In yet another double for Scott Bros sire Crusade, juvenile Lady Abigail won the Maiden Juvenile Plate whilst Greenstreet Bloodstock’s imposing three year old Calladdi impressed to win his first race from four starts.

Crusade has produced 28 winners to date, including recent Listed winner Covered In Snow and Black Type last season in Zimbabwe with Butchie Boy.

Lady Abigail was the only filly to contest race number one of the day, and made it a 1-2 for KZN-breds and trainer Lezeanne Forbes. The filly, bred by Bruce Le Roux’s Spring Valley Stud out of Lady Gray, has had three runs to win and place from all of them and earn her connections R87 500 in stakes (excluding the additional BSA Maiden Juvenile Bonus of R40 000 she took home).

Lady Abigail has repaid her connections her purchase price of R50 000 from the 2017 National Yearling Sale. The horse to finish second was Anza-Borrego, a Backworth-bred son of Bezrin who has placed from all three of his starts and is definitely going to find the winners enclosure very soon.

The next to follow up was a special win for Justin Vermaak of Greenstreet Bloodstock. Whilst Justin was away for the CTS Cape Premier Yearling Sale, his parents and new part owners of Calladdi were on course to lead in their first winner, in partnership with Greenstreet Bloodstock and Leslie Logan. Calladdi, a strapping son of Crusade out of Black Type mare Carina Coleman by The Sheik, is bred by the Late Greg Royden-Turner of Roski Stud.

Calladdi sold for R160 000 off the 2016 National Yearling Sale and has won and placed (second) twice from four starts.

Crusade, a half-brother to twice Gr1 winning Seventh Heaven and a Gr1 winner himself, will be represented by yearlings at the National Yearling Sale which are siblings to Subtropical and Matador Man, a first foal out of a full sister to The Apache, and half-sisters to Angel’s Power and African Dream respectively.

Crusade clearly stamps his stock and his 3yo son Slightly Scottish is an entrant for the Michael Roberts Listed.

He stands at Scott Bros Highdown Stud for a fee of R20 000.

Three of our KZN resident sires flew the flag high for our small province with three winners from the four Gr1 races on the day – two of them from from sires Brave Tin Soldier and Toreador, and the other from broodmare sire Spectrum with Sand And Sea.

Not only at Scottsville did we make an impression –  two of trainer Greg Ennion’s charges had success, with Crusade producing his fourth winner at Kenilworth whilst Just As Well’s handsome son Zodiac Jack placed in the Gr3 Cape Of Good Hope Nursery Stakes, just a length off the winner.

Jockey Gunther Wrogemann might well have been singing “Brave Mary keep on rolling” when the Brave Tin Soldier filly burst away from the opposition to win the R750 000, Grade 1 Allan Robertson Championship at Scottsville on Saturday.

Carrying the action name given to the American Indian activist Mary Brave Bird in the 70’s, and costing a mere R40 000, Brave Mary stunned the large crowd at Scottsville and, even more so, the fancied runners Call To Account, Green Plains and Neptune’s Rain when she tore away to post a time of 68.3 secs, a fraction faster than the smart Dennis Drier-trained Twice Over colt Sand And Sea (and grandson of Spectrum), that impressively won the Gr1  Tsogo Sun Medallion.

Trainer Paul Matchett did not appear that surprised in the interview after Brave Mary, a daughter of the Rich Man’s Gold mare Mary Lou that he had trained to win six races, skated clear of the field. A former Zimbabwean top trainer and for years very competitive on the Highveld, Paul obviously had a good idea of what he had in his care to travel from Gauteng to Scottsville for just one runner on the day.

That confidence will have come from the filly’s last race over 1 000m at the Vaal where she bolted away from the maiden field to win by 6.5 lengths in the cracking time for a juvenile of 56.79 secs. Saturday’s performance will have strengthened his belief in her talent and she looks a very exciting prospect for the future. Brave Mary was passed through the 2016 National Yearling Sales ring as unsold; and offered at the CTS Ready To Run Sale later that year under Summerhill’s banner for Rupert Plersch, where she sold for just R40 000 to Greenstreet Bloodstock’s Justin Vermaak. Thinking it may be difficult to syndicate her – he sold her on to Paul Matchett.

This is the second Gr1 winner for sire Brave Tin Soldier and his third Gr1 victory to date – after Rabada won the Gr1 Premiers Champions Stakes and the Gr1 Daily News 2000. Brave Tin Soldier currently sits on an impressive winners to runners percentage of 36%.

Following up in the R750 000, Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Medallion, Sand And Sea was awesomely impressive in pulverising a field that included some very exciting young colts and geldings to give KZN-based Dennis Drier his seventh victory in the prestigious race and his sixth in eight years. Strongly fancied to beat the Mike de Kock-trained favourite Naafer, his supporter’s hearts will have dropped when he virtually walked out of the pens at the start and trailed the field in the early stages.

But when Anton Marcus said giddy up boy the colt quickened and before long it was race over as he skipped clear to win by 2.25 lengths relieving what was no doubt a few seconds of tension for his conditioner. Spectrum is a leading broodmare sire internationally and a sire of sires – his notable international Gr1 winners as a broodmare sire include Up, her half-brother and successful sire Dutch Art as well as Moonlight Cloud, who came close to demolishing Black Caviar’s squeaky clean record in her only British start.

For Sean Tarry there were big smiles when the Toreador gelding Bull Valley, that he had taken over from retired trainer Dom Zaki a year ago, demolished a strong sprinting field to win the top race of the day, the R1-million, Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint, giving Tarry a Grade 1 double for the day and pushing his stake earnings in the season to a record high which cemented his place at the top of the trainer log.

Steered to victory by champion jockey S’Manga Khumalo, he was tucked four lengths off the leaders early on, Bull Valley defied his 15 draw to score an emphatic win in one of South Africa’s top sprints.
Asked for his effort with 500m left to run, Bull Valley showed a breathtaking turn of foot to tear into the lead. From there, the gelding went on to post a one and a half length win over former Merchants winner Search Party, with Barbosa filling the third sport, just ahead of former Gr1 Betting World Cape Flying Championship winner Gulf Storm.
Owned by PCS (Pty) Ltd and Messrs Blank, Nassif, Nichas and Sarkis, Bull Valley was a R180 000 purchase from the 2014 National Yearling Sale.

South Africa’s latest equine millionaire, Bull Valley’s win on Saturday pushed his tally to five victories from just nine outings, with his previous wins including a score in the 2016 Gr3 Man O’War Sprint.

Toreador is on 30% winners to runners percentage. Whilst Bull Valley is bred by Ambiance Stud in the Cape, Bull Valley’s sire stands at Bush Hill Stud and has produced the likes of Lazer Star, Rikitikitana, Hong Kong export Misty Birnam, Matador Man and plenty more in recent times.

Reverting back to Kenilworth’s Saturday results, congratulations to Jenny and Peter Blyth who bred the fourth winner for sire Crusade, Weekend Warrior.

The juvenile gelding is out of Restructure mare Love Leah, the dam of Spectrum’ Gr3 winning son The Plunderer. Owned in partnership by Mr O Schoeman and Braam Van Huyssteen (the same owner-trainer combination own Zodiac Jack), the Greg Ennion trained horse has placed from his three previous starts.

Zodiac Jack, the well-bred son of Just As Well gave his sire more Black Type after finishing just over a length in the Gr3 feature on the day. Out of 10-time winning mare Pisces Star by Kahal, Zodiac Jack has won and placed five times from his six starts – his biggest margin by six lengths going away to break his maiden.

The colt is bred by Roski Stud, and sold for just R100 000 at the 2016 National Yearling Sale. He has earned back his sales price with extra to date. The under estimated Just As Well is still sitting on an impressive winners to runners percentage of 44% for the season.

With big results from small numbers, it pays to buy KZN-bred!

Spring Valley sire Just As Well has only 40 runners in total on the tracks in South Africa, from juveniles to four year olds and December saw him achieve five winners and 10 places, taking his winners to runners percentage to an impressive 30%.

Just As Well, known affectionately as Jaws, had an unusual story as a racehorse in that after injuring himself, his owner “turned him out into the mountains with the wild ponies,” and he “roughed it out and was forgotten up there for a year!” as the late Greg Royden-Turner of Roski Stud recounts the story.

A vastly underestimated stallion that produces a horse with lovely bone and a fine balance of quality and substance, last season he finished on an impressive winners to runners percentage of 41%, the consistent Just As Well is also the sire of Ready To Run Cup winner Chili Con Carne, and Black Type’s and Group 1 performers Just Africa, Just As I Said and Well In Flight.

Just As I Said has now won two races on the trot at Turffontein over 1160m for trainer Lucky Houdalakis whilst Gavin Van Zyl’s impeccably bred Just Cruised In, won his last start and hasn’t been out of the money in his four previous starts.

He is out of Shadwell Stud’s Modraj by Machiavellian – the mare is from the immediate dam line of Urban Sea, therefore the direct family of super sires Galileo and Sea The Stars. This makes him a half-brother to Dubai winner, Alareef.

Just As Well is also responsible for producing Kenya’s Champion Juvenile colt last season bred by Jill Fox of The Fort Stud, named As Paragon. The colt won again recently in December taking the H.V. Pirie Trophy.

Owned in a partnership, predominantly by Roski Stud and Anton Procter, Just As Well is is the splitting image of his sire AP Indy, out of Gr1 winner No Matter What by Nureyev, and shares a dam line with E Dubai and Raven’s Pass.

Sent back into training, Just As Well had the bulk of his Graded Stakes wins and places after that as an older horse and showed immense courage.

He won four races over dirt and turf from 1000m – 2000m, including crossing the line first in the Gr1 Northern Dancer Breeders Cup Turf Stakes. He also placed second in the Gr1 Arlington Million, the Gr1 Gulfstream Park Handicap and placed in the Gr1 Makers Mark Mile. He is Timeform Rated 118.

Just As Well stood for a fee of R10 000 in 2016.

The family owned Roski Stud, a product of the passion of the late and great Greg Royden-Turner, had an epic weekend country wide as the boutique stud produced three wins and two places since Friday evening – from Greyville, Turffontein and Scottsville.

Greg who chose a “quality over quantity” approach to breeding top drawer Thoroughbreds, was instrumental in importing Just As Well with Anton Procter, and saw the son of Nureyev have two wins and a place amongst the above results.

The farm is headed up by Greg’s daughter Juli Santini (along with her husband Ross and her mother, Chelle) and Roski Stud, situated in Lidgetton, now boasts a small band of 10 elite Black Type mares with top class pedigrees.

The first winner to strike was at Greyville on Friday evening, with the pretty chestnut Just As Well filly Princess Analia, courageously taking hold and storming to victory on the railing to win her second race by a head under Brandon Lerena. The filly is out of Lodge Of Dreams (a daughter of Roski’s late Alydar mare, Lydara) by Grand Lodge. She has also placed twice previously for owner Leslie Logan and trainer Gavin Van Zyl.

AP Answer filly out of Leave Em Smokin by The Sheik named Tyron’s Jet, finished second just a length off over 1200m. The three year old filly is also owned in the owner trainer partnership of Leslie Logan and Gavin Van Zyl. Tyron’s Jet has now won once (on debut) and placed twice.

Mike Azzie’s Just A Jet has now placed twice from two starts for owners Mr A & Mrs FJ Van Vuuren. The four year old is out of A Thousand Jets by Jet Master, and is relishing the 2000m she has contested in both starts, the latter at Turffontein.

Just Vogue and Roy’s Marciano made it a double on Sunday at Scottsville, with Just Vogue securing her second victory, and placing six times from eight starts. The consistent four year old filly out of Western Winter mare, Voga Longa, is owned by the Team G Racing Syndicate and trained by Gavin Van Zyl. Voga Longa is the dam of Piano Man and Charter’s Creek.

Roy’s Marciano, a smart bay son of Toreador provided his sire with this second winner of the weekend. Out of Rambo’s Love by Rambo Dancer, Roy’s Marciano grabbed his fourth victory for owner Roy Moodley and trainer Kom Naidoo.

Roy’s Marciano has earned almost R200 000 in stakes after selling for just R70 000 at the National Yearling Sale. He is a half-brother to Gr2 second placed Journeyman, who went on to win in Dubai.

From only 35 registered horses to race, Just As Well has produced two Black Type horses and Gr1 performers, and is responsible for this year’s CTS Ready To Run Cup winner, Chilli Con Carne. Just As Well is currently on an impressive winners to runners percentage of 25.9%.

Just As Well, affectionately known as Jaws derived from the shortening of his name and with a lovely temperament, stands at Spring Valley Stud.

Keep a look out for Roski’s National Yearling Sales draft in April 2017, with outstanding yearlings from top mares by some of the country’s leading sires. Roski Stud’s current winners to runners percentage stands at 33.3%.

Well done to Roski Stud and the connections concerned!

The late Greg Royden-Turner has left behind a legacy at Roski Stud that is seeing his precision buying of Black Type mares and planning of their matings well in advance each year to the best stallion in the country, paying off on the National Breeders Log with an impressive current runners to winners percentage of 44%.

The farm currently stands a small but impeccably bred band of broodmares under the watchful eye of Greg’s daughter Juli Santini, all of which have Black Type records on the track – including the likes of Silent Call, Pisces Star, Princess Julietta and Go Indigo.

Roski Stud are expecting a number of impressive foals this coming foaling season:

Oratorio – Pisces Star

Oratorio – Tempted

What A Winter – Young Caesour

Oratorio – Silent Call

Soft Falling Rain – Pointing East

Captain Of All – Maritzburg(AUS)

Duke Of Marmalade – Bay Princess

Gimmethegreenlight – Lady Tatty

Captain Of All – Princess Julietta

Captain Of All – Go Indigo

The breeders of Dubai winner Journeyman, Roski’s racing progeny from the last three months are currently producing impressive records:

Highwayeightyfive (Kahal) – 5 starts, 1 win 4 places

Kalidar (Kahal) – 3 wins, 12 places

Princess Analia (Just As Well) – 5 starts, 1 win 2 places

Mogokity (Mogok) – 3 wins, 11 places

Miss Minver (Dynasty) – 1 win 1 place from three starts

Incandescence (Just As Well) – 1 win 4 places

Overly Impressed (Overlord) – 1 win 4 places from all starts

Al Kateece (Captain Al) – 4 wins, 6 places – only out of the money twice

Romeo Brave (Jallad) – 4 wins, 16 places

Cassie O’ Malley (Jet Master) – 4 wins, 9 places, multiple Graded Stakes Places

Academy Princess (Kahal) – 2 wins, 5 places

Leven Point (Fort Wood) – 3 wins, 2 places

Frosty Friday (Western Winter) – 3 wins, 3 places from all starts incl Gr2 placed

Roy’s Marciano (Toreador) – 2 wins

Just Vogue (Just As Well) – 2 starts, 2 places

It is with very great sadness that we heard of the passing of Greg Royden-Turner of Roski Stud, who passed away unexpectedly last night in St Lucia.

Greg, a passionate horseman and a strong family man with a sharp sense of humour and always a smile, will be sorely missed.

Currently racing the likes of his Roski-bred Frosty Friday, Cassie O’ Malley and Al Kateece amongst others, Greg imported and purchased a number of well-bred mares including Kahal’s half-sister, and raced horses with great success.

Greg has bred the likes of Dubai winner Journeyman from his picturesque farm in Lidgetton, as well as a Western Winter colt named Chili Affair that sold for R1,2million in 2013.
Our love, thoughts and prayers go out to Chelle, Soss and the rest of Greg’s beloved family.

Spring Valley’s resident sire Just As Well earned a double yesterday at the Vaal, with two year old colt Chilli Con Carne winning his second start after placing second previously, and Just Africa adding to the day to get his second career win.

Trained by Lucky Houdalakis, Chilli Con Carne won in a blistering gallop by close to five lengths over 1400m under jockey Ian Sturgeon. Owned by Michael Leaf, the colt has definitely stamped himself as one to watch in the future. He is out of Windrush mare Wonder Glow, herself a half-sister to six winners including Stakes Winners West Cigar and Brooke Logan. This is also the damline of Gr1 Gold Cup winner Valley Dancer and top 3YO filly, Up The Creek.

Gr1 performed Just Africa, trained by Paul Peter and owned by Messrs H C N da Costa & T P Zackey & Hyperpaint Syndicate (Nom: Mr G T Peter) completed the double, bred by Bruce Le Roux, the three year old gelding is out of a Stratum mare, Hallo Africa. This is his second career win to date, and placing three times previously including second to the speedy Thrust.

From small crops to date Just As Well’s figures have been impressive. Since 23 February he has had eight places and two wins, three of them close up second places.

Just As Well is represented at the upcoming National Yearling Sale in April by the first foal from 10-time (and Stakes winning) Kahal mare Pisces Star, her first foal, selling as Lot 261 from Roski Stud. Spring Valley Stud have a very exciting speedy prospect on offer, also a first produce from Toreador mare Beautiful Princess – a three-time winner herself and an own sister to sprinting sensation Lazer Star – a dazzling seven time winner with a Gr2 and Gr3 amongst her victories. The unnamed colt is being offered as Lot 6.

One of Just As Well’s best performed horses to date is Well In Flight, a two time winner from only five starts, in training with Dennis Drier, who finished three lengths off Silver Mountain in the Gr2 Choice Carriers Championship.

From only 23 progeny to race to date (and only 16 registered to race in the first year),  11 are winners and achieved  37 places amongst them to date.

Immaculately bred and a multiple Group winner, Just As Well is by A.P Indy out of No Matter What by Nureyev. He descends from the female line of E Dubai and Raven’s Pass.

UPDATE: Just As Well had another super winner the day after this at Greyville, with Roski-bred Just Smoke Em winning her second start for trainer Mark Dixon, over 1600m by almost two lengths. Well done to all concerned!

A magnificent son of Captain Al out of a half-sister to Kahal, Katici Princess by Noverre, Al Kateece added his first win from four starts on Monday at Flamingo Park whilst his Western Winter half-sister, Frosty Friday, got her second win yesterday at the Vaal over 1700m.

After having his first run at Scottsville, Al Kateece developed a foot problem and it looked as though the colt would never race again.

He returned to Roski and had some time off to recuperate, and since relocating to Cliffie Miller at Flamingo Park, the colt has placed and won three times from his last three starts. He had a great race to win going away by three lengths, from San Salvador and King Of Cloth, ridden by Jarryd Penny from a fourth draw.

The mare has produced two runners and two winners to date; the other being an exciting Western Winter filly named Frosty Friday.

Frosty Friday has been retained by Roski Stud for stud purposes after Katici Princess passed away earlier this year.

Frosty Friday is in training with Gavin Van Zyl, and not only won by a length but a phenomenal weight carrying feat of 60kgs (the heaviest of the field) – 6kgs more than the second horse who finished a length off her. Frosty Friday has now won and placed from all four of her starts.

A big chestnut mare, Irish-bred Katici Princess was purchased and imported by Roski Stud to South Africa.

She was sent into training with Glen Kotzen where she won five of her nine starts, including the Gr3 Champagne Stakes and Olympic Duel Stakes. This is the damline of locally-bred 7-time winner Showmetheway, whose second dam Doomna is a full-sister to Kahal.

The second dam of Katici Princess, Just You Wait, also produced a great stallion with Reprimand, the sire of Fard who has gone on to become the Broodmare sire of Captain Of All.

Congratulations to the team at Roski Stud!