The Dazzler has changed hands more often than an Olympic relay baton but the 5yo son of Mogok looks to have found his niche with trainer Gareth van Zyl at Summerveld.

The gelding duly picked up a long overdue stakes icebreaker with a late swoop victory to win the R150 000 Listed Christmas Handicap at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Thursday.

Easy to back at double digit odds in the turf mile feature, Donovan Dillon rode a perfect waiting race and took full advantage of some misfortune befalling the favourite Born To Perform.

In a thrilling drive to the wire, Dillon steered The Dazzler up the outside to catch the luckless Born To Perform in the shadow of the post – the winning margin a deceptive 0,30 lengths in a time of 94,9 secs.

Just over five lengths covered the ten horse field.

The Dazzler was having his third run for Gareth van Zyl, and by all accounts was not working up a storm.

He was purchased by the astute James Goodman for just R30 000 at the 2016 KZN Yearling Sale.

Goodman trained him and duly got him to win at 50-1 on his Hollywoodbets Scottsville debut in May 2017.

He was purchased by the Tawny Syndicate while still a colt on Goodman’s retirement at the Kiliminjaro Racing Dispersal Sale in December 2017 for R220 000.

He was then moved to Mike De Kock where he raced for Messrs Larry Nestadt, Mark Currie, Mike de Kock & J R van der Linden in partnership.

He subsequently underwent a windpipe operation and was also gelded.

Bred by the Scott Bros, The Dazzler is by Mogok (Storm Cat) out of Glamorous Guest (Northern Guest), from the dam line of Kolkata, Glamour Boy and Gaultier. The Dazzler is a half-brother to a five-time winner Hollywood Guest.

He races for Mr K Ramanah and has won 5 races with 12 places from 24 starts for stakes of R662 112.

His sire Mogok has relocated to High Eagle Stud in Camperdown, where the international Gr1 producing sire covered mares in 2019.

Warwick and Karin Render of Bush Hill Stud pulled off a 1-2 in the first juvenile meeting of the season, which included the first runner for Summerhill sire Willow Magic.

The Mogok colt they bred, Harlington Express, won convincingly whilst their well bred filly by Willow Magic, Magicallee finished 2nd by a whisker – making it 1-2 for Bush Hill reds.

Harlington Express is out of Crest Of Pearls by National Emblem, trained by Yogas Govender – and taking home an additional bonus of R60 000 from Bloodstock South Africa with their incentive series for maiden juveniles, 90% of which the stake goes to the owner.

Magicallee, trained by Kom Naidoo, is a beautiful chestnut filly well related and a half-sister to several multiple winners and plenty of Black Type in the family, impressed again in her debut run after an eye catching Barrier Trial. Her siblings include the likes of Reign As Kings, recent winner Bint Al Malak and Malak Al Moolook, amongst them.

Well done to breeders Bush Hill Stud on a smashing feat.

Based in Camperdown, and nestled between Summerveld and the Midlands, High Eagle Stud is a new farm with high hopes and bold ambitions.

Owned by Rosanne Torr and Karon Totman, the farm first came into being just last year, but lost no time in making its presence felt!

High Eagle Stud made headlines on facebook last week, when the farm’s Eightfold Path-Ramp Vamp filly won the BSA Foal Competition, and thus netting High Eagle Stud a free entry to a Bloodstock South Africa auction in 2020 in the process.

Rosanne says she and Karon are keen to focus on quality over quantity, and says of the farm’s hopes going forward, “our plan is to keep small, pay attention to detail and strive to produce yearlings that have been well handled since birth and easy to work with. Our aim is to support the KZN stallions as much as possible – KZN has some really amazing stallions that are not given enough credit or the support that they deserve. We do hope to become a successful & well-supported stud and we definitely hope to breed a few champions.”

She admits that Peter Gibson played a role in the mating which produced the Eightfold Path-Ramp Vamp filly (described by her connections as “very smart”), with the filly being a full-sister to the very smart performer The Rising Legend. The well bred Ramp Vamp (she is by Jet Master out of Majorca Stakes winner Display Model) is now in foal to the Dynasty sired Cape Guineas winner Act Of War.

Rosanne says the farm will be offering a small draft at next year’s sales, “We have 4 yearlings for the 2020 sales. A strong robust filly by Crusade out of a Mogok mare,who is well put together and a very solid type. We will also be offering a very racy filly by The Apache who is out of a mare who has already produced 4 winners. We also have 2 colts, a very smart colt by The Apache, and a Capetown Noir colt out of a Mogok mare. A tall racy colt, we think he is something special!”

High Eagle Stud will be using a number of KZN’s better and more promising stallions this season, with the farm’s mares visiting the likes of Act of War, Hat Putano, Willow Magic, Rabada, Lance, Mambo in Seattle, New Predator, Flying the Flag, The Apache and Mogok this season.

Currently the farm is home to approximately 18 mares, as well as one of the best bred stallions ever to retire to stud in South Africa.

Storm Cat horse Mogok is a much loved resident at High Eagle, with Rosanne saying of the son of Storm Cat, “We have always loved him and he holds a very special place in our hearts. He still covers a few select mares. He is the most affectionate stallion, and such a gentleman. He has settled in very well here despite having been at the Scott Bros for many years. In the beginning, we were a little worried about the change for him, but he honestly has taken it very well and is looking amazing and is very happy.”

Scott Bros evergreen Mogok, a sire with consistently good stats in each and every season had a double at Scottsville yesterday, including an impressive debut win with Wave.

Mogok’s progeny have earned over R1,5-million this season – an immaculately-bred sire, by Storm Cat from the immediate female line of Northern Dancer and a half-brother to Machiavellian, Mogok has the rare distinction of producing two Gr1 horses overseas – Gypsy’s Warning and his son at stud, The Apache.

In total, he has produced 4 Gr1 winners, and the sire of 40 Stakes horses (wins and places).

Wave, trained by Gavin Van Zyl who trained The Apache to Gr1 victory, is owned in partnership by Lucky Vest 12 CC (Nom: Mr S Govender),Team G Racing (Nom: Mr G H van Zyl), Messrs E A Budlender, P R Rencken & Mrs C C Naidoo. He sold for R100 000 off the 2018 KZN Yearling Sale and earned his connections a BSA bonus of R50 000 for qualifying yearlings sold at BSA sales.

Wave, racing green finished almost three lengths with relative ease and is definitely a horse to watch in the future. He is out of a Miesque’s Approval mare Seaview, this is the family of La Fabulous, Rip Curl and Surf The Net.

Mark Dixon, who very sadly lost his special horse London Call unexpectedly recently,  followed in the third race with Sand Queen (also bred by Scotts), winning her third race after placing in both of her previous race starts for owners Messrs Andre Fouche, G A Hauptfleisch & Mrs H Kuhn.

Sand Queen sold for just R30 000 off the 2018 Shongweni Mixed Sale, out of a half-sister to Jungle Sands and Pure Shore. Her dam has produced six winners to date including the recent Sand Path.

Lifetime leading breeders of over 50 years, Scott Bros, are in the process of winding down their breeding operation and are offering their final draft of yearlings directly for sale off of Highdown Stud. Email scottbros@worldonline.co.za to find out more. 

Congratulations to Scott Bros and the winning connections.

Only a R30 000 purchase off the 2016 KZN Yearling Sale and reselling at James Goodman’s Kilimanjaro Bloodstock Dispersal for R220 000, son of Mogok, The Dazzler finished just a neck off Doosra in the Wolf Power Listed on the weekend.

Trained by Mike De Kock and owned by Messrs L M Nestadt, M A Currie, M F de Kock & J R van der Linden in partnership, The Dazzler bred by Scott Bros has been consistent – a three time winner from 14 runs with six places and almost R300 000 earned.

Since changing stables after being sold, his last five starts have seen four places and two wins.

Bred by the Scott Bros, The Dazzler is out of Glamorous Guest by Northern Guest, from the dam line of Kolkata, Glamour Boy and Gaultier. The Dazzler is a half-brother to a 5-time winner Hollywood Guest.

The dam has produced three winners to date.

Mogok has been a consistent sire producing Black Types in just about each crop. He is also the sire of four Gr1 winners, including overseas in America with Gypsy’s Warning and The Apache crossing the line first in the Gr1 Arlington Million.

Mike De Kock has trained two Grade 1 winners by Mogok – Wild One and The Apache.

The Dazzler is definitely one to watch.

Matador Man flew home under Lyle Hewitson on a very hot and humid Wednesday at Greyville to give the South African Champion Jockey and Apprentice Jockey his third win in the Christmas Handicap, now a Listed race.

The son of Toreador’s previous visit to Greyville must be scratched as he found traffic and didnt take his customary outside run, instead getting blocked on in the inside under Anton Marcus.

Out of the speedy Sahara by Mogok, who sold to Summerview Stud from Scott Bros at their Dispersal Sale for R170 000 and is now in foal to Master Of My Fate, Matador Man trained by Sean Tarry has earned over R1,3-million in stakes – a tidy return for his connections after his purchase at the 2015 National 2YO Sale for R180 000.

This is his second Stakes win – the first being the Secretariat Listed in 2016. Matador Man, voted KZN Breeders Middle Distance Champion now for two years in a row, enjoys the Greyville course when things go his way – he is a winner of the KZN Breeders Million Mile and ran third in the Gr1 Champions Cup.

He has previously achieved under Hewitson, and finished third in the Gr2 Greyville 1900 in May.

By Toreador, who stood at Bush Hill Stud prior to his passing, the connections of Matador Man have enjoyed success with the deceased son of Danehill – winning two Gr1’s with Bull Valley (by Toreador). Breeder of Matador Man, Robin Scott, retained a share and owns him along with Messrs G D Tooch, G L Blank, G J Nassif, J Nassif, Z L Nassif and J Sarkis.

Matador Man’s weanling full sister sold for R125 000 at the Scott Bros Dispersal sale, an impressive filly with plenty of strength and substance.

Matador Man would have earned his breeders a Breeder Premium claim of approximately R6 000.

The Apache is flying at stud, with only 11 runners on the track he has produced 5 wins and 15 places. He is currently boasting a winners to runners percentag of 36.4%.

A Scott Bros’ bred son of Mogok out of a Dolpour mare (and a pure Scott Bros pedigree stretching back over 50 years to their founding dam) who was voted Equus Champion 3YO Colt of his year, his story is a special one – selling for just R80 000 at the National 2YO Sale, he went on to earn over R17-million making him one of the highest Stakes earners standing at stud in South Africa.

Amongst the mares he has covered this season is a Zabeel mare specifically imported for him by owner Mr Winston Chow, named Divine Proportion who has foaled a beautiful baby to The Apache this season at Hadlow Stud, and the other is the dam of Gr1 winner Wild One (by Mogok), a cross that has also produced Save The Rhino.

Globetrotting from South Africa to Dubai, England and America – The Apache crossed the line first in the Gr1 Arlington Million, placing in England and winning the Gr2 Al Rashidiya in Dubai and placed second in two major Dubai Gr1 races – not to forget his Gr1 wins in South Africa and numerous Group Places.

His produce results on the track reflect his superb Equinome test results which Hong Kong owner Mr Winston Chow had performed on the stallion and his results are impressive.

His test results are explained by Plusvital:

“The Apache has been categorised as a C:T (Middle Distance type) by the Plusvital Speed Gene Test, which predicts optimum race distance and precocity potential by categorising horses as one of three genetic types.

C:T horses, like The Apache, are the most versatile genetic type. They are likely to perform well over shorter distances (7f to 8f/1,400m to 1,600m) as two year olds and then progress to run over middle distances (8f to 12f/1,600m to 2,400m) as three-year-olds and older. C:T horses are capable of producing all three genetic types of horse (Sprint/Mile types, Middle Distance types or Staying types).

The Apache stands for a fee of just R10 000 at Hadlow Stud in Mooi River.

A R150 000 purchase off the 2016 National Yearling Sale, a steal for a handsome brother to Gr1 winner Orbison, The Bayou impressed his connections to collect his second win in a bravely contested race to fight off Belinda Impey’s Amor Ardiente over a mile, whilst the highly-thought-of son of Dynasty, Thanksgiving, finished third.

Trained by Paul Lafferty and owned in a syndicate with breeder Robin Scott’s brother in law, Mr Robert Maingard and the rest of the partners M L Jean Hardy & the K & K Syndicate (Nom: Mrs K S Mahabeer).

It was the second win for the big son of Mogok out of a Foveros mare, Blue Bayou. He has also placed three times from six starts and Paul Lafferty believes the gelding is an exciting future prospect.

Mogok ended the previous season with 32% runners to winners, and is one of the few stallions in SA to have crossed the line first in American Gr1 races. He has produced four Gr1 winners in total and countless Graded Stakes races and places.

The Scott Bros are sadly winding down their breeding operation but their influence on the studbook locally and internationally will be felt for years to come.

Blue Bayou has a 2yo colt by Eightfold Path to come through. He sold for R150 000 at the second session of the 2018 National Yearling Sale.

With Scott Bros winding down their breeding operation, The Apache is being relocated to Cathy and Jonathan Martin’s Hadlow Stud. Owned in partnership by a syndicate owned in majority by Winston Chow, The Apache is off to an impressive start at stud with a lifetime winners to runners percentage of 36%.

The son of Mogok has a phenomenal race record and earned R17-million in stakes, in a career that saw him race on three continents and win at the highest levels, including the Gr2 Rashidiyah (Dubai), first across the line in the Gr1 Arlington Million (USA) and a winner of the Gr1 Daily News 2000 and Gr1 Champions Cup in South Africa and placed in many more.

Voted Equus Champion 3YO Colt in SA from 2010-2011, he won seven races over 1600m – 2000m. The Apache began his stud career in the Cape at Rosedene Stud and relocated in 2016 to KZN. He had his first juvenile winner in April this year and very recently at Kenilworth over 1600m with Potawatomi.

The Apache represents five generations of Scott Bros breeding excellence – by Mogok who has produced two international Gr (1) winners amongst his four Gr1 winners, with his fifth dam one of Scott Bros foundation mares. His third dam is Gr1 winner, Bold West.

The Apache boasts superior Equinome genetic results which are available at request.

He stands for a fee of R10 000 in 2018.

After crossing the line first in an impressive Barrier Trial run, The Bayou’s first race start at Scottsville saw him get left behind at the gates, and he ran courageously to fly up for third place under Diego De Gouveia.

Its no surprise therefore that he started as favourite at Greyville over 1400m and flew home comfortably by over two lengths – the way he finished the race suggested he will go further as he was finding more at the winning post.

The Bayou was purchased for R150 000 at the National Yearling Sale in 2016. Trained by Paul Lafferty, he is owned in partnership by Messrs R Maingard, M L Jean Hardy & K & K Syndicate (Nom: Mrs K S Mahabeer).

His full brother has the accolade of defeating the great Pocket Power in the Gr1 Champions Cup at Clairwood.

Blue Bayou, one of the last left by the great Scott Bros sire Foveros, has produced six winners from nine foals, including Melson, who placed in the KZN Guineas Trial (Listed) and has gone on to success in Mauritius.

This is the family of Dean Kannemeyer’s Gr3 winner Mr Winsome, as well as Blushing Fairy, Onyx, Kal Sufi and Fast Break.

Orbison won five races and stakes of R977,630 over 1200 – 2000m. Aside from winning the Gr1 Champions Cup, he placed four times, including third in the Gr1 Vodacom Durban July and the Guineas Trial (Listed). He was exported to Dubai, however returned to South Africa after he sustained an injury. He is one of four Gr1 winners for Mogok.

Keep a watch for Blue Bayou’s 2016 Eightfold Path colt coming through.

Congratulations to Paul Lafferty and his owners who look to have an exciting prospect on their hands.