Unbeaten Rabada Gets First Gr1 Win For Brave Tin Soldier

Unbeaten Rabada Gets First Gr1 Win For Brave Tin Soldier

Summerhill are riding the crest of a wave at the moment, beginning with Visionaire taking the honours yesterday as South Africa’s new Champion Freshman Sire, followed up by another of Summerhill’s resident stallions – the magnificent bay Brave Tin Soldier capturing his first Gr1 victory with the as yet unbeaten Rabada in the Gr1 Premiers Champions Stakes earlier today for owners Ingrid and Marcus Jooste.

In the process, the colt opened the account for the KZN-breds’ three Gr1 wins on Super Saturday. Interestingly, two the Gr1 winners from KZN share the paternal grandsire of World Champion Storm Cat. Rabada possesses a true Summerhill style pedigree, being out of Fard mare Jordie, in turn out of a Braashee mare Dagger’s Drawn. Rabada sold at the 2014 CTS Ready To Run Sale for R300 000, purchased by Mayfair Speculators. He is a half-brother to River Tyne, a Stakes Place filly and this is also the immediate family of Blue Voyager and Naan Khaatay.

As an aside, the broodmare sire of Rabada, Fard, has done the colours of Klawervlei well with multiple Gr1 winning Captain Of All retiring back to the farm of his newly crowned Champion sire Captain Al, being out of a Fard mare named Serious Side.

Rabada is trained by Mike Azzie and in March he had a devastating debut win by almost five lengths at Turffontein in very soft going. Trucked to KZN his next start was in June, where he duly went on to give his sire more Bold Black Type by winning the Gatecrasher Listed easily by over three lengths, from a R1million yearling purchase in Exit Here – a half-brother to Gr3 winning Eventual Angel. He also gave Exit Here an additional 2kg weight beating, shouldering 60kgs compared to Exit Here’s 58kg.

Anton Marcus once again got the ride for today’s Gr1 Premiers Champion Stakes, where Rabada was trying 1600m for the first time. He ran a courageous second to the speedy Toreador colt Prospect Strike, a beautifully bred half brother to Way West who won his debut by almost 13 lengths. Prospect Strike ran a good race to come from a wide draw of 14 to finish less then a length behind Rabada.

Brave Tin Soldier, who raced in Ireland, the UK, France, the USA and UAE, is a winner of the Listed Blenheim Stakes and Gr3 Cliff Hanger Stakes and a world record breaking weanling at the time of his sale for a few million US dollars. His handsome head and impressive athletic good looks reflect a mouthwatering pedigree, out of a Mr Prospector mare, his own dam Bless is a full-sister to Gr1 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus.

Brave Tin Soldier has also produced the likes of Oaks Trial Listed Placed Rosalie, and Red Hot Poker who ran fourth in the Gr3 Godolphin Barb Stakes.

Brave Tin Soldier will stand for a fee of R20 000 +vat this season (R5 000 nomination and R15 000 live foal guaranteed).

Congratulations to Summerhill Stud!