The brilliant London Call won the Marula Sprint (Non Black Type) for the second year running yesterday, leaving the field of four (Doing It For Dan declared a non runner on the day) behind by one and a half lengths for trainer Mark Dixon.

The beautifully-bred son of Kahal out of the super Spring Valley broodmare Fancy Fantasy, took home his 11th career win and shouldered a top weight of 61.5kgs and continued to power away from the field with every stride – the second placed Shwanky carrying 50kgs.

London Call is Merit Rated at a very respectable MR 111, and its a shame that luck has not been on his side to secure a much deserved Graded Stakes win – he has defeated amongst many Gr1 winners Seventh Plain, Talktothestars, Sergeant Hardy and Kochka amongst others. Its no secret that London Call has had his fair share of issues but his conditioner needs to be applauded for the way he has handled the son of Kahal’s sterling racing career – with 11 wins from 19 runs and five places.

Seven year old London Call sold for R120 000 at the 2012 National Yearling Sale and has earned his owners Messrs C N Larsson, G N Cumming & R D Samuelson an amount of  R873,725 in stakes.

The same owner / breeder / trainer combination own Fantasy Lady – a three parts sister to London Call out of Silvano mare Silver Fantasy – herself a half-sister to London Call. Fantasy Lady finished two lengths off Wild Wicket in the Michael Roberts Handicap Listed, the consistent filly has won four times and placed in seven races.

Fancy Fantasy, one of Bruce’s foundation mares at Spring Valley Stud who passed on a few years ago, has been an outstanding broodmare and produced 10 winners from 11 foals – including Gr1 winner and Black Types’ Indiscreet Fantasy, Personal Fantacy, Malinga and Silver Fantasy amongst others.

A daughter of Rainbow Dream from the damline of Don The Stripe, Fancy Fantasy was a winner at three and placed only three times.

She has three daughters at stud that include Vasilisa, Silver Fantasy and Dreams And Fancies – and all three have produced winners with 12 victories between them.

Bruce Le Roux of Spring Valley Stud produced a phenomenal winners to runners percentage last season of 49.1% which earned him KZN Breeders Achievement Award in December last year, from 55 runners.

Keep a look out for Bruce Le Roux’s draft from the Spring Valley Stud at the upcoming National Yearling Sale in April.

The often shoeless champion Talktothestars (pictured winning last year’s Gr1 Tsogo Sun Sprint) will have a fine chance of defending his crown in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville on Saturday.

The current KZN-bred Equus Champion Sprinter’s last run in the Gr 1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m where he flew home for second in much the same manner as he had when runner up last year, should see him on song for the Gr1 double. The strapping son of Overlord who didnt attract a single bid at the National 2YO Sale and left the ring unsold, went on to win the Tsogo Sun last year off a merit rating of 116, so has a fine chance this year off a 113 merit rating. Chase Maujean retains the ride for owner and trainer Coenie De Beer.

Spring Valley’s London Call, unbeaten in four starts this season, was beautifully relaxed in the running when winning a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1100m at Scottsville last time out and he then showed an effortless turn of foot in a quality field of horses consisting of several Gr1 winners.

This lightly raced six-year-old Kahal gelding out of Fancy Fantasy has improved and has a chance for trainer Mark Dixon and his connections (pictured above), despite having to run off a 111. London Call is certainly deserving of a Gr1 win and relishes the course and distance with an outstanding turn of foot.

Toreador’s Bull Valley will be a massive runner at his best as he has class as well as a good cruising speed and a fine turn of foot. Last November he finished just 0,3 lengths behind Trip To Heaven in the Merchants over 1160m at Turffontein when receiving 3,5 kg a and he was 2,1 lengths clear of Talktothestars, but will now be 4kg worse off.  He is a previous winner of the Gr3 Man O’ War Sprint over 1100m at Turffontein.

Jane Trotter’s consistent son of Captain Al, seven-year-old Barbosa loves the Scottsville straight. The 10-time winner trained by Dennis Drier and owned in partnership by his breeder, RE Alexander, Bruce Campbell and The Apache Syndicate (Nom: Mr JW Trotter)  has been four lengths off the likes of Red Ray and Carry On Alice previously and could be up there with them at the finish.

Keep  a look out for the 3rd leg (of four) of the KZN Breeders “Level The Playing Fields” Series, with the penultimate pools to be run on Saturday in the 2nd and 3rd race of the big Gr1 sprinting card. The recently engaged Billy Jacobson will be seeking a third win to secure his already dominant lead towards the jockey prize of the R50 000 (each for the winning trainer, jockey, owner and breeder).

Billy is aboard Paul Gadsby’s Roy’s Power in the second pool of the day (3rd race) – a winner who has placed nine times and finished just two lengths off over the last two starts of 1200m. Roy’s Power has yet to attempt the distance of 1600m and it will be a brilliant race to follow on the day. Previous winner Putchini who is on the leaderboard of the series will be in the same pool (3rd race), ridden by Jarred Samuel.

The second race (1st pool of two on the day) will see the three previous winners contesting each other – The Poet, Brave And Bold and Royal Agree. Sean Veale has been drawn to ride Wendy Whitehead’s filly Brave And Bold, previous winning jockey Morne Winnaar will be on Glen Kotzen’s Mogok filly Royal Agree whilst The Poet will be ridden by Craig Zackey – who finished second a very close second aboard Putchini in an exciting dual between The Poet (Billy Jacobson) and Putchini last time out.

The previous winning jockey aboard Royal Agree, Athandiwe Magudlwa will be aboard Charles Laird’s entry of Storm Outgoing. A stable Athandiwe is familiar with riding for, the son of Visionaire has won at Grevyille over 1600m previously in February and finished four lengths off over the coming course and distance in May.

This third leg will be thrilling to follow, as the outcome of both races will indicate the final field for the final leg of a stake of R200 000 on KZN Breeders Race Day (R1-million overall for the series), to be run over 1400m on the turf. Thereafter, the prizegiving for the overall winning jockey, trainer, breeder and winner will take place.

Be there on Saturday at Scottsville to select your winners for the KZN Breeders “Level The Playing Fields” Series and see who will be through to the final!

The current log below of the Level The Playing Fields Series.

– extract goldcircle.co.za

Spring Valley-bred London Call, a brilliant son of Kahal out of one of Bruce Le Roux’s top former mares Fancy Fantasy, defeated a quality field of sprinters in the Marula Sprint yesterday at Scottsville, including the likes of Gr1 placed Barbosa and recent Gr3 winner Rikitikitana.

It is well documented that trainer Mark Dixon’s lightly raced six year old has been plagued with issues during his career, but when London Call enters a race he is to be ignored at your peril – particularly at Scottsville over 1200m which he absolutely loves.

His elated owners Clint Larsson and Darren Samuelson (owned along with Gary Cumming) were on course to greet him in the winners enclosure for the seventh victory of his 12-race career, and three places.

Sold at the 2012 National Yearling Sale for R120 000, London Call has earned over R511 000 in stakes and has a Merit Rating of 108.

Fancy Fantasy, a liver chestnut daughter of Rainbow Dream has left an incredible legacy at Spring Valley with daughters Vasilisa and Listed Scarlet Lady winner Silver Fantasy returning to the place of their birth for stud duties.

Silver Fantasy has produced two winners to date from both her first foals (Silver King and Fantasy Lady), as has Vasilisa (Captain Sparrow and Trippi’s Girl).

Amongst Fancy Fantasy’s progeny are the likes of Indiscreet Fantasy (8-time winner including Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas), Malinga (10-time winner and Gr2 placed), Silver Fantasy and Personal Fantacy, the latter placing in the Gr1 Cape Flying Championship.

Congratulations to Bruce and Delia Le Roux of Spring Valley Stud and to the winning connections!