Ted Hughes’ stallion by High Chaparral, Golden Sword, passed on after an unfortunate accident.

“A very sad day yesterday. We lost Golden Sword to a freak accident at the farm. The record holder over 2000m in Dubai and two lengths behind Sea the Stars in the 2009 Epsom Derby, will be sorely missed by us. A few youngsters yet to run so his legacy will carry on. Bred by the Pococks in Somerset from an illustrious family,” Ted announced on his social media.

Golden Sword was a horse close to the heart of his owner, who grew up with the breeders of Golden Sword and Rekindling in England and Ted was fortunate to visit and meet Sitara, the chestnut dam of Golden Sword.

Golden Sword is a half-brother to Gr1 Melbourne Cup winner Rekindling and French Gr1 placed Sydney Opera House. Golden Sword was trained by Mike De Kock in Dubai, and interesting to note that Mathew De Kock recently purchased a horse (by Australia) at Tattersalls from the immediate family of Golden Sword for 240 000 gns.

Golden Sword’s best was Belle Rose – a half-sister to Pierre Jordan was subsequently exported to Dubai but injury prevented her from performing.

Golden Swords breeders, Stringston Farm, purchased the mare in foal to Cracksman and it was heartwarming to see the pedigree go full circle and across three continents.

Amongst his other leading progeny is Nimcha, an 8-time winner racing in the colours of Hollywood Syndicate, purchased from the Alexander brothers prior to their repatriation to Australia, whilst Oasis Queen is also a 7-time winner.

Golden Sword was a lean, leggy individual who stood over ground and looked every inch and athlete when he walked – a very typical staying type who threw large, beautiful foals.

Our thoughts go out to Ted Hughes on the loss of a special horse.

Brave Tin Soldier gelding Merlin From Berlin has now won three races in a row for his elated owner and KZN Breeders Club Chairman, Ted Hughes.

It was a joyous occasion in particular as Ted’s wife Ruth, who owns the massive horse Paybackthemoney (Marchfield), was a fast finishing 2nd under Anton Marcus.

Just the week before, both geldings met at Hollywoodbets Scottsville and saw the Hughes’ collect their first silver trophy, with Merlin From Berlin taking the KZN Summer Challenge Final over 2000m under Warren Kennedy for a stake of R150 000.

Both horses, Merlin From Berlin and Paybackthemoney are trained by the in form Nathan Kotzen.

Bred by Rupert Plersch, Merlin From Berlin is out of a Fort Wood mare Woodcut – who is a full sister to Limerick – in turn the dam of exports Noah From Goa and the immediate family of Forries Waltz. This is also the family of champion stayer in Europe, Royal Gait. Ted purchased Merlin From Berlin for R35 000 off the 2017 KZN Yearling Sale, and he has earned over R350 000 in stakes.

Ted Hughes is also the owner of sire Golden Sword, who stands at Yellow Star Stud.

Sydney Opera House, by young Galileo sire Australia out of the dam of Gr1 Melbourne Cup winner Rekindling and Golden Sword, finished second by a neck to winner Wonderment at Saint-Cloud over 2000m, in the Gr1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud today.

Sydney Opera House has previously finished second in the Gr2 Royal Lodge Stakes.

Sydney Opera House sold at the 2016 December Foal from the Pocock’s Stringston Farm to Rathbarry & Abbeylands for 165000 (GBG). He made a smart return for his owners who pinhooked him, knocked down in 2017 October from the Yearling Book 1 Sale to  the combination of MV Magnier/Mayfair/P&R Doyle for 525000 (GBG).

Half-brother Golden Sword who stands at Yellow Star Stud, placed in the Gr1 Irish Derby and finished two lengths off the great Sea The Stars in the English Derby. Golden Sword went on to place in the Gr3 Chester Vase and Dubai City Of Gold Gr2, where he set a 2000m course record that has yet to be broken in Dubai. His most significant produce to date has been Stakes Winner and Gr1 placed Belle Rose, who was exported to Dubai last year.

Golden Sword’s full-brother Rekindling not only took home the Gr1 Melbourne Cup, but the Gr2 Curragh Cup, Gr3 Ballysax Stakes and second in the Irish St Leger Trial Stakes.

KZN Breeder and Vice-Chairman of the KZN Breeders Club, Ted Hughes, purchased Golden Sword earlier this year and relocated him to Yellow Star Stud. The stallion carries a lot of sentimental value for Ted, who grew up and rode with Golden Swords breeders in the UK, the Pococks of Stringston Farm.

Ted visited them earlier this year and got to meet their great mare Sitara, by Salse. The Pococks of Stringston Farm were awarded  The TBA Silver Salver Award for their outstanding achievements.

Golden Sword, the only son of High Chapparal at stud in South Africa, was ranked 117 in the World Thoroughbred Ranks in 2011, and Timeform Rated 122.

His fee is available on application.

Champion international trainer Mike de Kock labelled new Yellow Star sire Golden Sword ‘the best horse of a classy generation in my overseas string. At his best, he was a serious international competitor.’

It was thus fitting when De Kock enjoyed the honour of saddling the big son of High Chaparral’s first winner and stakes victress. The Gr1 placed Belle Rose won the Listed Oaks Trial and made it on to the 2017/18 De Kock Dubai draft.

Golden Sword, a former resident of Summerhill Stud, has relocated to the De Klerk family’s Yellow Star Stud from the 2018 breeding season.

The stud, closely associated with SA Horse Of The Year and current Drakenstein stallion Futura, as well as Equus Champion Dancewiththedevil, is situated approximately 12 km outside the village of Mooi River, the hub of Thoroughbred breeding in Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Golden Sword was the second highest rated Northern Hemisphere bred son of High Chaparral,  and his illustrious sire’s first son to stand here when he arrived in 2012.

He hails from one the greatest families in the stud book, whose members include the classic winning fillies Alexandrova and Chicquita – both, like Golden Sword, descendants of the great Sadler’s Wells – as well as former legendary SA sire Royal Prerogative and Dolpour – the latter being the broodmare sire of The Apache.

While he is a Graded Stakes winner of four races from 1400m – 2400m, with earnings of more than R6.7million, it is arguable that Golden Sword’s finest moment came in the Gr1 Investec Derby at Epsom, where he was beaten just over two lengths by the world champion, Sea The Stars.

He was also runner-up in the Gr1 Irish Derby  to triple Gr1 star, Fame And Glory.

While in the care of Mike de Kock, South African racing fans will recall Golden Sword’s storming finishes from behind in Dubai, where he ran the fastest 2000 meters ever – a record which still stands.

Former Summerhill Stallion Manager Greig Muir is on record as saying: “Golden Sword is a big, elegant horse, much in the mould of So You Think, and provides breeders with a welcome source of one of the most valuable bloodlines in the world. In any other year, he might’ve been a Derby winner, and he would not have been in South Africa if that were the case.”

Golden Sword has had 13 winners this season with 52 places, and over R1-million in stakes earned. Ted’s wife Ruth, owns Virtuous, a son of Golden Sword who placed second yesterday at Greyville over 1800m.

Golden Sword has 2 lots on the CTS April Yearling Sale next month.

See the CTS catalogue – click here

-extract sportingpost.co.za

THE 2017 Melbourne Cup will be remembered as the day 24-year-old trainer Joseph O’Brien overshadowed his legendary father Aidan O’Brien to create a famous chapter in the race that stops the nation with a full brother to Golden Sword.
Joseph O’Brien’s Rekindling edged past his father’s Johannes Vermeer with 100m to run to win by a short head in a dramatic finish.
Johannes Vermeer held on for second ahead of Max Dynamite (third) and Big Duke (fourth).

Rekindling trainer Joseph O’Brien is now enjoying his first Melbourne Cup triumph after the 24-year-old trumped his dad, champion Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien, in a dramatic family showdown.

Aidan O’Brien’s Johannes Vermeer led the field with 150m to run, but was edged out by a short head when his son’s Rekindling made a frantic run to the post.

Fittingly, Rekindling was the youngest horse in the race.

Joseph O’Brien told Channel 7 he spoke to his dad after the race and is still stunned by his Cup success. “I spoke to him and he’s delighted,” Joseph said. “It’s unbelievable.”

Rekindling owner Lloyd Williams also told Channel 7 he warned Aidan O’Brien to watch his back — because his son was breathing down his neck.

On Tuesday, the son went ahead of his legendary father. “I’m proud of this young man (Joseph),” Williams said.
“He’s a star, an absolute star. I’ve been telling people his Dad needs to watch out.”

He said during the official presentation of the Melbourne Cup, that history will soon recognise Joseph O’Brien as one of the leading trainers in the world.
The O’Brien quinella was a dream result for the Irish family — but only because the apprentice toppled the master.

Rekindling’s run pulled off a $4.5 million swoop by the Williams connections with the $3.6 million first-prize and the $900,000 second-prize both heading to the iconic racing family and its connections.

Golden Sword, a resident of Summerhill Stud is the sire of Oaks Listed winner Belle Rose.

He is the Graded Stakes winner of four races from 1400m to 2400m, earning more than R7-million in prize money and the runaway winner of the time-honoured Chester Vase (Gr3).

Golden Sword came within two lengths of the upset of the decade when running World Champion Sea The Stars to the line in the Investec English Derby (Gr1). He was also runner-up in the Irish Derby (Gr1) to triple Group One ace, Fame And Glory.

Golden Sword was the second highest-rated Northern Hemisphere-bred son of High Chaparral. This is also the family of Alexandrova (3 x Gr1s), Magical Romance (Gr1), Doyoun (Gr1) and Chicquita (Irish Oaks Gr 1 in 2013) etc.

Golden Sword’s stud fee for 2017 is available on application.

Noble Tune’s War Front juvenile half-brother, the handsome $2,6million weanling purchase owned by Coolmore, followed his half-brothers Honor Code and Noble Tune’s racing style to come from behind and push his way through to the front to win the Qatar Juvenile Sprint over 1000m on the turf.

Noble Tune’s sire the grey Unbridled’s Song, was represented with a winner when Gr1 winner Forever Unbridled took the Breeders Cup Distaff.

She is a full sister to Gr1 winner, Unbridled Forever, and not forgetting other recent Breeders Cup winners in Arrogate and Liam’s Map.

Declarationofpeace is trained by Aiden O’Brien and participated in the curtain raiser to the Breeders Cup after winning in Ireland just under a month ago. He won his debut by six lengths.

Noble Tune’s first crop of two year olds will be hitting the racetracks soon in South Africa, whilst Lane’s End have announced that their AP Indy half-brother, twice Gr1 winner Honor Code will again stand for a fee of $40 000 this season.

Crusade’s half-sister Seventh Heaven was given the tough ask against the boys in the Gr1 Breeders Cup Turf over 2400m on firm going where she finished in fifth place – Highland Reel was third, whilst Flower Alley’s son finished behind her.

She finished fourth in the Breeders Cup last year – the twice Gr1 winning filly who defeated the great Found also ran second in Dubai this year, where she finished second in the Gr1 Dubai Sheema Classic and the only filly in the race.

Flying The Flag’s full sister, Irish 2YO Champion Filly of her year and recent Gr1 winner at Chantilly on Arc Day, Rhododendron was courageous to finish second in the Gr1 Breeders Cup Filly And Mare Turf over 1800m after encountering traffic.

She was beaten by half a length to a daughter who shares a sire with Summerhill resident sire Willow Magic, Wuheida by Dubawi. Lady Eli finished towards the end of the field.

Miesque’s Approval’s grey half-brother, the gelding World Approval emulated his half-brother by winning the Gr1 Breeders Cup Mile on Turf. Miesque’s Approval is well related – himself America’s Turf Horse Of The Year, his other grey half-brother is Gr3 winner Za Approval and Gr2 winner, Revved Up.

This is the fourth Gr1 win for World Approval to date. Miesque’s Approval, the sire of Gr2 winners J’s Outsider and Judicial, exported Gr1 placed and Gr3 winner Eton Square, as well as the likes of Putney Flyer and Approval Rating.

On the international news front, Golden Sword will be represented by his full brother at the race that stops the nation [Australia], the Melbourne Cup. Kindling currently has odds of 10/1.

The Melbourne Cup, to be run at Flemington racecourse tomorrow morning (Tuesday), has to date eluded record-breaking trainer Aidan O’Brien.

However, KZN Breeders will be hoping his son Joseph wins it this year with Rekindling, who is a full-brother to the Summerhill-based stallion Golden Sword.

The three-year-old Rekindling is currently a 10/1 shot and will be ridden by Australian jockey Corey Brown, who won the big race on Shocking in 2009.

High Chaparral colt Rekindling won second time out over a mile as a two-year-old and became an Epsom Derby hopeful when winning first time out as a three-year-old in a Group 3 over a mile and two furlongs at Leopardstown.

He then ran a fair fourth in the Derby pointer, the Dante, over a mile and two-and-a-half furlongs at York. 

However, in the Derby he was never in it and trailed in 18,25 lengths back in 16th place.

However, back on an easier, flatter course at the Curragh he won a Group 2 a month later over a mile and six furlongs. He stayed on strongly so should relish the two miles of the Melbourne Cup.

Subsequently, he has finished second in a Group 3 over a mile and six furlongs at the Curragh and he then stayed on well for a two length fourth in the Group 1 St. Leger at Doncaster on September 16.

The latter race and hIs earlier win at Leopardstown proved he can handle left-handed tracks like Flemington.

He has a plum draw of four and must have a big shout.

Golden Sword won the Group 3 Chester Vase over a mile and four-and-half-furlongs for Aidan O’Brien and then finished fifth in the Epsom Derby and second in the Irish Derby.

In his first season with MIke de Kock in Dubai he finished third in the Group 2 Dubai City Of Gold over 2410m and in his second season won a handicap and a Conditions race, both over 2000m on the All Weather track. He thus qualified for the Group 1 Dubai World Cup, where he finished a well beaten eleventh.  

Golden Sword, not surprisingly, has produced staying types and included among them is the LIsted Oaks Trial winner Belle Rose, who also finished fourth in the Grade 1 SA Classic over 1800m.

 -David Thiselton/goldcircle.co.za

Summerhill’s striking son of High Chapparal, Golden Sword, has got off to a smart start with his daughter, Summerhill-bred Belle Rose winning her third career start for trainer Mike De Kock, who trained her sire in Dubai.

Golden Sword has only had three runners to date, one of which has also placed third in the same race yesterday – Oasis Queen.

Belle Rose looks to be following in her half-brothers’ Pierre Jourdan and Champagne Haze footsteps (out of Vin Fizz by Qui Danzig). The flashy bay filly is a 2015 CTS Ready To Run sale graduate where she was knocked down for R475 000. She is owned by Al Adiyaat South Africa and carries plenty of paddock value.

She won impressively at the Vaal going away by almost four lengths over 1600m from Legend Seeker with Oasis Queen following up closely. Belle Rose had placed previously over 1400m at Scottsville and fifth on debut at Greyville.

Golden Sword, a top-class racehorse himself, broke the track record at Meydan when winning over 2000m. He also won one of Britain’s major Derby preps, the G3 Chester Vase, ran second in the Irish Derby, galloping the mighty Sea The Stars to two lengths when fifth in the Epsom Derby.

He is from one the greatest families in the stud book, whose members include the classic winning fillies Alexandrova and Chicquita (both, like Golden Sword, descendants of the great Sadler’s Wells), as well as former legendary SA sire Royal Prerogative and Dolpour – the latter being the broodmare sire of The Apache.

Golden Sword stood for a fee of R20 000 in the breeding season of 2015.

Well done to all concerned!

Summerhill’s young resident sire Golden Sword, the only son of High Chapparal at stud in South Africa, has seen his full-brother, All Body And Soul, get his second in Ireland over 2400m for trainer Tracey Collins. The 2012 gelding has had just five starts, winning twice and placing once.

The gelding out of Salse by Sitara was bred by the Pocock family and owned by Mr Herb Stanley.

Golden Sword was represented with his first runner at Greyville during the week, the very good-looking and well related filly, Belle Rose – a half-sister to Pierre Jourdan and Champagne Haze.

She debuted for trainer Mike De Kock in the famous yellow and blue chevron silks of Al Adiyaat South Africa. The filly looked a picture going down to the start and will definitely be wanting more distance then the 1000m on debut, where she finished in fifth place in slightly soft going. Belle Rose sold to Form Bloodstock off the 2015 CTS Ready To Run Sale in Johannesburg for R475 000.

Golden Sword, a top-class racehorse himself, broke the track record at Meydan when winning over 2000m. He also won one of Britain’s major Derby preps, the G3 Chester Vase, ran second in the Irish Derby, galloping the mighty Sea The Stars to two lengths when fifth in the Epsom Derby.

He is from one the greatest families in the stud book, whose members include the classic winning fillies Alexandrova and Chicquita (both, like Golden Sword, descendants of the great Sadler’s Wells), as well as former legendary SA sire Royal Prerogative and Dolpour – the latter being the broodmare sire of The Apache.

Golden Sword stood for a fee of R20 000 in the breeding season of 2015.