St John Gray of Graystone Stud, based in KZN, has made a miraculous achievement of 1000 wins this afternoon at the Vaal with his now 11-time winner and #kznbred Dawn Assault.

Appropriately, Gavin Lerena, who has ridden several of St John’s top horses to Gr1 success including the likes of 5-time Gr1 winner Dancewiththedevil, was in the irons at the finish line in the familiar green and white ringed colours.

St John maintains his breeding operation at Cathy and Jonathan Martin’s Hadlow Stud – and has enjoyed enormous success at the top level with what would be considered non commercial pedigrees, and his favourite being his chestnut stallion with whom he has had great success, Announce (who shares a damline with Danehill, Machiavellian and Northern Dancer). Amongst his current broodmare band are the likes of his star racemare Dancewiththedevil who was exported to England, but had to return after an injury to her pelvis.

St John also won the Gr1 SA Classic with Jam Alley, an Australian horse he bred by Pientre Celebre and who stood at Hadlow before his retirement. He also has the star chestnut mare Engagement, who during her time with St John defeated Gr1 stars Igugu and The Apache.

The wheel turns, and The Apache now stands at Hadlow Stud alongside her.

St John took home the KZN Breeders Achievement Award, for his outstanding season which saw Dawn Assault and Ronnie’s Candy stamping themselves repeatedly among the nominees, and Dawn Assault taking home Champion Middle Distance Male and Champion Older Male.

Ronnie’s Candy added the recent Gr2 Ipi Tombe Challenge to her already impressive record this past November.

Graystone Stud for this season has 33.3% winners to runners, and AEPR of over R60 000.

This was the 11th win for Dawn Assault, his sire Call To Combat also bred and raced by St John. Dawn Assault has earned over R1,-6-million in stakes. St John has earned a lifetime stakes of over R79-million, and R5,182,725 alone last season.

Gavin Lerena in the post race interview today praised St John’s achievement, saying “He has supported me so much, he is a great trainer and a horseman, so well done to him and his team!”

St John commented in his interview whilst cracking open a bottle of Moet & Chandon, “it feels fantastic as you can imagine, its fantastic too for Gavin as he has ridden some of my top horses and Dancewiththedevil in particular. Im feeling quite emotional about this and fantastic that I could do this with Gavin.”

Congratulations to Graystone Stud.

#kznbred Dawn Assault has snatched the Gr3 London News Stakes from favoured Al Danza and Pietro Mascagni (a R2,3-million yearling). Second to Tilbury Fort in the Gr1 Summer Cup, Dawn Assault is yet another feather in the cap for owner / breeder / trainer St John Gray.

St John has had a fantastic season and has another special horse on his hands with the talented #kznbred Ronnie’s Candy, a Gr2 and Gr3 winner.

Graystone Stud boast phenomenal stats – with a 37% winners to runners percentage, 12 wins for the season and 86 places, with a very impressive average earnings per runner figure of over R70 000.

Ridden by Karl Zechner in a brilliantly judged ride, this is the second time in recent history this race has gone to a #kznbred – prior 2017 winner Romany Prince (bred by Rather), who nearly came down in the race with Luke Ferraris aboard, got back on his feet and steadied himself but finished unplaced.

Dawn Assault, by St John Gray’s stallion Call To Combat out of Cayman Ridge by Al Mufti, is now a 7-time winner and has won R1,115,425 in stakes. A previous winner of the Drum Star Handicap, Dawn Assault as a 5yo entire is getting better with age.

Born and raised by Cathy and Jonathan Martin of Hadlow Stud who manage St John Gray’s breeding operation within their own, they also stand the brilliant 5-time Gr1 winner Dancewiththedevil, again bred, owned and trained by St John Gray.

In other recent KZN related news, Gr1 winner Lady In Black trained by Dennis Drier finished powerfully with a courageous run behind the brilliant Oh Susanna (AUS) in yesterday’s Gr1 Cartier Paddock Stakes. Rathmor Stud stand her dam Mystery Dame, who has a Noble Tune colt on offer at the upcoming Nationals in April.

Bush Hill Stud’s Irish Flame got Black Type win his daughter Just My Style placed third in the Lady’s Bracelet (Listed) at Fairview for trainer Sharon Kotzen. Out of a Jet Master mare, Just My Style has won 3 times and placed 7.

Bush Hill also had a very impressive debut winner yesterday with Gareth Van Zyl’s imposing King’s Chapel filly Daidala. A race that could have gone the way of any of the horses in the first three, she flew up on the railing in facile fashion to snatch victory by a quarter of a length from Frosty Princess.

Well done to all concerned.

St John Gray’s Dawn Assault leads the KZN Breeders Series Log for 3YO’s and up.

The son of Call To Combat, born and raised at Hadlow Stud for St John Gray’s Graystone Stud, is also a Vodacom Durban July entry and leads by 34 points, whilst Yellow Star’s Panza, named after a tank used in World War II, lies in second position, adding pressure with 32 points. Mario Ferriera’s honest Trippi filly, bred by Rathmor Stud has gone fromm leading to third position on the log with 31 points.

The KZN Breeders Race Day is scheduled to take place at Greyville once more on 30 June, with 292 horses competing for 96 places on the day, with six races for a stake of R200 000 each for KZN-bred 3yo’s and up. There will be two races for the KZN-bred juveniles on the day, each for a stake of R200 000.

The day will also include the prize-giving for the current competition in conjunction with Gold Circle, which sees Ivan Van Wyk-trained Oratorio colt Di Me leading the first log of the Jockey And Trainer Competition, exclusively for KZN-bred racehorses.

Points will accrue to the trainers and riders of all KZN-bred horses for every race run during this period, on the basis of 8 points for a win; 6 for second; 4 for third and two points for fourth.

The leading trainer at the end of the period will receive a R30 000 voucher to be used towards the purchase of any KZN-bred yearling at the 2018 KZN Yearling Sale, with the runner-up receiving a R15 000 voucher and the third placed trainer a R5 000 voucher. Jockeys will compete for a cash prize pool of R50 000, split amongst the top three riders in the same ratio as the trainers. The points table for each category will be published on a weekly basis (look for the log to be published shortly).

A big thank you to our sponsors of the day who contribute to its enormous success – including Piemonte Stud, Spring Valley Stud, Flying The Flag, Noble Tune, Crusade Syndicate, Golden Sword, Summerhill Stud and The Fort Stud.

The Proudly KZN day which sees all trainers, owners and racegoers dressed in Black and White, looks to be filled with fun once again as well as free giveaways on the day to the public, who also stand a chance of winning tickets to the Vodacom Durban July which takes place a week later.

The KZN Breeders Race Day is one of the biggest on Gold Circle’s racing calendar, with over R2,6-million for up for grabs for the winning connections of this special race day, exclusively for horses registered with the KZN Breeders Premium Scheme.

The current Log:

The first entries for the Vodacom Durban July are in and several KZN-breds are amongst them – including half-siblings, dual Gr1 winner Rabada (from the stable of Brett Crawford) and his grey AP Arrow half-brother, Glider Pilot.

Another interesing entry, which is the third from Champion breeders Summerhill Stud, is the filly that South Africa’s eyes are on for this weekend – Takingthepeace, who is attempting to become the first KZN-bred to win the Triple Tiara.

Bush Hill Stud are represented with 2-time winning son of Visionaire – Throng – entered by Champion trainer Sean Tarry along with Matador Man.

Matador Man by Toreador may also try his hand again at the KZN Breeders Million Mile the week before to make it a double and match No Worries record.

Matador Man, who placed third in the Gr1 Champions Cup and won the Secretariat Stakes Listed, won again recently for his connections, interestingly Glider Pilot was just behind him.

Rabada is back in training with Brett Crawford after injury and it will be fantastic to see the twice Gr1 winning son of Brave Tin Soldier back in action again.

The five year old entire last raced in November 2016 and looks a picture in Summerveld.

His year younger brother Glider Pilot, who has half an ear missing from an accident as a youngster, is Merit Rated at 106 and has showed signs of brilliance.

In his last win over 2000m in February this year, he defeated amongst the field Brazuca and Bankable Teddy.

Amongst his four places with two wins from only seven starts, Glider Pilot finished fourth in the Gr1 Daily News 2000 behind Edict Of Nantes (a race his half-brother won previously) and left in his wake the likes of Copper Force, Zodiac Ruler, Africa Rising and Pagoda amongst others.

An exciting entry to see is St John Gray’s Dawn Assault. The only Stakes Winning son of Call To Combat, born and raised at Hadlow Stud for St John Gray, Dawn Assault has won six and placed 14 times.

He recently took the Drum Star Listed from Gr2 winner Secret Captain, with Kilrain and The Elmo Effect amongst the field.

The Vodacom Durban July will be taking place on 7 July this year – with the KZN Breeders Race Day taking place the week before at Greyville, and the Golf Day on 1 June leading up to Africa’s Greatest Horse Race.

Contact us if you would like to join us for the KZN Breeders Golf Day and KZN Breeders Race Day – vouchers towards the purchase of a KZN-bred yearling are up for grabs, for the KZN Yearling Sale taking place at Sibaya just the week after the KZN Breeders Race Day, and before the Vodacom Durban July.

See you there!

Gauteng based owner-trainer and breeder in KZN, St John Gray had plenty of cause to celebrate at Turffontein on Saturday.

His stallion Call To Combat marked his first stakes winner courtesy of a gutsy victory by Dawn Assault in the R150 000 Listed Drum Star Handicap.

More of a boutique sire for his gentleman breeder, Call To Combat has not covered many mares in his six seasons at stud, but his 4yo son Dawn Assault – still a colt – looks capable of going on to improve on his current record.

Raymond Danielson took the 1800m handicap by the scruff of the neck and had Pilou six lengths ahead of the pack turning into the home straight.

Anthony Delpech had the favourite Secret Captain relaxed in midfield and he made his move at the 400m as Dawn Assault accelerated.

With the pacemaker fading out, it was left to Bela-Bela’s half-brother Secret Captain and Dawn Assault to slog things out.

As Secret Captain lugged out on to Dawn Assault and dragged him outwards, Marco van Rensburg kept his head and his mount proved the stronger, despite the interference.

Dawn Assault beat Secret Captain by 0,40 lengths in a time of 111, 65 secs.

The bridesmaid Secret Captain remains a two-time winner and a difficult horse to risk the rent money on. His record shows a maiden victory on debut and an administrative first in the Gr2 KZN Guineas, courtesy of the disqualification of Janoobi.

Kilrain produced a strong late run from some way off, but appeared to run on to Dawn Assault’s heels and finished a head away in third.

Dawn Assault was bred by Graystone Stud and is a son of Call To Combat (Announce) out of the two-time winner Cayman Ridge (Al Mufti). St John’s Graystone Stud operates from Cathy and Jonathan Martin’s Hadlow Stud in Mooi River.

He went through the ring at the 2015 KZN Yearling Sale but was bought back by Hadlow Stud.

Dawn Assault has won 5 races with 14 places from 31 starts for stakes of R512 925.

Call To Combat was trained and bred by St John Gray who stood him as a stallion for Graystone Stud at Hadlow Stud. Call To Combat has moved on to Cash Truter in Kroonstad.

Call To Combat achieved seven wins, with a peak victory in the 2011 Listed Wolf Power 1600. He ran fourth in the Listed Drum Star in 2010 behind Golden Chariot.

Dawn Assault is a half-brother to Caymen Island, who ran third in the Gr2 Peninsula Handicap and was a 5-time winner.

-extract sportingpost.co.za