Noble City, a Noble Tune half brother to Gr1 winner Battle Force (Act Of War) won impressively on debut at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.

Bred by Rupert Plersch and born and raised by the McHardy family in Nottingham Road, the three year old won by three lengths for owner Twilight Moon Equine, who own Battle Force.

Trainer Peter Muscutt is enjoying a successful stint in the Cape, with four wins to date in the province.

Noble City is out of imported mare Mataaib by Elusive City, from a family drenched in Black Type predominately from France and Ireland.

Congratulations to all concerned.

Watch the race:

[watch the race]

Trained by Wendy Whitehead, who also trains his 5yo full sister Alfonse Baby with four wins to date in hand, expressed sadness of the passing of Noble Tune as this pedigree has worked so well for the family.

Alfonse Baby has also placed 2nd eight times and can always be counted on for consistency.

Moonlightbecomesu won twice over 1200m, and out of a Fort Wood mare, the female line also carries Harry Hotspur for speed and the mighty Brigadier Gerard – unbeaten as a 2yo including the famed sire producing Middle Park Stakes (now a Gr1) and beating Mill Reef in the 2000 Guineas amongst his glittering record of classic wins – he won 17 of 18 races he contested, beaten only by Roberto in the Benson And Hedges Gold Cup – Roberto happens to be the paternal grandsire of Cataloochee.

Brigadier Gerard was crowned British Horse Of The Year in 1972, with a Timeform Rating of 144!

This is the female line of Il Maurice, Red Beech and leading German filly in her day, Oraza. Moonlightbecomesu foaled a handsome and flashy chestnut colt by Act Of War this year.

Well done to Geoff and we look forward to following Joshua Hotsnake in his career!

Noble Tune, who recently relocated to Camargue Stud, has passed away unexpectedly.

The sire of Gr3 Gold Cup winner Paths Of Victory was humanely euthanised on the operating table after vets did their best to assist the son of Unbridled’s Song.

Noble Tune with a purple pedigree, a Gr2 and Gr3 winner in America as well as finishing second in the Gr1 Breeders Cup Juvenile on Turf, is a half-brother to Gr1 winner and producer in America, Honor Code.

He also shares a dam with newly acquired Rathmor sire Declarationofpeace (War Front), standing at Rathmor Stud which was Noble Tune’s prior home.

Noble Tune, out of a Storm Cat mare from the female line of Serena’s Song, saw his best on the track with Gold Cup winner Paths Of Victory and Copper Mountain, second by half a length to Got The Greenlight in the H F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes (Grade 1).

Noble Tune was the only son of Unbridled’s Song to stand at stud in South Africa.

Gr1 Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf 2nd placed Noble Tune has returned to KZN where he is standing at Brett Van Laun’s Camargue Stud.

The son of Unbridled’s Song and the sire of Gold Cup winner Paths Of Victory, is currently on an impressive statistic of 36% winners to runners according to the latest nhra.co.za stats.

Initially starting his career at Rathmor Stud in KZN, he relocated to Millstream Farm and made his return today back to Kwazulu Natal.

His other feature horses include Noble Joshua, White Lightning, Abelie and Play Another Tune.

He is a half-brother to Gr1 winner Honor Code and to Declarationofpeace (War Front), standing his first season at Rathmor Stud in Nottingham Road with a full book of mares.

This is the phenomenal family of Serena’s Song, with the likes of Rizeena, Harlington, Made You Look, Sophisticat in the female line.

Please enquire with Brett Van Laun at gm@cstud.co.za for bookings.

Rathmor born and raised Fight Song, bred for breeder Mrs Lynette Ryan, won the Model Man Listed over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday.

After a change of surface from consistent rain over a few days, the Gareth Van Zyl trained son of Noble Tune flew home under Warren Kennedy to take the race from Shavout, trained by MJ Odendaal.

Gareth has a way with the Noble Tunes and has trained several to Black Type success, including Paths Of Victory to Gold Cup victory.

The mare is by Dynasty, and this combination of crossing with Noble Tune has also produced a winner for Paul Lafferty with Rise, who has now won twice.

Fight Song sold for just R100 000 off the KZN Yearling Sale, and has now won twice and placed once from five starts, and finished just three lengths off Sentbydestiny in the Gr1 Premiers Champions Stakes. The gelding is owned by Mr and Mrs Palmer.

Rathmor are sending a draft as agent to the National 2YO Sale, taking place 12 and 13 November. Amongst the draft is a full sister to Black Type Stella Act.

Well done to all concerned.

Breeders of such standout performers Gypsy’s Warning, Surabi, Romany Prince and the G1 winning half-siblings Malteme and Wendywood, Rathmor Stud will be offering a superb consignment at the 2019 Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale this month.

Rathmor’s draft includes yearlings by outstanding stallions Frankel, Captain Al, Dynasty and Var, as well as lots by such exciting and popular young sires Coup De Grace and Global View, while the blue blooded Unbridled’s Song horse Noble Tune has six in the Rathmor draft.

Noble Tune enjoyed two winners in two days, following on from Romanesca’s win on Sunday at Greyville which we reported on previously.

The second win came on Monday in Kimberley with Kirav’s Tune (previously Rustic Tune), who appears to be enjoying the extra trip with Cliffie Miller – having placed three times over 1400m in all of his starts since his relocation from KZN, and winning over 1600m by over 3,5 lengths comfortably. Kirav’s Tune was bred by Bruce Le Roux, out of Miesque’s Approval mare Orange Blossom, a 6-time winner who is Gr3 placed up to 1600m.

Noble Tune has also had 13 places for the month of March until 26 March.

There are several Noble Tune’s on offer at the upcoming National Yearling Sale, including our half-brother to Gr1 winner, Lady In Black, a yearling out of Negev, Azure Sky, a full sister to 2-time winner Paths Of Victory amongst them.

The National Yearling Sale takes place 24, 25 and 26 April at the TBA Complex.

Keith Russon and Ian Todd’s Backworth Stud had a super double at Greyville yesterday, with the smart Var filly Extravargant (a full sister to winner Cuvara) taking it for Mrs Mary Liley, who is enjoying a purple patch of late, and Noble Tune gelding Romanesca winning for trainer Paul Lafferty.

Whilst Backworth have reduced their boutique stud, their influence is remains prominent with several of their fillies they have produced over the years finding their way into the National Yearling Sales catalogues as broodmares at farms nationwide, and recent Group winner, the smart Rose In Bloom who sold this week for R800 000, out of Backworth-bred mare Raise The Bar – a family that gave Backworth many years of success and doesn’t look like it will be ending anytime soon.

It is a testament to the quality of mares and depth of pedigrees Backworth always procured for their beautiful farm in Eston, and giving the mares opportunities to excel at stud with the best suited stallion no matter where they stood.

Extravargant, out of a mare that sold for R800 000 – Cupid’s Daughter – looks to be an exciting prospect for Tony Rivalland and Mary Liley (owned in partnership with Sadha Naidoo) for the upcoming season. The #kznbred filly has now won twice from three starts and placed second on debut. Mary Liley has been seen frequently in the winners enclosure of late with her familiar pink and green silks, and she has been an avid support of Backworth’s stock over the years, racing many to multiple wins and success.

Mrs Liley has earned over R800 000 in stakes this season with almost a 16% winners to runners percentage.

Romanesca by Noble Tune, a handsome yearling purchased from Backworth’s Dispersal sale a few years back, is out of an Elusive Quality mare and as Paul Lafferty states, the gelding dislikes the Polytrack going but fired impressively on the turf going away by over a length from Just As Well gelding, Just Prime.

He has placed three times previously. Paul, who had a great day with a double including the Kings Cup, went to say that he has several Noble Tune’s in his yard and is very happy with them – his other is the grey Gr2 preformed and Black Type White Lightning.

There are several Noble Tune’s on offer at the upcoming National Yearling Sale, including a half-brother to Gr1 winner, Lady In Black.

Well done to all concerned!

We have had 9 wins for the season and 22 places, earning nearly R800 000 in stakes. Noble Tune has produced 8 winners for the season so far, with a decent stakes of R682 000 for the connections of his progeny.

Noble Tune was very well supported in his first few seasons at stud with full books each year, and the stats show that he has only had 34 of his progeny on the tracks to date and 11 of them are winners, giving Noble Tune a lifetime winners to runners percentage of 32%.

Paths Of Victory is now a 2-time winner, whilst White Lightning, injured in the Gr2 Dingaans after being cut into, is Stakes Placed and Play Another Tune placed 4th in a Gr1 during Champions Season.

The best from Noble Tune have yet to see a racetrack and we are very keen to watch their progress and encouraged on reports from leading trainers who have them in their yards – there is going to be much more to come from this young stallion in the future.

Linngari continues to produce the results, with his overseas stats reflecting in his local runners – currently Linngari boasts a South African winners to runners percentage of 66.7% – from just three of his first local runners, 2 have won and five places achieved between them – with average earnings per runner at an excellent R55 000.

Since 1 December, Linngari has had two winners and 7 places, four of those in second place!

His latest Stakes result came from Love And Peace (FR), who finished second in the Prix Petite Etoile Listed at Deauville over 1900m.

We have a very exciting line-up for the National in 2019, including progeny of Noble Tune (and a half-brother to Gr1 winner Lady In Black), Dynasty and Frankel amongst others from some of South Africa’s leading broodmare prospects. Inspections will be taking place in early January.

-rathmorstud.co.za

Whilst their places will only be confirmed after National Yearling Sales inspections have taken place in January, Rathmor Stud have a very strong draft beginning their sales preparations for the 2019 Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale.

They include progeny by Frankel, Dynasty and Noble Tune – two of them out of sales topping mares purchased off the CTS Mare Sales in 2017, for R2,4-million (Almosthaditall) and R2,6-million (Queen Of Spain) respectively.

Whilst walking through the paddocks as the colts quietly concentrate on their feed after the breakfast run, Mike McHardy of Rathmor Stud comments that although the paddock is brimming with stock from superior stallions, its important not to ‘mollycoddle’ them and to raise them as normal horses, who dont know who their famous sires are.

Noble Tune has already earned Black Type with his smart grey son White Lightning, who was born and raised at Rathmor Stud. Rathmor have bred the likes of Gypsy’s Warning, Wendywood, Surabi, Romany Prince and Harry Lime amongst others.

Their National yearlings are out of mares bought specifically for Noble Tune, which include:

– Dynasty colt out of Guard The Lines by War Front
  Dam is a full sister to American Gr1 and Gr2 winner DATA LINK.

– Noble Tune out of Spitfire Lady by Hussonet
  Family of PINNACLES and PLANET ROCK.

– Noble Tune out of Mystery Dame by Jet Master
  Half-brother to Gr1 winner LADY IN BLACK, and to Nexus who sold for R1,7-million in 2017.

– Frankel out of Queen Of Spain by Holy Roman Emperor
  Dam a half-sister to MASTERCRAFTSMAN.

– Dynasty out of Almosthaditall by Henrythenavigator
  Dam a half-sister to JUMP START and closely related to MASTERY. Damline of sire MISWAKI.

– Noble Tune out of Golden Earings by Fort Wood
  Dam a half-sister to GYPSY’S WARNING, ROMANY PRINCE and SURABI. 2nd Dam Gypsy Queen has already       produced Black Type grand-children including SO VAR and QUEEN FOREVER.