“I thought at one stage that Christopher Robin’s sire Damage Is Done was doing just that to my broodmare band,” laughed the victorious breeder-owner-trainer afterwards.

Punters in the Winnie The Poo! Christopher Robin storms clear under Warren Kennedy (Pic – JC Photos)

The 2000m feature was run in driving rain and it was 25-1 shot Christopher Robin who finished the strongest under the rampant Warren Kennedy. The victory was the kick start to a R384 905 Pick 6 dividend on the afternoon.

While it’s no golden ticket to the SA Derby and third leg of the SA Triple Crown, which is run over 450m further on 4 April, the race would certainly have put paid to the hopes of a few starry-eyed hopefuls.

The most experienced runner in the twelve-horse field, Christopher Robin has earned at over 50% of his starts and he duly showed that he could be a bit better than his rating suggests, with a sustained finish to hold off Nebraas (35-1) by 2,50 lengths in a time of 128,09 secs.

Our Man In Havana (7-1) was the closes fancied runner, when he plodded into third.

The rest were outgunned.

Winning Form-sponsored jockey Warren Kennedy said that he found himself falling further and further back as the lead changed hands.

“The turn was soft and he also floundered a bit. But when he picked it up late, he made it a professional performance,” he added.

A winner of 3 races with 7 places from 18 starts for stakes of R263 825, Christopher Robin is a son of the now deceased Rakeen stallion Damage Is Done, who won 4 races from 1600-2000m, before being injured.

The female line has produced champions Politician, Al Nitak and The Sheik but Damage Is Done got limited opportunities at stud.

The winner is out of of the five-time winning Malhub mare, Onehundredacrewood – who only won up to 1200m.

Damage Is Done has since passed away, bred on lines that produced Jet Master.

Well done to all concerned.

KZN-breds and horses by KZN sires won four of the nine race card at Turffontein yesterday, including three of the days features – the Oaks Trial Listed, the Derby Trial and the Gr2 Senor Santa Stakes, whilst Rabada’s grey half-brother won over 2000m on debut in the last race.

KZN produces less than 20% of the racing stock annually in South Africa and yesterday’s performances at Turffontein are not to be ignored.

Golden Sword’s daughter, who gave him his first winner two year ago – Belle Rose, also gave her sire his first Stakes winner and provided the first of a Stake winning double on the day for her sensational dam, Vin Fizz (Champagne Haze winning the Gr2 Senor Santa later in the day).

Mike De Kock trained High Chaparral’s outstanding son Golden Sword in the latter part of his career, and labelled the Summerhill sire the best horse of a classy generation in his overseas string.  Golden Sword still holds the record for the fastest 2000m at Meydan.

Callan Murray had Belle Rose relaxed about five lengths off pacesetter Emily Jay in the sixteen horse charge that moved into the long Turffontein home straight.

Belle Rose glided up hard against the steel in the centre at the 400m marker, closely tracked by Wind Chill.

Under a beautifully balanced left handed ride, the Callan Murray kept Belle Rose to her task and she stayed on doggedly to hold the determined Wind Chill by a head in a time of 124,46 secs.

The Woodruff runner Parabola came on steadily to get third ahead of Scott Bros’Costa Da Sol. The latter ran a gutsy race from her wide draw.

Belle Rose was purchased by Form Bloodstock for R475 000 at the 2015 CTS Johannesburg Ready To Run Sale.

SA champion breeders Summerhill Stud also produced Gr2 Senor Santa winner Champagne Haze and the last race 2000m debut winner, Glider Pilot – the latter an AP Arrow half-brother to dual Gr1 winner, Rabada.

Glider Pilot sold initially for R475 000 off the CTS Ready To Run Sale to Adriaan Van Vuuren, and resold for only R65 000 off the 2016 November Mixed Sale – trained by Tyrone Zackey and owned by Mr K P & Mrs N M Backos & Mr S F G Habib. His grey dam Jordie has an outstanding foal by Trippi this year at Summerhill.

Belle Rose is by Golden Sword out of the versatile four-time winning Qui Danzig mare, Vin Fizz – dam of the day’s Gr2 1160m winner, Champagne Haze. She also produced the brilliant Pierre Jourdan and 7-time winner Dakiwe, definitely thrown her name into the hat as KZN Breeders Broodmare Of The Year.

The high – class Pierre Jourdan’s half-brother Champagne Haze is a previous winner of the 2015 Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup and produced a sensational victory in the R400 000 Gr2 Senor Santa Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday.

While he has won up to a mile, Champagne Haze’ best recent form has been over the sprints – yet he was easy to back when lining up in the 1160m Gr2 feature against some serious speed merchants. Champagne Haze won by two lengths in a time of 65,49s.

Champagne Haze has won five races with six places from his 15 starts for stakes of a healthy R2 065 050.

The winner, astutely purchased at the CTS Johannesburg RTR Sale for R280 000, is by Kahal.

Ever consistent sire Mogok added yet another Stakes winner to his list with Varsfontein-bred Pagoda taking the Derby Trial.

Pagoda collected his second win on the trot, making it the three year old Mogok gelding’s third career win. Pagoda – out of Pascha by Wolfhound – had previously placed three times including the Sea Cottage Stakes Listed.

Trained by Geoff Woodruff and owned in partnership by Messrs Kuben Gengan, Rajen Devan, G V Woodruff & Mrs S E M Louw, Pagoda sold for R100 000 off the 2015 Val De Vie Cape Yearling Sale, and has earned almost R400 000 including the BSA Value Added Stakes bonus of R77 500.

This is the immediate damline of Do You Remember, Festive Occasion and KZN-bred Sarasota.

Congratulations to Summerhill Stud and all the winning connections!

– extract sportingpost.co.za