The KZN Breeders Club have announced the nominees for the KZN Breeders Awards, taking place on Friday 3 December at the Nottingham Road Hotel.

It was a very successful season for KZN with three Gr1 winners including War Of Athena and Battle Force (both by Act Of War) and Under Your Spell – all three bred by Mick Goss of Summerhill Stud and who has 17 nominations in various below.

Capetown Noir, now standing at Piemonte Stud, enjoyed an exceptional year with the likes of Under Your Spell, Bohica who almost secured a Gr1 victory, and the 7-time winning feature stayer Jaeger Moon.

It is no surprise to see Equus Award winning 3yo filly War Of Athena dominating many of the categories, whilst Capetown Noir’s brilliant Gr1 winning daughter is the sole nominee in the Champion 2yo filly category.

It is encouraging to see young Summerhill Equestrian resident sire Lance (Jet Master) with a nominee – especially as both of his runners in last years debut season were winners. To achieve Black Type from such a small crop number of only two horses is admirable.

An interesting category is that of Champion Stayer, as mare Maritime Mist has two nominees – that of the fantastic PE stayer Jaeger Moon and Before Noon, the ill-fated Await The Dawn.

Another sole nominee is that of Winter Smoke for Champion 3YO Filly, a fantastic achievement for her breeder Mr Richard Fitzgerald who is often seen about on racecourses in KZN.

Willow Magic is also represented with two nominations – the multiple Gr2 winner MK’s Pride and Gr1 placed filly Magical Flight. MK’s Pride has got his 2021 season off to a tremendous start and has his name already inscribed for next years award nominations.

Rathmor Stud who stand the new son of War Front, Declarationofpeace, have two nominees with Gr2 winner Nexus and Copper Mountain – the latter unlucky not to secure Gr1 status in the HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes.

Futura, himself a previous KZN Breeders Horse Of The Year being born at Yellow Star Stud for breeder Guy Murdoch, has the handsome AJ’s Captain nominated for Champion 2YO Colt.

We look forward to another exciting event on our calendar and announcing the results!

The KZN Breeders Awards 2020 will be taking place at the famed Nottingham Road Hotel on 4 December. The theme is “A Touch Of Tweed” and will be an intimate gathering to celebrate the #KZNbred.

Amongst the nominees are two Gr1 winners – Rathmor-bred Mississippi Burning and St John Gray’s Ronnie’s Candy, as well as Gold Cup winner Paths Of Victory – again from Rathmor Stud, who defeated three Gr1 winners in the field.

The special awards for the evening will be:

Broodmare Of The Year

Stallion Prospect

Breeders Achievement

Champion Breeder

Anita Akal Industry Award

Lifetime Achievement Award

Invitations to the event will be sent in the next few days.

Social distancing / masks will be adhered to and the event closes at 11:30pm in respect to the national curfew.

Congratulations to the nominees!

KZN once again showed its mettle – from fewer racing numbers than the rest of the country, KZN produced the Gr2 Merchants winner Africa Rising, as well as St John Gray who almost won the Summer Cup once again, with Dawn Assault finishing second by a hair. Bush Hill Stud have bred a special horse in Ouro, a Toreador filly who finished second in the Gr3 Magnolia to Schippers. KZN also produced other winners on the big day at Turffontein – with Scott Bros’ The Dazzler winning for Mike De Kock and Morning Catch in the 11th race on the card.

There was little to stop the Sean Tarry-Lyle Hewitson express at Turffontein on Saturday and it was the Visionaire gelding who overcame a hesitant start and traffic issues to win the R450 000 Gr2 Merchants at Turffontein on Saturday in a thrilling finish.

Sparingly raced, the 2017 Gr3 Byerley Turk winner Africa Rising produced the peak performance of his career when, ridden with confidence, he burst out of the pack at the 150m mark after running into traffic issues, to catch and beat the dangerous looking Romi’s Boy who ran a courageous race.

The 17-1 Africa Rising registered a time of 67.21 secs for the 1160m when getting the better of 25-1 shot Romi’s Boy by 1,40 lengths with Captain And Master rattling through late for third over a distance short of his best.

The Gr1 placed Africa Rising was bought by Chris van Niekerk’s Rainbow Beach Trading for R625 000 at the CTS Johannesburg Ready To Run Sale.

He has won 7 races with 4 places from 12 starts for stakes of R1 449 500.

Bred by Summerhill Stud, Africa Rising carries the distinction of being the first stakes winner of his sex for Visionaire when winning the Byerley Turk last year. He is out of the once winning Braashee mare, Sucha Looka.

-extract sportingpost.co.za

Celebrate the KZN Thoroughbred with us on 1 December, Fordoun Hotel from 17:30. Please rsvp to candiesemarnewick@gmail.com.

Please see a list of the nominees below – congratulations to those nominated!

KZN Breeders Awards 2018 Nominees:

Special Awards:

Broodmare Of The Year

Stallion Of The Year

Lifetime Achievement Award

Anita Akal Award

Breeders Achievement Award

Leading Breeder

Horse Of The Year

The KZN Breeders Awards takes place this year at Fordoun on 1 December. KZN had a great year once again, producing two Gr1 winners in the season with Takingthepeace excelling to take two legs of the Triple Tiara and placing in the final leg.

She will be aimed at the Gr1 Summer Cup, taking place in Johannesburg on the same day as the Awards – a positive omen, as in the previous years Dancewiththedevil completed the double of the Summer Cup win and took home her own numerous awards of her year!

The Scribante’s young Piemonte Stud are dominant in the juvenile categories, while young KZN sire Crusade produced nominees Stakes Winners Alfeo and Covered In Snow.

Summerhill, who continue to nip at the heels of the national breeding title and won the provincial leading breeders title at Greyville a few weeks ago, had an exceptional season – producing two Gr1 winners – never an easy task for any breeder and from a variety of stallions including Kahal, Await The Dawn, Visionaire, Trippi and Admire Main.

Clifton Stud, who stand Crusade and Mambo In Seattle, are represented by Born A Bully (an Eightfold Path half-brother to Gr3 winner The Hangman) and the smart filly Covered In Snow. As an aside, Clifton welcomed a very smart full brother to Covered In Snow this past week.

KZN Breeders and international breeding heavyweights Shadwell Stud have their Just As Well son out of the impeccably-bred Modraj in the stayers catagory. The half-brother to Dubai winner Alareef descends from the immediate damline of Urban Sea, featuring Galileo and Sea The Stars amongst others.

Another is the smart Seerite, who came so close to emulating his Fastnet Rock sire Curved Ball when going down a nose in the Gr2 Dingaans for Bush Hill Stud. Scott Bros are represented by previous year winner Matador Man, whilst St John Gray is never far with nominees almost every year – this year, he has Gr2 winner Ronnie’s Candy and Dawn Assault.

Tickets to attend the function remains at the same price as previously at R350 per head – book early to avoid disappointment!

The Nominees:

Special Awards:

Broodmare Of The Year

Stallion Of The Year

Lifetime Achievement Award

Anita Akal Award

Breeders Achievement Award

Leading Breeder

Horse Of The Year