Summerhill Celebrate 10th National Leading Breeder Title

Mick Goss and the team at Summerhill Stud have achieved an outstanding accolade of National Leading Breeder for the 10th time – nine of those consecutively, after the final curtain came down on the eLan Gold Cup race day, yesterday at Greyville.

Summerhill earned R21 027 712 in stakes, with Klawervlei hot on their heels for the whole season finishing with R20 401 050.

The stats make for interesting reading, as Summerhill believe its the way in which they raise their horses that they are able to perform soundly and more regularly – which is reflected in the statistics.  Summerhill had 383 runners compared to Klawervlei’s 424, Summerhill’s horses ran 2637 times compared to the other of 2451.

From that figure, 230 wins were achieved compared to a close 226, giving Summerhill a winners to runners percentage of 39.7% compared to 37.3%. Summerhill also achieved a high AEPR of R54 903 compared to R48 116.

Summerhill have had a fantastic year of several Graded Stakes wins highlights such as Rabada’s Gr1 Daily News 2000, Heaps Of Fun taking the Gr2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas, and Arch Rival winning the Gr2 Gold Bowl. ‘Old soldier’ and a son of Kahal bred by Summerhill, No Worries took the KZN Breeders Million Mile for the second time in his career.

The second KZN farm to feature in the National Top 10 is the consistent Scott Bros’ Highdown Stud who finished in 8th place this season.  Talktothestars won a Gr1 and a Gr2, whilst the ever consistent son of Miesque’s Approval, Judicial, features regularly amongst the placings of some of South Africa’s biggest Graded Stakes races.

Kahal finished 5th once more on the National Leading Sires log, and his last crop will have turned two today. The next top sires from KZN are Toreador and Mogok, whilst KZN’s leading sire of 2YO’s is Bush Hill Stud’s Toreador.

KZN’s horses featured on eLan Gold Cup day, with breeder Anton Proctor having his horses Dawn Calling, Misty Burnam and Patchit Up Baby all placing on the big day. Dawn Calling, a daughter of Trippi ran a courageous race to finish second by a length in the Gr1 Thekwini Stakes for trainer Duncan Howells, whilst the handsome grey son of Toreador, Misty Burnam finished a close third in the Gr1 Premier’s Champion Stakes behind Gunner and Zodiac Ruler.  Summerhill’s talented son of Visionaire, Africa Rising, placed fourth.

Judical almost caught Marinaresco in the Gr1 Mike And Carol Bass Champions Cup, to finish second just a length off and No Worries, looking an absolute picture in the parade ring, in third place.

Anton Procter’s Patchit Up Baby is back with Duncan Howells in KZN after a stint in Gauteng, and she finished fourth in the Gr2 Gold Bracelet over 2000m.

KZN Breeders’ Bruce Le Roux and Tinus Gericke were overjoyed when their Avontuur-bred Var filly purchase from the CTS Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 1 of R500 000, A Woman’s Way, stormed to victory in the Gr2 Debutante yesterday at Greyville.

The filly trained by Duncan Howells has now won two from two and has marked her entry to the paddocks of Spring Valley Stud as a valuable and exciting future broodmare prospect.

As of 1 August 2016 the new season has kicked off and looks to be a very exciting one, foals are already being born and Piemonte Stud welcomed the first – an Ideal World colt on 17 July, followed by Hadlow Stud and Summerview Stud – both have magnificent foals by the very exciting Noble Tune (Rathmor Stud) and Bush Hill have welcomed a super colt by Just As Well.

First season sires will getting to work on 1 September, as Bush Hill Stud’s outstanding son of Galileo, Flying The Flag and Summerhill’s Gr1 winning son of Dubawi – Willow Magic and multiple Gr1 son of Dynasty – Act Of War, will cover their first seasons.

International racing sensation The Apache has arrived in time at Scott Bros to settle in for his first KZN season and his third at stud.

Even more to look forward to in the new season will be the first season two year olds to come from Crusade, Eightfold Path, Await The Dawn and Irish Flame.

If their impressive sales performances are anything to go by, we have a lot to look forward to!

The KZN Breeders Premium Scheme begins again in August, the only financial incentive in South Africa where breeders are able to earn from their yearlings they breed and register, and who go on to earn from minor stakes races (terms and conditions do apply).

One of the biggest advantages of owning a KZN-bred racehorse is the exclusive entry into the KZN Breeders Race Day where stakes of over R2,6million can be won in nine races – including the KZN Breeders Million Mile.

Wishing the breeders all the best for the coming season ahead and congratulations to our National Champion Breeders, Summerhill Stud!