Summerhill Stud-bred filly War Of Athena once again met up with her rival Anything Goes, and this time took home the victory in the Gr3 Three Troikas – whilst the courageous Running Brave added yet another Group victory to her record – beating the boys to take home the Gr3 London News Stakes.

Another to feature for Summerhill Equestrian was MK’s Pride – the son of Willow Magic finished 2nd in the Gr3 Tony Ruffel Stakes, with Rathmor Stud’s Copper Mountain 3rd.

War Of Athena has been close to the previously five-time unbeaten filly and this time her race fitness proved the advantage, to win by almost two full lengths. The filly is out of a Requiem / Coastal mare, and shares a female line with the smart Rossi-Bred Captain Tatters, trained by Justin Snaith.

Summerhill Equestrian are pleased to report that her Dynasty sire, Act Of War, had found great support in his 3rd season and covered almost 80 mares in the 2020 season.

Act Of War is currently on 31% winners to runners and his 29 runners for the season have earned over R800 000 in stakes so far taking into consideration the current reduced stakes.

Proving that horses don’t know their sales prices – both War Of Athena and Running Brave were knocked down to Paul Matchett respectively for R30 000 at the 2019 Ready To Run Sale and the 2017 National 2YO Sale.

Running Brave, who had her first Group win for her owner turned trainer Fanie Bronkhorst, certainly lives up to her name and beat the boys to take the Gr3 London News Stakes. She defeated a field that included the likes of Gr1 Summer Cup winner Zillzaal, Barahin, Divine Odyssey and Green Haze.

The daughter of Brave Tin Soldier carries a superb race record and has an excellent rapport with her jockey Muzi Yeni. She has given Bronkhorst a superb return for his sales outlay, earned over R1,700 000 – winning 8 races with 12 places from 30 starts. This is the family of Silver Flyer, Jet Jamboree, Love Is In The Air and O Tamara.

Brave Tin Soldier resides at Jill Fox’s The Fort Stud, and from limited numbers has produced excellent Group winning stats which include his son at Spring Valley Stud – Rabada – as well as export Brave Mary.

Congratulations to Summerhill!

#kznbred Rabada, a twice Gr1 winning son of Brave Tin Soldier bred by Summerhill Stud, has relocated to Bruce and Delia Le Roux’s Spring Valley Stud in Mooi River.

The very handsome stallion has his first foals on the ground, and will be yearlings in August.

Initially in training Michael Azzie and ending with Brett Crawford, Rabada retired a 5-time winner, including the Gr1 Premiers Champion Stakes as a two year old, and the Gr1 Daily News 2000, as well as the Gatecrasher Stakes (L).

He carries a pure Summerhill pedigree, being out of a Fard / Braashee mare – Jordie.

His sire Brave Tin Soldier stands at The Fort Stud – the sire of two Gr1 winners including export Brave Mary, and Gr1 runner up Running Brave.

Brave Tin Soldier was the most expensive weanling in the world at his time of sale, knocked down for a record US$3-million.

Rabada is a half-brother to the grey Glider Pilot, who also placed 4th in the Gr1 Daily News 2000 and to River Tyne, who is a 4-time winner and placed in the Listed Ladies Slipper. This is the female line of Naan Khaatay and Tomorrows Miss.

He is a stallion that has quality in abundance and stands 16.1.

Summerhill Stud has been sold and now stands sport horses for Capital Stud and owner Henning Pretorius.

Randjesfontein trainer Paul Matchett was stunned to see the price bookmakers were offering for his Brave Tin Soldier filly Running Brave at Turffontein Standside on Saturday.

She later converted odds of 15/1 in the Pinnacle Stakes event over 1400m, beating the 15/20 favourite Celtic Sea by 1,50 lengths. 

Matchett now wants to run the gallant filly in the Grade 1 HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes, in which she finished a narrow second last year to #kznbred Camphoratus, although he is still waiting to hear whether the restrictions placed on personnel during the national lockdown will have an affect on his horses’ training programs. 

Running Brave will later go down to KZN for the SA Champions Season where the defense of her Grade 2 Gold Bracelet crown will be among her targets.

Pundits had made Celtic Sea a virtual certainty on Saturday as she was in form and according to official merit ratings was 6kg well in with Running Brave, who was the second best weighted horse and appeared to be off form.

Furthermore, Celtic Sea is a twice Grade 1-winner and was named Equus Champion Three-year-old filly last season.

However, the pundits failed to take into account a number of factors.

The first was the head to head count between these two horses. Incredibly, that statistic now stands at Running Brave five, Celtic Sea two.

The second point, which Matchett pointed out was there for the public to see via replays and in the stipendiary report, was that Running Brave had over-raced badly in her previous start in the Grade 3 Acacia Handicap over 1600m and this had explained her 13,80 length beating.

He said, “She was being ridden by a jockey who didn’t know her and he tried to tuck her in. She hates that, if you try and restrain her she fights.”

Running Brave had used up all her fuel by the time they reached the business end of that race and began hanging from the 400m mark.

Meanwhile, Celtic Sea was having her first run back from a tough Cape Town campaign and it was likely a preparation run for the Empress Club Stakes.

This filly has a beautiful action and the alarm bells were ringing some way out on Saturday as she was apparently not enjoying the rain affected ground and was never travelling as well as she can.

Running Brave, on the other hand, was loving her favourite front-running role and was enjoying the conditions.

Celtic Sea ranged up to her and headed her but Running Brave, who was receiving 2kg, readily found extra to win cosily. 

Running Brave’s odds will be shorter in the Empress Club and pundits should this time take note she beat Celtic Sea by 4,05 lengths in that weight for age event last year when finishing a neck runner up to Camphoratus in good to soft conditions. 

-Gold Circle

Rob and Michele Pickering’s bred and part owned #kznbred Byword filly, Camphoratus, didn’t buckle from a fight and flew past the much touted Oh Susanna to win from another #kznbred filly by Brave Tin Soldier, Summerhill’s Running Brave who finished a close second.

Both fillies cost a combined R80 000 at BSA sales, and both have earned their owners over R1,7-million in combined stakes.

KZN only breed 15% of South Africa’s racing stock and these sort of results reinforce that horses produced in KZN are not to be ignored.

It was race filled to the brim with quality, and the Byword filly gave the trainers Rob and Shannon Hill their jockey, Gareth Wright their first Grade 1 winner!

Byword, who initially started his career in KZN before being sold to Mauritzfontein, stood at Rob and Michele Pickering’s Middlefield Stud after a glittering Gr1 winning race career in the UK.

Camphoratus, out of a Horse Chestnut mare Wild Camphor, sold for just R50 000 off the 2016 KZN Yearling Sale and won the Gr3 Flamboyant on Boxing Day at 36/1. She has now earned over R1,1-million in stakes with five wins and six places under belt for owners Messrs L J Muir, S Manicom, G R Sadleir and Mr and Mrs Rob Pickering T/A Middlefield Stud.

Summerhill Stud’s Running Brave flew up for second place for trainer Paul Matchett and came very close to becoming the 4th Gr1 win for The Fort Stud’s Brave Tin Soldier.

Owned by Messrs F Bronkhorst & H L Neethling, has had 7 seconds amongst her 9 places from 2 wins. Running Brave sold for just R30 000 off the 2017 National 2YO Sale and has earned almost R700 000 in stakes – both above horses have given their owners superb returns on their investments!

Movingandgrooving has a Capetown Noir yearling on offer at the upcoming National Yearling Sale.

KZN have approximately 70 horses headed to the Nationals – they will be easy to spot with #kznbred signs on their doors.

Congratulations to all concerned.

KZN got off on the right foot in 2019 with six winners from nine races carded at Greyville on 1 January.

Louis Goosen came back with a bang, getting a triple on the day – two of the horses were #kznbred.

The Grey Crusader was first up under jockey Jason Gates – who was one of a double for the young apprentice on the day. The son of Crusade in the care of Louis Goosen has gone from strength to strength and been incredibly unlucky in his career – the half-brother to 9-time winner Black Pepper has recorded 10 places previously – six of those in 2nd!!! This time he really impressed, going to the front and winning by over 7 lengths from Noble Tune gelding The Jazz Singer.

The 4yo grey gelding took his earnings to R 211,875 for owner Bobbie Rajhununan.

The next was the beautiful chestnut What A Scorcher, an apt name after a 33 degree day at Greyville. The 6yo St Petersburg gelding collected his 4th career win for trainer Jeff Freedman for owner Mrs A M van der Bank, bred by Hemel ‘n Arde Stud in the Cape. He has also placed 7 times to earn R 255,950.

Sand Path came flying on the outside rail reminiscent of his prior win on the turf for trainer Dennis Bosch. The handsome Eightfold Path chestnut gave Scott Bros a double on the day (first with The Grey Crusader) and produced his second win for owners Messrs Praveen Mohanlall & G R Almanza. Eightfold Path is getting on well, with 32% winners to runners in his 3yo season. He stands at Spring Valley Stud.

Garth Puller’s Toreador gelding has been consistent, the Spring Valley-bred out of a Krusenstern mare collected his 2nd win under Anton Marcus and has placed 6 times from 13 starts, and since September has won or placed in his last five starts. Toreador is a stallion that stood at Bush Hill Stud and he will be missed – his son Matador Man recently won the Christmas Handicap Listed at Greyville on Boxing Day.

Five year old Missibaba also gave Summerhill a double on the day. The full sister to Gr3 winner Royal Pleasure, won again for her owners Mr S Pillay & Mrs U S Pillay and trainer Dennis Bosch. She has tucked away R 314,575 in stakes earned and placed 15 times from 33 starts. For the past year she has been the picture of consistency, only placing out of the money on one occasion from her last 12 starts.

The handsome Bravo Zulu by Brave Tin Soldier completed the double for breeders Summerhill, to win the last race and give Louis the triple on the day after a dry spell, battling a virus in the yard. Owned by Messrs J Carlse & Louis Goosen, Bravo Zulu won over the 1000m trip under Marco Van Rensburg. The 4yo gelding is out of a Muhtafal mare, from the damline of Variety Club, Secret Rites and Son Of A Champ. His dam Londoloza is a half-sister to Fanyana, a 9-time winner who also placed 3rd in the Gr1 Computaform Sprint.

Brave Tin Soldier has relocated to The Fort Stud and Jill Fox has reported that all of his mares received for the season have been confirmed in foal.

Our stallions in KZN stats for the new season up until 30 December 2018:

The Apache 5 wins (11 runners) (36.4% winners to runners)

Crusade – 21 wins (25% winners to runners)

Mambo In Seattle – 35 wins (31.5% winners to runners)

Eightfold Path – 13 wins (31.8% winners to runners)

Noble Tune – 9 wins (25.8% winners to runners)

Curved Ball – 12 wins (33.3% winners to runners)

Just As Well – 9 wins (25% winners to runners, 1 Black Type winner for the season)

Having his first ride since a return from injury, super sub Marco van Rensburg took over from Diego De Gouveia and rode an inspired race to get Stuart Pettigrew’s consistent 4yo Soldier On home to beat the gallant Dan The Lad (Fransie Herholdt) by the proverbial whisker.

Owned and bred by avid Pettigrew supporter Terry Kung, Soldier On started a well supported tote place favourite and saved many Pick 6 punters as the 40-1 Dan The Lad forced the photo finish.

The two came together at the 250m marker after Sail For Joy, who had done the donkey work, starter to wither.

In a terrific drive to the line, Van Rensburg showed cheek and saluted at the wire to indicate that Soldier On had done enough. His official time was 88,81 seconds on turf softened by a drizzle earlier.

Dan The Lad, who had tracked the leader, ran a gallant second from his awful draw under the experienced Herholdt, who leaves shortly for a four-month contract in South Korea.

Lake Kinneret was a solid further half length back in third, with Sail For Joy showing courage to hang in for fourth.

The 7-2 favourite Divine Odyssey was run off his feet and ran a two length sixth.

The last horse to earn was the tenth placed Chepardo (4,45 lengths) who banked R5000 for his efforts.

Bred by Terry Kung, Soldier On is a son of Brave Tin Soldier (Storm Cat) out of the unraced Australian-bred Rockabye Girl (Southern Image).

A winner of 4 races with 5 places from 11 starts, Soldier On took his stakes earnings to R572 650.

Brave Tin Soldier has been relocated to Jill Fox’s The Fort Stud. He is the sire of two Gr1 winners Rabada (who stands his first season at his place of birth, Summerhill Stud) and French export Brave Mary.

-extract sportingpost.co.za

The Brave Tin Soldier colt Soldier On showed a smart turn of foot when coming from off the pace to win the R135 000 Egoli Mile run on the Turffontein standside on Saturday.

Marco van Rensburg had the Stuart Pettigrew trained galloper about seven lengths back after he had reared as the gates were sprung for the non black-type feature.

Turning into the home stretch, Loyal Lieutenant continued to show the way with lightly-raced recent maiden scorer Infamous Fox slipping through down the inside as Soldier On made his way down the outside.

Van Rensburg timed his move sweetly and he rode hard to stave off the determined challenge of Infamous Fox by a quarter length in a time of 100, 94 secs.

Owned and bred by Mr T Kung, Soldier On is a son of Brave Tin Soldier (Storm Cat) out of the unraced Australian-bred Rockabye Girl (Southern Image).

He is a winner of 2 races with 3 places from 6 starts for stakes of R184 550.

The Erico Verdonese trained Emerald Bay benefitted from a well-judged Craig Zackey ride to get Pick 6 punters off to a rocky start to a tough afternoon at Turffontein on Saturday.

Enjoying her handy galloping weight of 52kgs, plus a kilo over weight for Zackey’s services, Emerald Bay allowed Witchraft to do the donkey work, as she followed in stalk mode all the way round the 2400m of the R135 000 Sun Chariot Handicap.

At the 400m, Emerald Bay was given the nod and she stayed on well as Witchcraft started to labour under her weight.

Starting at 15-1, Emerald Bay was too strong and beat Summerhill-bred Gr3 winner Witchraft by 0,70 lengths in a time of 158,22 secs.

Bred by Erico Verdonese, Emerald Bay is a daughter of deceased Mullins Bay (Machiavellian) out of the three-time winner Model Emblem (National Emblem).

She has won 4 races with 7 places from 17 starts for stakes of R347 525.

-extract sportingpost.co.za

The internationally renowned group of journalists from across all corners of the globe, lead by South Africa’s leading international photo journalist Liesl King, were in town for the Vodacom Durban July and were treated to an evening at Hartford House, with the stallion parade the next day.

Mick Goss of Summerhill presented four stallions for show – the handsome son of Western Winter, Capetown Noir, followed by Dubawi’s only Gr1 winning son at stud in the southern hemisphere – the glowing golden Willow Magic, followed by the elegant Gr1 winning son of Dynasty, Act Of War, and finishing with dual Gr1 producing Brave Tin Soldier, looking an absolute picture in midwinter with a bronzed fine coat.

Capetown Noir’s first crop will be yearlings this coming August, producing quality balanced youngsters that stand over ground. Act Of War and Willow Magic will have their first foals arriving this coming season, whilst Brave Tin Soldier, one of the best bred stallions in the country and a world record priced foal in his day, is the sire of juvenile Gr1 winners Rabada and Brave Mary – the latter sold last week to Team Valor.

Mick Goss took the opportunity to discuss South Africa’s stringent export controls currently in place and reinforced the importance of allowing South Africa to export our horses overseas to compete.  Our South African-bred horses have proved their worth each year in strong international racing fields from America to Dubai and England and Hong Kong, achieving vast successes from limited numbers represented. With the downward economic climate currently being experienced in South Africa, opening the borders would also provide much needed job creation for South Africa.

Thank you to Summerhill for hosting an outstanding day once again at their exclusive Tijnhuis, a sumptuous lunch and a traditional Zulu dance from an award winning dance troup, along with an outstanding range of gin on offer!

Scenes from the day below:

Another KZN-bred filly, Gr1 Allan Robertson winner Brave Mary has been purchased by Team Valor. The speedy Brave Tin Soldier filly who showed the Allan Robertson field a clean pair of heels, is in training with Paul Matchett.

Brave Mary is out of a Rich Man’s Gold mare Mary Lou, bred by Rupert Plersch and has recorded two wins and two places from five starts. She won the Gr1 at Scottsville by almost two lengths from Green Plains.

She is the second Gr1 winner and the third Gr1 win for sire Brave Tin Soldier, who stands at Summerhill Stud.

The other KZN-bred filly to have been purchased last year is the Gr3 winning daughter of St Petersburg, Anna Pavlova, now a four-time winner for trainer Roy Magner. The filly is owned in partnership by Team Valor International (Nom: Mr B Irwin) & Mrs Vanashree & Mr Anant Singh & Mesdames C Soal & M Soal.

Team Valor have purchased the likes of Gypsy’s Warning amongst many other champions in the past and were responsible for bringing Visionaire to stand at stud in South Africa.

Summerhill stallion Brave Tin Soldier produced the goods again just a week after his Scottsville Gr1 success with his daughter Brave Mary, when the supremely consistent mare Easy Street streaked to her fourth win on the trot, slamming her field to win the R150 000 Listed Milkwood Stakes at Fairview on Friday.
A winner on the Vaal sand and turf, as well as the Greyville polytrack, Easy Street has blossomed in the Eastern Cape and gave trainer Gavin Smith and jockey JP van der Merwe their fourth winner on a festive Friday afternoon for the pair.

Previously based with Louis Goosen in Gauteng, Easy Street has earned at five of her seven Fairview starts, and has bounded up the handicap in a period of just three months.

She registered her first Stakes success on Friday, which will add to her paddock value – but it would almost be a pity to ship her off to stud based on her present enthusiasm for racing!

Easy Street looked to have a big task on her hands facing nine established opponents over the Fairview 1000m – but she hardly raised a sweat. Van Der Merwe had her in touch all the way with her effortless natural speed, and she kicked clear to beat recent Turffontein 3yo winner Favour’s Pride by 0,75 lengths in a respectable 55,93 secs.

The course record set by KZN-bred Scandal (carrying 4,5kgs less than Easy Street) in 2016 is 54,38 secs.

Oklahoma Sky stayed on best of the rest, for a third cheque, 1,25 lengths further back. Cape stakes winner Nordic Breeze was beaten out of the money.

A daughter of Storm Cat stallion, Brave Tin Soldier, Easy Street was bred by Summerhill Stud from the unraced Australian-bred Shamardal mare, Dhlala.

Easy Street was purchased by Louis Goosen for R280 000 off the 2013 BSA Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale. A winner of seven races with three places from her 20 starts, she has taken her earnings to R461 275.

Brave Tin Soldier is currently producing 36% winners to runners, and has produced the likes of dual Gr1 winner Rabada, Gr1 winner Brave Mary, Red Hot Poker, Rosalie and Split The Breeze.

Brave Tin Soldier is represented by nine yearlings at the upcoming KZN Yearling Sale taking place 29 and 30 June. They include a full-brother to 3-time winner Catherineofaragon, and a half-sibling to Gr2 winner, Winning Leap.

-extract sportingpost.co.za