometer, bred by Backworth Stud, finished just 2.5 lengths off the leader.

Sapphire Ring may be another exciting future broodmare edition for co-owner Peter White who boards his mares at Clifton Stud. Fittingly, Sapphire Ring is the family of Clifton-bred Midnight Serenade and Vodacom Durban July runner-up Smanjemanje.

Her full-brother, Apolo Grey, recently won the East Cape Racing Award for Champion Sprinter. Spectrum stands at Yellow Star Stud for a fee of R10 000 this season.

Congratulations must go to both Messrs C Gordon and P E White on a wonderful achievement.

Well done to breeder, owner and trainer St John Gray who had two winners earlier on in the day with The Fixer by Announce (out of Hold That Thought by All Fired Up), winning the 1600m by over a length, and the first two past the post in the next race with Roll Call by Sarge (out of Scents Of Summer by Raise A Raucus) over 1450m and Where’s My Chop finishing second.

Well done to all the connections associated with these talented horses on the day!