Just As Well by AP Indy has been retired from stud duties, to the farm of Juli Santini – Juli, whose family own Roski Stud, were the bulk shareholders of Just As Well during his stallion career.

Affectionately known as JAWS, an abbreviation of his name and in no way a reflection of his lovely temperament, he stood at Spring Valley Stud for the duration of his stud career.

Just As Well arrived with an interesting history and raced in the USA, Canada and Japan, including crossing the line in a Canadian Gr1 but losing it in the boardroom. He placed 2nd in two major international Gr1 races.

From small numbers, with only 12 coverings in his early years for a season, he always maintained a high winners to runners percentage of 40% and over consistently – and produced the likes of Gr3 Caradoc Gold Cup winner Just Cruised In, Ready To Run Cup winner Chili Con Carne, and feature filly Just Chaos and Just As I Said, as well as Bruce Le Roux’s Well In Flight, now at stud. He never attracted the support he deserved and we may very well have seen a champion sire had he received full books each year.

Just As Well always produced a handsome, sound horse that had good bone and often produced a stocky, flashy chestnut, excellent temperaments and were almost guaranteed to earn their keep for their owners and more.

Just As Well, bred on the same cross as Judpot (also out of a Gr1 winning Nureyev mare) was Timeform Rated 118 and from the family of top sires Raven’s Pass, E Dubai. His siblings include dual Gr1 winner Rainbow View and Gr2 winner Utley, as well as Gr3 winner Winter View. His Invincible Spirit “niece” Stunning Spirit placed once again in a French Gr3 over the weekend.

The Late Greg Royden-Turner of Roski Stud who was instrumental in the head hunting, purchasing and the importation of Just As Well, recounted how there is a large space empty space in the race career of Just As Well from 2006 – 2008.

“His owners had a ranch, and Just As Well injured himself and they decided to take him home to rest. What they did was let him out and he ran, literally in the mountains, with the wild horses they had. They actually forgot about him! They retrieved him off the mountains a year later – and I think that did the world of good for Just As Well. He was never unsound after that, they said he had matured physically and emotionally and went onto his career best performances!”

Juli Santini reports on her social media that he has settled in with two mares for company very well at their farm in Lidgetton, where he will now produce polo ponies as a sire.

Bruce Le Roux-bred and part owned Georgina Rose, a lovely Just As Well filly is now unbeaten from just two starts. Sold for just R75 000 at the 2018 KZN Yearling Sale, she has earned over R120 000 in stakes to date.

The filly is trained by Garth Puller in partnership with Messrs G C Kalil, Bruce Le Roux & G B Puller.

She is a daughter of the unraced Island Girl (by Trippi), a victory made sweeter by the fact Bruce bred 2nd dam Bedloe’s Island – who produced for Spring Valley Stud the likes of COUNT THE  MONEY, BUY AND SELL and What’s Going On. Bedloe’s Island is also the dam of multiple winner Kahula. 

She has won at Hollywoodbets Greyville and Hollywoodbets Scottsville over 1200m.

Just As Well, from small numbers each year, has had 7 wins this season and stands at Spring Valley Stud. He has produced the likes of Gr2 Caradoc Gold Cup winner Just Cruised In, Listed winner Just Chaos, Just As I Said, Just Vogue and Chili Con Carne amongst others.

Well done to all concerned.

Wissahickon, a Tapit half-brother to Spring Valley sire Just As Well, continued his domination of the middle-distance category of this season’s All-Weather Championships with an impressive victory in the £100,000 Gr3 Betway Winter Derby on Polytrack at Lingfield Park on Saturday.

The four-year-old Tapit colt gained a third straight win over 10 furlongs at Lingfield Park when very readily beating Court House by three and a quarter lengths, adding to his Listed successes in the Betway Quebec Stakes and Betway Winter Derby Trial.

Wissahickon (1/4 favourite), trained by John Gosden in Newmarket, was held in fourth of the seven runners by Frankie Dettori behind stable companion Court House (14/1, William Buick), Big Country (10/1, Michael Appleby/Luke Morris) and early leader Hathal (8/1, Jamie Osborne/Adam Kirby).

He quickened around runners turning for home and went to the front from Court House entering the straight before forging clear to score easily in a fast time of 2m 1.28s.

Court House kept on for second ahead of 40/1 outsider Pactolus (Stuart Williams/Callum Rodriguez), who ran on from the rear to snatch third from Big Country, another three and a half lengths back.

It was a second Fast-Track Qualifier victory for Wissahickon, who had already guaranteed his free place in the £200,000 Betway Easter Classic over the same course and distance on Good Friday, April 19, by winning the Betway Winter Derby Trial on February 2.

Gosden, recording a first Betway Winter Derby win, said: “Normally, we don’t run that many on the All-Weather but, after Wissahickon won the Cambridgeshire, Mr Strawbridge (owner/breeder George Strawbridge) was keen to stay here and go for the Winter Derby, and the plan has come off.

“Obviously, there is big race here on Good Friday and we will see whether we freshen him up and wait for that, which would be the logical thing to do.

“There is some talk about World Cup Night out in Dubai, but I will have to speak to Frankie, who always has a very strong opinion!

“We might look at the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic, if there was an invitation to run in the race. I think he is a mile and a quarter to a mile and a half horse – the mother stayed and he switches off in his races now, while quick, summer ground would be his game.

“We rode him wrong once on the July Course, but every other time Rab (Havlin) or Frankie have ridden him and he is a horse with a great turn of foot.

“He enjoys good to firm turf and the surface here, being by Tapit, and is out of a really good mare No Matter What, one of Mr Strawbridge’s best mares who has produced endless black type horses. I am sure he is watching from America and is absolutely thrilled.

“I think there is a chance that Wissahickon could be racing in America next year or the back end of this season as there are a couple of nice races for him. I don’t know whether he would be suited to dirt racing, which is a little different to this surface.

“He could well be going over there but, right now, I think Mr Strawbridge would like to come over and see him race here again.

“He used to be a typical Tapit – always on it, wanting to go, go, go and type of horse that probably didn’t want to listen or knew the word relax. But he has learned to switch off now and is a pretty chilled customer with a good turn of foot.

“Court House, who stays well and has won over a mile and a half here, so that was short enough for him and he has run a lovely race. We will also have a look at Good Friday for him.”

Frankie Dettori commented: “Wissahickon is getting better with every run and I am delighted with the way he relaxes now.

“He did exactly what he did last time – he ran to his rating and is a horse who is getting better and better with confidence.

“He plays with his mouth going down. It probably looks worse than it is and, now that I know him, I let him play with his head and eventually he comes back to you.

“I guess I was half asleep last time – I was trying to go for an inside rail run – but I kept it simple today, had a nice and smooth run, and won well.

“John is half toying with the idea that Wissahickon might go out to Dubai.”

-sportingpost.co.za

Wissahickon followed up victories in an Aug. 14 handicap at Chelmsford City and in Newmarket’s Sept. 29 Cambridgeshire H. with a first black-type score in the Dec. 22 Listed Quebec S. over this course and distance, and continued in similar vein with another polished success here. Penalised three pounds for that latest triumph and positioned in a stalking third for the most part, the odds-on chalk was boxed in full of run turning for home and quickened smartly once angled outside passing the eighth pole to double his stakes tally in nonchalant fashion.

“Wissahickon got in a box, but managed to conjure his way out,” reflected trainer John Gosden. “He has a good turn of foot, but he did well to quicken up from that position. The obvious plan is to go for the [Feb. 23 G3] Winter Derby [over course and distance]. He’s a lovely horse and will probably end up racing in America come the fall and next year. He is a Tapit, so he is really going to suit the surfaces out there. He has run a lovely race today and enjoys this surface.”

Wissahickon is one of nine winners from as many runners out of GI Del Mar Oaks heroine No Matter What (Nureyev) and is kin to a quartet of stakes performers headed by MG1SW European champion Rainbow View (Dynaformer) and MGISP GIII Arlington H.-winning sire Just As Well (A.P. Indy). No Matter What has also produced the 2-year-old colt Repaupo (Quality Road), who ran second in all three starts last term, and a yearling colt by Temple City.

Just As Well stands at Spring Valley Stud and has had 10 wins for the season from small numbers, including Black Type winner Just Chaos. He is also the sire of Just As I Said, Just Cruising (Gr3 Caradoc Cup winner) and CTS Ready To Run Cup winner, Chilli Con Carne.

-TDN.com

The Tapit half-brother to Spring Valley sire Just As Well won a Listed race in England yesterday. The chestnut colt named Wissahickon beat home Big Country (High Chapparal) by over two lengths clear.

Bred by the Augustin Stable and trained by John Gosden, he won on the All weather track over 2000m in the Quebec Stakes at Lingfield Park.

Wissahickon knuckled down and put a couple of lengths between himself and his pursuers – and he hit the line strongly, winning by two and a quarter lengths from Big Country.

His jockey Rab Havlin told At The Races: “It’s important with him to get him in a nice rhythm, but I wasn’t happy with the pace. Reading between the lines before, that was always going to happen.

“When you sprint into that turn, everything fans out and you can nearly almost get a run and nick a couple of lengths back.

“He showed his class today and knuckled down well. There was a lot to look at in the last furlong, so I was just keeping his mind on the job – there was plenty left.

“That was what we were expecting today. I think the Winter Derby and the Easter Classic will be the plan.”

The handsome chestnut has had six wins from eight starts in total between All Weather and Turf going.

Just As Well, first across the line in a Gr1 in Canada with multiple Group Wins and Places to his name internationally, is a vastly underrated stallion who has produced the goods from small numbers.

The sire of 51% lifetime winners to runners, his major winners include Gr3 Caradoc Cup winner Just Cruised In, Racing Association Listed winner Just Chaos, nine length maiden winner and Gr3 placed Zodiac Jack in the Cape, and 6-time winner Just As I Said.

Just As Well entered stud in 2011 and has only had 64 progeny to race since. Just As Well, out of Gr1 winning mare No Matter What by Nureyev and related to Raven’s Pass and E Dubai, is a half-brother to 2-time Gr1 winner Rainbow View, Gr2 winner Utley, Gr3 winner Winter View, and his half-sister has produced 5-time winner and twice Listed winner and multiple Gr3 placed Stunning Spirit.

In total, Just As Well’s 64 runners have earned a total of R9,084,569 – averaging stakes earned of R141,946 each.

With the well-performed Just As Well’s biggest crop now 2yo’s, Spring Valley Stud’s Bruce Le Roux is hopeful that the market will start sitting up and taking a little more notice of his well-bred son of AP Indy. Just As Well has a lifetime winners to runners percentage of 50%, with only 61 progeny to race from seven crops.

From an average of 8 foals born a year, he has produced a CTS Ready To Run Cup winner Chili Con Carne, Gr3 Caradoc Gold Cup winner Just Cruised In, nine-length winner and Gr3 placed Zodiac Jack, Stakes Placed 5-time winner Just As I Said and now Just Chaos. Imagine the statistics he could produce if he received a full book of mares!

Just Chaos was not sold at the 2017 KZN Yearling Sale, and has earned R241,875 after winning four times and place twice from just seven starts.

Just As Well stands at a fee of R10 000, and the philosophical Bruce says the value is there as the versatility displayed by the progeny of the horse that won up to 2400m is impressive.

Bruce has also noted that Just As Well has great success with mares who have Mr Prospector in the damline.

And his 3yo daughter Just Choas produced the goods as an eyecatching winner when dominating an all fairer sex finish to Friday’s R150 000 Listed Racing Association Stakes at Fairview to give her trainer Sharon Kotzen a first stakes winner.

“From limited opportunity he has produced winners over a wide spectrum of distances. Just Cruised in won the Gr3 Caradoc Gold Cup over 2850m and Chili Con Carne won the Emperors Palace Ready To Run Stakes over 1400m. Now Just Chaos beats the champion filly and the boys over the mile. I’m very pleased,” said a thrilled Bruce.

A former assistant to veteran Ormond Ferraris, victorious trainer Sharon Kotzen has built her string up nicely and was celebrating her 54^th winner – her first stakes success – since taking out her licence.

Louis Mxothwa produced Just Chaos with a sustained run down the inside rail as the fancied Madame Speaker and March Music launched their challenges.

But the Kotzen filly was too strong and she ran on powerfully to win by a quarter length in a time of 96,64 secs.

Yvette Bremner’s March Music just shaded the 17-10 Madame Speaker for second, with the pacesetter The Highway Man hanging on for fourth.

The second favourite, Cape raider and Langerman runner-up Frank Lloyd Wright, was near the rear of the field after a shaky start and only improved marginally to run out of the money.

Just Chaos was bred by Bruce le Roux and is a daughter of Just As Well (A P Indy) out of the twice winning Western Winter mare, Discordia.

She is a winner of 4 of her 6 starts with 2 places for stakes of R241 875.

Just As Well raced over 4 seasons, and travelled extensively to race in the USA, Japan and Canada. He had 4 wins, 8 seconds and 3 thirds, and amassed $859,582 in stakes won.

His successes included the Gr1 Northern Dancer Breeders Cup over 2400m and the Gr3 Arlington Handicap over 2000m. He placed second in the Gr3 Arlington Handicap over 2000m, and Gr2 Dixie Stakes over 1800m, the Gr1 Arlington Million 2000m, and in the Gr1 Gulfstream Park Breeders Cup Handicap over 1800m.

Just As Well has three Group winning siblings (including a Gr1 winner), and shares a damline with E Dubai and Raven’s Pass. He is out of Gr1 winning mare, No Matter What by Nureyev.

-extract sportingpost.co.za

The Spring Valley Stud is home to the blue blooded A P Indy son Just As Well, who is from a family which continues to fire on all cylinders and Just As Well’s impressive pedigree page got a further boost following the running of the Listed Prix du Ranelagh at Chantilly Racecourse on Sunday.

That eight furlong contest went the way of the four-year-old colt Stunning Spirit, who broke well to race second into the straight, he was shaken up to seize control with 350 metres remaining and came under a drive thereafter to hold even-money favourite Kourkan for a second stakes score.

“He’s a lovely individual, who always gives best and never runs a bad race,” commented victorious trainer Freddy Head.

“I think he’s on the verge of winning a Group race, but I did not enter him in the [Oct. 27 Gr3] Prix Perth at Saint-Cloud because it came too soon after this. I think we’ll see him again next year when we will aim higher.”

Stunning Spirit, a son of the Irish National Stud stalwart Invincible Spirit, has now won five of 15 outings, with his previous efforts including a win in the Listed Grand Prix Anjou Bretagne and a third place finish in the G3 Prix Quincey. He was also runner up in a trio of Group 3 races last year

The colt is out of the winning Dynaformer mare Stunning View – who is a full-sister to champion and Gr1 Fillies’ Mile winner Rainbow View and half-sister to graded stakes winners Just As Well, Utley, and Rainbow View.

Stunning Spirit’s second dam is the Nureyev sired G1 Del Mar Oaks winner No Matter What, a half-sister to G2 Surburban Handicap winner and sire E Dubai.

This is the same family as Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Raven’s Pass – the sire of 2018 G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Royal Marine.

By a truly great sire in A P Indy, Just As Well was a high class racehorse who banked more than $850 000 in stakes. His wins included the Gr3 Arlington Handicap and he finished second in the 2009 Gr1 Arlington Million to champion Gio Ponti.

Retired to KZN, Just As Wells’ best runners include G3 Caradoc Gold Cup hero Just Cruised In for Chesney van Zyl Racing and the Mauritius based pair of Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup winning millionaire Chili Con Carne and Cape Nursery third Zodiac Jack.

-tsanews

Just Vogue, a gutsy Just As Well filly who has earned her owners close to R500 000, won a brave race under Warren Kennedy at Scottsville for trainer Gavin Van Zyl.

Out of a Western Winter mare Voga Longa, she has also placed 14 times for owners Messrs R G Coppin & G Baldeo & Team G Racing (Nom: Mr G H van Zyl).

Sold for a mere R25 000 at the 2015 KZN Yearling Sale, she was bought back again at the February Shongweni Sale for R80 000 and rewarded her owners generously since then.

Just As Well maintains his excellent strike rate from small numbers, producing 17 winners this season including a Gr3 winner, with 61 places and over R1,6-million – from only 34 runners, each averaging R50 000 in earnings.

As a small breeding establishment, we are very proud of the recent statistics on the www.nhra.co.za website, which sees us producing over 55% winners for the season.

From 27 runners, we have had 20 wins and 57 places, and our horses have earned over R1,5-million for their connections over the past season.

Foaling season is around the corner and we are looking forward to another exciting crop this season from our band of mares that are doing us very proud at stud.

-www.roskistud.co.za

Prominent KZN farm Spring Valley Stud will be represented by high-class draft at next month’s KZN Yearling Sale.

The farm, famed for breeding the 2005 July winner Dunford as well as G1 winning siblings Count The Money and Buy And Sell, and recent 11-time winner London Call, will be offering nine lots outright and another 11 as agent.

No fewer than seven of the Spring Valley yearlings on offer are sired by the farm’s resident A P Indy sire Just As Well. Best known as the sire of G3 winner Just Cruised In and Ready To Run Cup hero Chili Con Carne, Just As Well has been enjoying a prolific run as a sire of winners this season and is a sire who represents good value for money.

His yearlings in the Spring Valley draft include a colt whose granddam is flying filly Melting (Lot 5), a filly out of a winning ½ to Cape Fillies Guineas winner Indiscreet Fantasy (Lot 65), a filly whose third dam is July winner Devon Air (Lot 148), and a filly whose dam is a daughter of Spring Valley bred SA Oaks winner Bedloe’s Island (Lot 203).

Bang in form G1 winner and G1 sire Visionaire has a trio of yearlings in the draft, with his threesome headed by a half-brother to G1 Computaform Sprint winner Noble Heir (dam of Australian G3 winner Crown Witness).

Another promising stallion, Master Of My Fate, is doubly represented in the Spring Valley draft, with his pair including a half-brother to G1 Champions Cup second Black Wing (Lot 168), and a filly whose dam is a daughter of Equus Champion National Bay (Lot 234).

Other eye catching lots in this impressive draft is the Toreador colt (Lot 119) whose four time winning dam is a half-sister to Merchants second Captain Harry, and the Querari filly (Lot 121) who was produced by seven time stakes winner Charming Lady.

Caulfield Guineas runner up Time Thief has a colt (Lot 95) out of G3 Final Fling Stakes second Aqua Star, while six time stakes winning racemare Tomorrow’s Mist is represented in the Spring Valley draft by a colt (Lot 55) by Irish Derby runner up Golden Sword.

The 2018 KZN Yearling Sale catalogue can be viewed online at www.bsa.co.za.

Images: Candiese Marnewick

*All of Spring Valley Stud’s yearlings qualify as #kznbreds, therefore eligible to compete on the KZN Breeders Race Day.

The striking son of AP Indy at Spring Valley Stud, Just As Well, had a massive week with five winners and six places, including a debut win with a 2yo at the Vaal.

The lightly supported Just As Well has only produced 53 foals to date since going to stud in 2011 – which amounts to approximately seven foals produced a year, and producing outstanding results on the racetrack from very small numbers – overall, Just As Well boasts a 50% winners to runners percentage and to date has produced a CTS Ready To Run Cup winner and this years Gr3 Caradoc Gold Cup winner!

The week started off with Aranjuez, owned by Michael Leaf (who owned Chilli Con Carne) and trained by Lucky Houdalakis – the 3yo gelding producing his second career win over 2000m. The gelding sold at the 2016 National Yearling Sale for R130 000, and is the first foal out of a full sister to the speedy 7-time and Gr2 winner Lazer Star, by Toreador.

The next is Calypso Dancer, who sold for a mere R15 000 at the 2017 National 2YO Sale from Spring Valley Stud. The filly, in training with Leon Erasmus for owners Mr and Mrs D Makins, won on debut at odds incredible odds of 30/1, to earn back her sales price comfortably plus extra!

The dam, Dancing Rhapsody, has produced four winners to date from five foals – including Fortissimo, and full sister and 2-time winner, Just Rap. The second dam is Gr3 winner Rhapsody In Red, and this is the family of Red Barrel and Champion Stayer, Travel North.

The next to impress is the chestnut game filly Princess Analia, who has changed trainers and won for Yogas Govender. Owned by Leslie Logan, the 4yo filly has won three times and placed seven, earning R259,400 in stakes. Bred by the late Greg Royden-Turner, she is out of Grand Lodge mare Lodge Of Dreams.

Juvenile winner Just Chaos, who was not sold at the 2017 KZN Yearling Sale, won second time out for trainer and owner Sharon Kotzen. The second foal for her very well related dam Discordia (by Western Winter), this is the family of Abashiri, Donya, Yard Arm, Mast Abeam and Drift Ice. Discordia is a full sister to Gr1 placed Stebbins, who also placed second in the Derby Trial.

Just As Well also produced two places in Mauritius this week, including his Black Type son, Zodiac Jack. Zodiac Jack raced with Greg Ennion as a juvenile and won second time out by six lengths, beating Gr1 placed Ancestry. He placed behind Dutch Philip in the Somerset 1200 Listed, and again only a length off in the Gr3 Cape Of Good Hope Nursery. After relocating to Mauritius, the Roski-bred son of Just As Well and the first foal of 10-time winner Pisces Star, has since won twice and placed from all three of his Mauritian starts for trainer Jean Henry – his last win on 12 May.

Amongst his recent places is Just Cruised In, who followed up on his Gr3 Caradoc Gold Cup win to finish second in the Gr3 Gold Bowl for Chesney Van Zyl. Bred by Shadwell Stud, Just Cruised In carries an immaculate damline – out of Modraj by Machiavellian, she is from the immediate damline of world leading sire Galileo and Sea The Stars.

At the time of the 2015 National Yearling Sale, Bruce Le Roux was quoted as saying “this is a pedigree you just cant buy into overseas – its just too valuable!”

Just Cruised In, who as a yearling was a handsome athletic individual with plenty of quality – a plain dark bay colt – sold for a meager R80 000 at the 2015 National Yearling Sale from Spring Valley Stud as agent, and has earned R535,400 in stakes, with four wins and 10 places to date.

Other stand outs for Just As Well include 7-time winner Just Too Early, 4-time winner Well In Flight, and Gr3 placed Chilli Con Carne, winner of the R2-million CTS Ready To Run Cup.

Just As Well, who has an incredible story behind his racing success that is almost beyond belief, was imported by leading Bloodstock Agent Alistair Brown, who in turn brought in the likes of influential sires Fort Wood and Al Mufti, to name but a few.

Just As Well, who passed the post first in the Gr1 Northern Dancer Stakes amongst his many Group Wins and Places, is bred on the same cross as Judpot.

Just As Well has been a success each year at stud, producing between 45-50% winners to runners consistently and his stats speak for themselves. He produces a quality individual with good strength, muscle mass and bone, and good temperaments.

Dont miss his yearlings coming up at the KZN Yearling Sale on 5 & 6 July.