KZN have welcomed international breeder Michael Moroney to the KZN Breeding ranks, based in Ireland, Michael Moroney’s maroon and green racing colours in the name of the The Poet’s Syndicate have been a familiar sight on South Africa’s racetracks for some time already.

Michael has enjoyed many winners in South Africa and World Pool Gold Cup day proved the cherry on top, with his online sale acquired Pray For Rain winning the LHKIR In December Umngeni Handicap Listed, aptly with Lyle Hewitson aboard for father and trainer Carl Hewitson. It was Michael’s first international trip to South Africa and it paid off handsomely.

The son of Soft Falling Rain won again recently at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.

Michael started off with a mare Magic Potion, and his first foal is a now gelded son of Hat Puntano, as yet unraced and in training with Carl Hewitson named Magic Hattrick. Magic Potion is by Malhub from the family of Luna Child, Ollivander and Sparkling Gem.

A smart acquisition who has produced a smashing Willow Magic colt at foot this season, is African Angel, a 2-time winning daughter of Mogok from the family of Irish Flame and Gr2 winner, Meadow Magic.

Michael has four more mares in foal this season – they include Rise (Noble Tune), a six time winning mare in foal to Danon Platina, New Orleans is in foal to Fire Away and Capriana, a grey by Toreador out of a Shaamit mare, is confirmed in foal to Eden Roc.

There is also Accidental Tourist, a 4-time winning daughter of Gimmethegreenlight out of a Jet Master mare, has been confirmed in foal to Eden Roc – an interesting mating, as Eden Roc’s half brother Sandringham Summit is by Gimmethegreenlight.

African Angel has been confirmed in foal to KZN’s exciting young son of War Front, Declarationofpeace.

Michael had a lot of fun with the above maiden mares mentioned, who won multiple races for The Poets Syndicate before their retirement to Winnie Fourie’s Grace Stables in Nottingham Road, where The Poets Syndicate’s horses are also pretrained. Winnie provides a full service for owners prior to their horses departing for racing stables, from foaling to sales preparation to pretraining from the farm, once known as the famed Invermooi Stud.

Welcome to Michael Moroney and we wish him all the best with his future breeding endeavours.

African Angel’s impressive Willow Magic colt this season.

Wood-Moore Manor have welcomed the first foal by Prussian Power out of Captivating Party, the dam of recent winner Le Premiere (Visionaire), at Winnie Fourie’s Grace Stables situated in Nottingham Road.

Prussian Power is bred by Wood-Moore Manor Stud, a son of Gr1 winner Badger’s Drift out of Prussian Princess by Golden Thatch and stands at Grace Stables.

Prussian Princess is a half sister to Imperious Sue, ARCSA Champion Older Female in 1997 and the dam of Blue Heather and Imperious Star, in turn the dam of Sunset Tripp and Thumbs Up.

This is the female line of Hidden Beauty, Royal Air Force and Imbongi, Spring Garland, Kelly and Victory Moon.

The dam Captivating Party has produced three winners to date, and is an own sister to National Colour – the dam of Rafeef and Mustaaqeem, and the family of Basadi Faith.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank Winnie Fourie and her team at Grace Stables, who foaled her down during a rather difficult foaling. We are delighted to confirm both mom and daughter are now doing very well. Breeding Thoroughbreds privately as we do, is about selective bloodlines, as much as it is about the rewarding journey of watching them grow out into fine specimens, as with the exciting destination and coming home with the award-winning hallmark silverware trophies,” commented Wood-Moore Manor Stud on their social media platforms.

Well done to all concerned.

Images: Grace Stables

Winnie Fourie’s Grace Stables will be bringing a trio of two-year-olds to the upcoming August Two Year Old Sale.

This trio is comprised of the progeny of such stallions as Fire Away, Hat Puntano and Potala Palace, and are a definite must-see for any serious buyer.

Fire Away, whose first crop include G3 World Sports Betting Langerman winner My Golly Molly and G1 Douglas Whyte Thekwini Stakes runner up Egyptian Mau as well as multiple stakes winner Luna Halo, looks a very exciting young stallion and he is represented here by Ruby Rising (Lot 24), a filly from the family of top-class sprinters Bartholdi and Bohica among others.

This draft also includes a Potala Palace half-sister (Lot 112) to smart performer Wind Water who hails from the family of legendary Triple Crown winner Horse Chestnut, and Sensoji (Lot168). The latter, a colt by Sunday Silence’s multiple G1 winning grandson Hat Puntano, is out of a full-sister to G1 Daily News 2000 runner up Rake’s Chestnut and is from a strong black type family.

Grace Stables’ draft for the sale can be found in Block B at the TBA Complex in Germiston.

Grace Stables’ Winnie Fourie has plenty of experience with top-class thoroughbreds, and she will be offering buyers the chance to acquire some high-class performers when she brings a pair of well bred yearlings to the 2023 KZN Yearling Sale. Grace Stables will be offering a filly (Lot 90) from the first crop of the well bred Talk Of The Town and a colt (Lot 91) by Talk Of The Town’s late, great sire Var at the KZN Sale this year.
Winnie says of her two yearlings:

The Talk Of The Town – Car Park Queen filly is a three-parts sister to the G3 placed, and Var sired, Var Park
She is a late foal but stands over a lot of ground. She has a nice top line and is a very flashy filly with lot of white on her face. She has a lovely walk on her and will grow into a really nice racy individual. You have a filly that comes from sprinting female line but that will be able to go to a mile.

The colt by Var out of Catskill Queen. He is from the same family as champion sprinter and G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen winner Sterling City among others.
He is small but very well built .Compact and strong all around. I can’t fault him much. He is by a sprinting sire but you can go anywhere with him as the female line can go up to staying distances.

The aforementioned two yearlings can be viewed from Block E at the Suncoast Casino in Durban.