He produced his first winner from his first runner at Fairview on Friday when his Piemonte Stud-bred son Daichi made a winning debut over 1000m for Gavin Smith in impressive fashion.

Act Of War – top notch racehorse

Under jockey Marco Van Rensburg, the Act Of War colt kept going gamely to record a half length win in a time of 57,42 secs.

A R70 000 buy from the 2019 Emperors Palace National 2YO Sale, Daichi is out of the two time winning Captain Al mare Darrie. His connections picked up a R60 000 Bloodstock SA Value Added Bonus for the victor.

His sire Act Of War won eight of only 12 starts for Joey Ramsden, with his six graded victories including a triumph in the 2014 G1 Cape Guineas, as well as scores in all of the Gr2 Selangor Cup, Gr3 Kuda Matchem Stakes, Gr3 Langerman and Gr3 Cape Classic.

Unplaced just once from 12 starts, Act Of War earned R1 820 500.

Act Of War, who won graded races at two, three and four, is one of seven winners produced by the stakes placed Cordoba mare Si Senorita.

The latter, also dam of Gr3 Langerman winner Subastador and Listed Off To Stud Handicap winner Luna De Victoria, was South Africa’s Broodmare Of The Year in 2014-2015.

Act Of War stands at Summerhill – his fee is available on application.

A respected business lady in Johannesburg who also owns a farm in the beautiful Birnamwood area outside of Howick, Ms Mlonzi made the news when she sold her Master Of My Fate filly, Master Keys, at the National Yearling Sale in 2017 for R100 000 to Nathan Kotzen.

In doing so, Ms Mlonzi become the first black lady to do so in the history of the National Yearling Sale. Master Keys won impressively on debut yesterday at Scottsville. Its never an easy task to breed a winner, let alone the first runner and a winner to boot! [read NYS story at the follow link]

Nothemba retained a share in the well-bred filly along with Alderman R F Haswell, Mr Steven Chetty and the P D T Racing Syndicate (Nom: Mr Trevor Naicker).

Master Keys gave an impressive performance to fly through and win on debut by by almost two lengths – showing a powerful finish that indicates much more to come from the classy filly.

Out of On A Wing by Tiger Ridge, this filly who is a second foal, shares a damline with the incredible international champion Able Friend – a winner of five international Gr1’s.

Able Friend also was the Head of the 2015 World Thoroughbred Rankings (Sprint),Equal Leading Older Male on the 2015  WTR (Mile), Horse of the Year Champion Miler in Hong Kong in 2014-15 and had 13 wins in total.

Another horse bred by Ms Mlonzi of Mwetwood Stud was Galaxy Tunes, who finished five lengths off on debut yesterday at Scottsville for trainer Mark Dixon.

The 2yo Toreador gelding is a full brother to winner Cumulus (trained by Nathan Kotzen) remembered for his courageous Johannesburg run where he finished second behind Mike De Kock’s imported Mujaafy – the latter who has since accounted for the likes of Search Party, Attenborough, Talktothestars and Brutal Force at Kenilworth.

Cumulus has won and placed four times from six starts.

They are both out of Celestial Cloud by Invincible Spirit – Celestial Cloud is a half-sister to Patchit Up Baby, and this is the immediate family of sire Qui Danzig.

Congratulations to Nothemba Mlonzi on an outstanding achievement, and may there be many more to come in the future!

KZN’s young sires are off the starting blocks. Bush Hill Stud’s promising young sire and former Horse Of The Year Irish Flame got off the mark as a sire when his son Gizmo thrashed his rivals to break his maiden by three and a quarter lengths on Monday.

Bred by Kerry Jack, the Dorrie Sham trained Gizmo, who had been placed at his last two outings, is out of the National Assembly mare Border Baby. Gizmo is a half-brother to winner and Stakes Placed Shizam.

His sire Irish Flame was an outstanding racehorse, who was South Africa’s Horse Of The Year in 2010. He won six races locally, including the G1 SA Derby and G1 Daily News 2000, and also won over 2200m in Britain.

Irish Flame, who was also second in the 2010 G1 Vodacom Durban July, retired to stud having won from 1600-2450m and he earned more than R2.7 million on the track.

One of 10 G1 winners sired by Horse Of The Year Dynasty, Irish Flame was produced by Winter Oaks winner Clock The Rock, who also produced Irish Flame’s Winter Oaks winning own sister Irish Myth.

This is the same family as champion 2YO Smackeroo, recent Derby runner up Rocketball, and graded winners Flaming Corn, Meadow Magic and Vertical Takeoff.

Like outstanding sires Captain Al, Dynasty, and Jet Master, Irish Flame was bred in South Africa. One of the first sons of the great Dynasty to retire to stud, the triple Equus Champion is well represented by six quality lots at the 2017 KZN Yearling Sale next month.

Irish Flame has had five other places, including Piemonte Stud’s Giovanna who has placed twice from three starts. Giovanna was one of his top two prices at Nationals to date, selling for R150 000.

The other was a smashing filly off the 2017 Nationals that will be trained by Alistair Gordon, a half-sister to Black-Type Mr Whatever.

 

Miss Millionaire galloped home to an easy victory for her sire Crusade, winning her debut impressively by over a length from trainer Belinda Impey and owners Messrs P Gounden, J Jacobs & E H Seedat.

The filly, bred by Bruce Le Roux of Spring Valley Stud, sold for just R70 000 at the 2016 KZN Yearling Sale that took place at Sibaya.

She is out of Really Rich by Only A Pound, the latter a former sire of Scott Bros, who currently stand the Gr1 Middle Park Stakes winner, Crusade. Winning over 1000m on the Polytrack at Greyville, Miss Millionaire is a half-sibling to six winners.

Crusade’s pedigree was further catapulted into the limelight in 2016 when his Galileo half-sister, the beautifully named Seventh Heaven, won two European Gr1’s for trainer Aiden O’ Brien – her victories including the Gr1 Irish Oaks and Gr1 York Oaks, including the defeat of the brilliant filly and Arc winner, Found. Their dam La Traviata also produced Gr2 and Gr1 Middle Park Stakes placed son of Henrythenavigator, Cristoforo Columbo.

Crusade stamps his progeny in no uncertain terms – all carrying their sires black coats and little to no markings, and his athleticsm and substance.

Their good looks did no go unnoticed at sales this year, and at the Nationals in April 2016, his 18 yearlings averaged a very impressive price of R160 000 each.

His top priced colt sold for R350 000 at the National Yearling Sale, a magnificent yearling from Clifton Stud. The colt not only topped the National sale for his sire, but at the CTS Ready To Run Sale later in the year Wheels Are Up again achieved the top price for Crusade, the handsome individual purchased by Mayfair Speculators for R700 000.  His dam is a three parts sister to Gr1 winner, Captain America.

Crusade is owned by the KZN Breeders in a syndicate and he has been very well supported each year with full books since his arrival in South Africa. The Coolmore-owned colt by Mr Greeley had his career cut short due to a back injury, and he was Timeform Rated 114. His dam La Traviata is by Johannesburg, and in turn he is out of an Unbridled/Devil’s Bag mare.

Crusade’s first runners have been knocking on the door, with his first nine out having placed eight times – three of them in second place.

Congratulations to all concerned and it is exciting times ahead indeed for KZN!

Crusade stands at Scott Bros’ Highdown Stud for a fee of R20 000.

Bush Hill Stud’s magnificent son of Fastnet Rock, the only son of the great Australian sire in South Africa, is off the mark with his first winner at the Vaal bred by Cathy and Jonathan Martin’s Hadlow Stud.

Fast And Rocking, a two year old filly out of an Australian Archway mare, Terrestrial Rose, won second time out for trainer Mr D Little in a juvenile plate over 1200m. The filly is owned by Miss MM Van Wyk and was purchased at the 2015 National 2YO Sale for just R30 000 and won convincingly by three and half lengths under Muzi Yeni from a seventh draw.

Curved Ball, an impressive looking stallion that oozes strength, quality and substance and throws his good bone, has just six runners of which one is a winner and two have placed – Tony Rivalland’s Je Suis Silver bred by Backworth Stud, and Lordofthegooglie bred by Klawervlei at Fairview.

Curved Ball’s top prices came at the 2015 CTS Cape Premier Yearling Sale with R350 000 for a colt from Klawervlei, whilst another lovely big colt at the Suncoast KZN Yearling Sale, bred and consigned by Spring Valley Stud sold for R230 000.

Curved Ball represents one of the most potent crosses to Fastnet Rock being out of a Zabeel mare. He hails from the immediate family of such horses as top sire Marscay, the triple Gr1 winning Melbourne Cup victor Subzero, Gr1 winner Grout and a host of other Gr1 performers.

Curved Ball himself gave every indication that he too was destined for Gr1 success with him placing in his first start, winning his second start and then in only the third start of his career he secured an emphatic length and a quarter victory in the Gr2 Dingaans (over Gr1 standouts Galileo’s Galaxy, Exhilaration, Smanjemanje and Bulsara), which he duly followed up with a victory in the Sea Cottage Listed. Despite suffering what was effectively a career ending injury in the wet in his next start in the Tony Ruffel he still managed a place.

His sire Fastnet Rock, one of Danehill’s finest sire sons, was a former Australian champion sprinter and is a multiple champion sire, whose 20 plus G1 winners include the likes of Atlantic Jewel, Amicus, Diamondsandrubies, Fascinating Rock, First Seal, Wanted, and G1 Investec Oaks winner Qualify.

Fastnet Rock is also looking like becoming a top class sire of sires, with his young sires Hinchinbrook and Stryker both having already sired Gr1 winners.

Owned by Klawervlei Stud, Curved Ball stands for a fee of just R8000 at Bush Hill Stud.

Curved Ball will be represented at the Johannesburg CTS Emperors Palace Select Yearling Sale:

Lot 26 – a half brother 2 to stakes placed winners, this colt is out of a Goldkeeper daughter from the family of G1 winning sprinter Shoe Shac- who, like the colt on offer, is by a Danzig line horse. Also the family of Mauritian star World Focus and this season’s millionaire 3yo Victorious Jay

Lot 37 – a half brother to 6 winners, this colt is out of a five time winning Badger Land half sister to two top class graded 2yos. The family of champion, July winner and G1 sire and broodmare sire Bush Telegraph

Lot 135 – bred on the successful Fastnet Rock/Sadler’s Wells cross, this filly is out of a seven time and feature race winning daughter of international champion and outstanding sire Singspiel. This well bred filly’s second dam is a Gone West half sister to dual G1 Pacific Classic winner Tinners Way

Lot 142 – a half sister to a winner, this filly (inbred to the great Danzig), is out of a stakes placed daughter of champion sire Captain Al, while her second dam is a G1 2yo, who is by emerging broodmare sire National Emblem

Lot 174 – out of a G3 three parts sister to feature race winner King Neptune (and bred on the potent Danzig/Roberto cross), this filly is from the same family as the G1 winning siblings Stellite and Zirconeum

The St John Gray bred, trained and raced Call To Combat has got his stud career off to a start with a winner at Greyville.

The Julie Dittmer trained three year old Commandtoconquer won by almost a length over 1600m from Putchini and Nuntius respectively from a sixth draw. The colt has come close twice before, finishing fifth from a handful of starts and knocking on the door for a win.

Commandtoconquer is out of All Fired Up mare Silent Heat, and owned by Mr MD Brown and Mrs CRA Kingham. The third dam is Aquasarto, the dam of amongst others Argonaut, Simply Salmon and Marine Sands.

Call To Combat, a son of Announce out of Rakeen mare Gamaliya, is in turn out of a Flirting Around/Janus mare and had 22 starts at the track to win seven times and earn seven places.  His wins included the Wolf Power Listed over 1600m, as well as the placing in the Drum Star Handicap Listed and a place in the Gr2 Victory Moon Stakes.

With only six runners to date, eight of them have placed collectively.

Call To Combat stands alongside his sire Announce at Hadlow Stud for owner St John Gray.

Call To Combat’s service fee was R15 000 for the 2015 season.

The win by Commandetoconquer:

Summerhill Stud’s exciting stallion Traffic Guard came out of the blocks flying when he broke the ice with his first raced runner at Greyville on Sunday. The Kom Naidoo-trained Sovereign Magic built on her three placed efforts with a courageous performance to win the Maiden Juvenile Plate run over 1000m on the polytrack.

The winner easily accounted for the much hyped Var debutante Beau Var, who could do no better than finish third on debut.

The victory was also a memorable first for Sovereign Magic’s thrilled owner, Shamm Ganase, who had gone to just R40 000 to acquire her on the 2015 CTS Johannesburg Ready To Run Sale.

From Traffic Guard’s first crop, Sovereign Magic was bred by Messrs Thorpe and Zeeman, and is out of the three-time winning Silvano mare, Sovereign Lass.

The cross looks an exciting one as her well-bred dam won up to 2000m and there has been plenty of talk and anticipation about the prospects of her high quality miler sire, a son of More Than Ready.

Traffic Guard was unbeaten at two over 1200m and celebrated his own best track effort in the Gr1 Irish Champion Stakes, where he ran the world’s best three-year-old of the time, New Approach, to a half length at level weights.

His sire More Than Ready is one of the world’s leading dual hemisphere stallions and boasts impressive achievements, including twice Champion Juvenile Sire of Australia, and sire of two winners of the world’s richest Juvenile race, the Golden Slipper, as well as Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Champions, Pluck and More Than Real.

He is also the sire of Australian sensation, Sebring, as well as Varsfontein-based Gimmethegreenlight, one of the few horses to beat our champion miler Variety Club.

Traffic Guard is More Than Ready’s second highest-rated Northern Hemisphere-bred son of all time, with a Timeform rating of 123lbs. He was a winner of five races in UK and Dubai from 1200m to 2300m.

Traffic Guard is out of the Zafonic mare, Street Scene, a sister to Gr1 South African Derby hero, Chief Advocate and from the family of Gr1 Durban July winner Occult, leading sire Le Cordonnier, and Gr1 winner Erin’s Isle, amongst others.

Traffic Guard stood for a R12 500 fee in 2015 at Summerhill.

The handsome and athletic racer has five fillies and two colts on Tuesday’s Summer Ready To Run Sale at Summerhill Stud.

– extract sportingpost.co.za