Just the typical type of horse Crusade has developed a reputation to produce, Roski-bred Calladdi was the pick of the parade ring on his debut at Scottsville, owned in the combined and successful partnership of Team G Racing (Nom: Mr G H van Zyl) & Green Street Bloodstock (Pty) Ltd (Justin Vermaak, C Vermaak & A Vermaak).

The black colt leads the first Log of the KZN Breeders Series of two races for juveniles (at a stake of R200 000 each) scheduled for the 25 June 2017, over 1200m on the Polytrack.

The big striding juvenile colt sold for R160 000 off the 2016 National Yearling Sale, out of mare Carina Coleman by The Sheik, bred by at astute horseman the Late Greg Royden-Turner.

The four-time winning Carina Coleman, who earned Black Type by placing in the Gr3 Pretty Polly Stakes and achieving 16 places in her career, is out of an imported Irish-bred daughter by Superlative. This is the female line of British-born Japanese raced Road Bakushin, who won 36 times and 13-time British Stakes winner Sarasota Bay.

Jockey Warren Kennedy rides Calladdi’s work at home for trainer Gavin Van Zyl and comments: “He is a horse that will possibly go a mile. We do think he has scope for big improvement and he has shown us plenty of ability.”

Calladdi will come on from his impressive debut run which saw him and the winner dualling each other to finish, with the third horse finishing over two lengths behind them.

This is Crusade’s first crop to race and he has already produced a winner from a handful of runners, which have seen nine places in the process – including Romantic Crusade for Candice Robinson-Bass (second twice) and The Grey Crusader for Doug Campbell. A winner of Europe’s top juvenile race, the Gr1 Middle Park Stakes, Crusade is also a half-brother to dual Gr1 Oaks winner Seventh Heaven (by Galileo).

Crusade impressed in the sales ring last year at the Nationals when he sold 18 yearlings for an average of R160 000, his top price was R350 000 for a Clifton Stud-bred colt that went on to sell for R700 000 a the CTS Ready To Run Sale in Durbanville, where he was purchased by Mayfair Speculators. The son of Mr Greeley out of speedy Johannesburg mare La Traviata stands for R20 000 at Scott Bros.

179 Horses have qualified for the two Juvenile races to be run over 1200m, one each for colts and fillies.

The KZN Breeders Series of eight races for a stake of R200 000 each, along with the running of our feature KZN Breeders Million Mile, will be taking place on our KZN Breeders Race Day, 25 June at Greyville. Our Million Mile, which is excluded from the entries and log below saw No Worries last year defeat July hopeful and dual Gr1 winner Rabada in a nail biting finish.

The KZN Breeders Race Day is the second biggest event by stakes on Gold Circle’s racing calendar with stakes of R2,6 million on offer.

In addition to the stakes earned by the winning and placed connections, the KZN Breeders Club also hand out vouchers to the first four of each race to use towards the purchase of a KZN-bred horse at the KZN Yearling Sale, which always takes place the week prior to the running of the Vodacom Durban July.

Further dates for KZN Breeders Series entries:
Supplementary Entries close Friday, 21 April 2017 at 16:00 Fee: R2280 (Fee R2000 + Vat R280)
Final Supplementary Entries close Thursday, 15 June 2017 at 11:00 Fee: R11400 (Fee R10000 + Vat R1400)

A very big thank you to the owners, trainers and breeders who have supported our KZN Breeders Race Day and contributing towards the enormous success it has been each year!

The Log for 3yo’s and up is posted separately.

Well done to the log leaders!