The multiple Group winning daughter of Brave Tin Soldier who experienced narrow defeats to finish second in the Gr1 Empress Club Stakes (twice) and Summer Cup to potentially get her well deserved Gr1 status, won the Gr2 Gold Bracelet twice and the KZN Breeders Million Mile, as well as the London News Gr3.

She won 8 races in total and five Stakes Places, to earn over R1,9-million for her connections.

A R30 000 astute buy off the 2017 National 2YO Sale, her Vercingetorix half sister was purchased by Greg Bortz at Nationals this year for R700 000, named Miracle In Motion.

Out of Jet Master mare Movingandgrooving, this is the female line of Love Is In The Air, Silver Flyer, Jet Jamboree and O Tamara and Running Brave certainly has the height and size of her champion broodmare sire.

Act Of War is the sire of Triple Tiara and multiple Gr1 winner War Of Athena, Gr1 sprint winner Battle Force and Gr1 sprint runner up Bartholdi.

Act Of War enjoyed an exemplary full book in 2021.

Randjesfontein trainer Fanie Bronkhorst saddles his first Met runner on Saturday 30 January, just about five minutes after taking out his licence.

But the experienced horseman believes that despite comparatively taking on the Blue Bulls at Loftus, his gutsy 5yo Running Brave won’t be disgraced.

With only 25 horses at his disposal, Fanie Bronkhorst is setting new land speed records in terms of racing achievement.

He only saddled his first runner on 5 December.

Then he celebrated a sensational first winner – Gr3 nogal – on Saturday 2 January when Running Brave won the Gr3 London News Stakes.

Now 28 days later in a faraway city where the locals believe they have the best horses in Africa, he is saddling his first Gr1 runner! And he is doing it in the fashion that would make him an instant legend outside the borders of the fairest Cape.

“You know it was touch and go until the final moments prior to declaration. Regular pilot Muzi Yeni is unavailable as he is locked down in Gauteng. He knows her well. That was a major factor. But a few things swung the decision on the upside to travel and take our chances. First of those were that top local jockey Greg Cheyne, a past Met winner, phoned for the ride. He is second on the national log, has a win strike-rate of near 20% and has won countless East Cape championships. So we are not settling for a second-rate rider. We have a top man,” he added.

Fanie then said that the fact that the field trimmed down to eleven, meant that there was a chance too.

“If you haven’t got a ticket, you don’t have a chance. She drew about midfield, so that is hundred percent.”

As regards pace, Fanie says that Running Brave is a versatile soldier.

“She has the pace to go up there and is a strong front-runner. And she can be settled if things are too hot. So we have options whatever way the race pans out.”

The fact that Running Brave has never been on a left-handed track is probably the owner-trainer’s biggest concern.

“There is nothing we can do about that at this stage unfortunately. But she can overcome that.”

In the spirit of the ‘small man supporting the small man’, Fanie says that Running Brave will be based at Milnerton with Piet Botha.

“Piet’s a top-class horseman. She will leave with Choice Carriers on Tuesday and I will arrive in the Cape on Wednesday.”

In summing it up, Running Brave is quoted at 25-1 with Hollywoodbets.

“I feel we can be competitive. We don’t want to hide away away from the big guns. It makes it interesting to take them on and lift our game. It’s an honour to be a part of the day and I’m looking forward to it!”

Bred by Summerhill Stud, Running Brave is a daughter of The Fort Stud’s Brave Tin Soldier ( Storm Cat) out of the Jet Master mare Movingandgrooving and cost just R30 000 off the National 2yo Sale.

She  has won 8 races with 12 places from 30 starts for stakes of R1 700 274. This would be a fairytale!

-sportingpost.co.za

Summerhill Stud-bred filly War Of Athena once again met up with her rival Anything Goes, and this time took home the victory in the Gr3 Three Troikas – whilst the courageous Running Brave added yet another Group victory to her record – beating the boys to take home the Gr3 London News Stakes.

Another to feature for Summerhill Equestrian was MK’s Pride – the son of Willow Magic finished 2nd in the Gr3 Tony Ruffel Stakes, with Rathmor Stud’s Copper Mountain 3rd.

War Of Athena has been close to the previously five-time unbeaten filly and this time her race fitness proved the advantage, to win by almost two full lengths. The filly is out of a Requiem / Coastal mare, and shares a female line with the smart Rossi-Bred Captain Tatters, trained by Justin Snaith.

Summerhill Equestrian are pleased to report that her Dynasty sire, Act Of War, had found great support in his 3rd season and covered almost 80 mares in the 2020 season.

Act Of War is currently on 31% winners to runners and his 29 runners for the season have earned over R800 000 in stakes so far taking into consideration the current reduced stakes.

Proving that horses don’t know their sales prices – both War Of Athena and Running Brave were knocked down to Paul Matchett respectively for R30 000 at the 2019 Ready To Run Sale and the 2017 National 2YO Sale.

Running Brave, who had her first Group win for her owner turned trainer Fanie Bronkhorst, certainly lives up to her name and beat the boys to take the Gr3 London News Stakes. She defeated a field that included the likes of Gr1 Summer Cup winner Zillzaal, Barahin, Divine Odyssey and Green Haze.

The daughter of Brave Tin Soldier carries a superb race record and has an excellent rapport with her jockey Muzi Yeni. She has given Bronkhorst a superb return for his sales outlay, earned over R1,700 000 – winning 8 races with 12 places from 30 starts. This is the family of Silver Flyer, Jet Jamboree, Love Is In The Air and O Tamara.

Brave Tin Soldier resides at Jill Fox’s The Fort Stud, and from limited numbers has produced excellent Group winning stats which include his son at Spring Valley Stud – Rabada – as well as export Brave Mary.

Congratulations to Summerhill!

The World Sports Betting Summer Cup Day rendered exciting results for #kznbreds, and in particular the feature race as the aptly named Running Brave began her run and was leading, chased the mighty Summer Pudding to the finish, to concede to second place by two lengths but by no means ashamed in defeat.

The Brave Tin Soldier filly who was another bargain for trainer Paul Matchett who picked her up for R30 000 at the National 2YO Sale, and has won two Gr2 Kuda Gold Bracelets amongst her many wins in good company – she is another horse that has built up a superb rapport with her regular jockey, Muzi Yeni.

She accelerated to leave 5 lengths between herself and third place finishing Tree Tumbo, with #kznbred Dance Class finishing 4th for St John Gray. Dance Class is bred on the same cross that produced a Summer Cup winner for St John with the star Dancewiththedevil.

Of the top 4 to finish, 3 were fillies. Her sire Brave Tin Soldier stands at The Fort Stud, and from small numbers has produced several Gr1 results and his son Rabada stands at Spring Valley Stud.

War Of Athena, who shares a trainer with Running Brave in Paul Matchett, showed her class once more to win the Gr2 WSB Ipi Tombe Challenge from Gr1 winner, Queen Supreme. Another “cheapie” at just R30 000 off the 2019 BSA Ready To Run Sale, the daughter of Act Of War gave her young sire his first Gr2 win. She has been a star, placing a close second in the Gr1 Thekweni Stakes and winning the recent Ready To Run Cup.

Her sire Act Of War stands at Summerhill Equestrian, owned by Henning Pretorius and he is off to a promising start indeed.

Another superb effort is the smart Winter Smoke, who ‘smoked’ them once again to take the Gr3 Magnolia Handicap. Bred by Richard Fitzgerald and consigned to Nationals by Spring Valley Stud, the Ashley Fortune speedster won well under Calvin Habib. Proving that horses don’t know their price – two fillies from Scott Bros finished 3rd and 4th behind Winter Smoke – that of Double O’ Eight (Eightfold Path) and Suzette Viljoen’s Linear (Crusade).

Both of the latter were offered for sale off the Scott Bros famous Highdown Stud after either not qualifying for sales or being not sold, and were sold directly off the farm months later and have rewarded their respective owners significantly on the racetracks.

Paul Peter had a smashing day with his filly Summer Pudding, and enjoyed a 1-2 in the Gr2 WSB Dingaans, with the smart son of Willow Magic finishing 2nd just two lengths off. Ridden by Warren Kennedy, MK’s Pride owned by Koos Mkale is the mirror in looks to his Gr1 winning sire, from conformation to markings at Summerhill Equestrian.

Congratulations to the breeders, trainers and owners concerned on a great days results and racing!

Paths Of Victory gave Rathmor Stud their first Gold Cup win in the World Sports Betting sponsored marathon 3200m race. The son of Noble Tune won for Gareth Van Zyl, who has trained progeny of Noble Tune to success and it was his first win in the country’s premier stayers race.

The last win KZN had in the Gold Cup was Scott Bros-bred Wild One, with Anthony Delpech in the irons and trained by Mike De Kock.

Paths Of Victory is out of a mare that was bought specifically to be covered by Noble Tune and it paid off – she is also the dam of In Auro and Paths Of Victory has a full sister that sold at Nationals in 2019. It is an impressive dam line of William Longsword, Victory Moon, Imbongi and many others.

S’manga Khumalo rode a smashing race, leading from start to finish for owner Mario Ferreira. Paths Of Victory sold for R220 000 at the National Yearling Sale, and has now 5 races with 7 places from 23 starts for stakes of R647 450.

KZN Breeders Chairman Ted Hughes was ecstatic when Paybackthemoney, who runs in his wife Ruth’s colours, finished second under Muzi Yeni. The son of Marchfield is a half-brother to Gr1 winner Out Of Your League, who was in the same race.

It didnt stop there for KZN – War Of Athena put up a dramatic finish to be just a neck off winning the Gr1 Thekweni Stakes for her sire Act Of War and trainer Paul Matchett, who also won the Gr2 Kuda Gold Bracelet for the second time with Summerhill bred Running Brave.

Sold for just R30 000 off the National 2YO Sale, Running Brave, a daughter of Brave Tin Soldier, is a multiple Group winner and also took this years KZN Breeders [Million] Mile. She is owned by Fanie Bronkhorst and Mr Neethling. Running Brave is out of a Jet Master mare Movingandgrooving, bred by Summerhill and from the female line of O Tamara, Silver Flyer and Love Is In The Air.

Her sire Brave Tin Soldier stands at Fort Nottingham, Jill Fox’s The Fort Stud.

Seymour Harley’s Garrulous finished 2nd to Erik The Red in the Gr2 Epol Umkhomazi Stakes. The Byword gelding is a half brother to the Black Type Forth Estate.

Other KZN results on the day was Roski-bred Indy Go, who finished 4th in the New Turf Carriers Darley Arabian (Listed), and Ad Altisima finished 3rd in the Terrance Millard Umngeni Handicap (Listed).

Congratulations to all on a superb day!

The Paul Matchett-trained Summerhill Stud-bred Running Brave clung on to win the KZN Breeders Mile under a fine ride by Muzi Yeni at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday and in retrospect she had a lot in her favour despite being sent off at odds of 35/1.

The Brave Tin Soldier filly’s class is emphasized by the fact that her career head to head record with the champion filly Celtic Sea is five to two in her favour. Brave Tin Soldier stands at Jill Fox’s The Fort Stud, whilst his dual Gr1 winning son Rabada is at Spring Valley, and has his first foals on the ground.

Furthermore, she is an effective front runner so a pole position draw, the strong tailwind on the day and a wide false rail were three more points in her favour. She gets on well with Yeni and enjoys Hollywoodbets Greyville, two points which were emphasised in her pillar to post victory in the Grade 2 Gold Bracelet over 2000m on Gold Cup day last season. 

Running Brave carried 59kg under the conditions yesterday. Yeni said, “She’s courageous, all heart, I went into the race believing that if she was at her best it was the type of race she would win and then when she drew one I was even more confident. I was there for free and for the first time today I was able to get to the front and relax, she normally does it a little bit too hard but today I had her settled beautifully and she showed her class.

Running Brave sold for just R30 000 at the BSA National 2YO Sale, and has earned R 1,394,150 in stakes!

“In the straight she fended off the challenges of Nexus and Missisippi Burning (both bred by Rathmor Stud) who finished second and third ahead of the St. John Grey-trained pair Ronnie’s Candy and Lake Kinnaret.

One of the scratchings from the Mile was Vodacom Durban July contender Camphoratus.

 The first race of the day, the Fort Stud KZN Breeders Fillies Juvenile Plate over 1200m, was won from pillar to post  by the talented Ashley Fortune-trained Winter Smoke ridden by Aldo Domeyer.

She is by What A Winter and was bred RT Fitzgerald and born and raised at Spring Valley Stud. 

The second race, the Clifton Stud KZN Breeders Juvenile Plate over 1200m, saw an equally impressive start to finish win by the Glen Kotzen-trained Garrulous ridden by Warren Kennedy.

This strapping gelding is by Byword and was bred by Tertia Properties. The third, the Spring Valley Stud KZN Breeders 1200 for fillies and mares, was won in good style by Silent Crusade, who outclassed them.

The big Mark Dixon-trained filly started slowly and had to weave her way through but won cosily in the end under Keagan de Melo. She is by Crusade and was fittingly bred by Bruce le Roux of Spring Valley Stud.

The next, the Summerhill Equestrian KZN Breeders 1200, saw a fine start to finish by the strongly built Michael Roberts trained Visionaire gelding Ad Altisima ridden by Serino Moodley. She was bred by GC Kalil.The eighth race, the Macrath Stud KZN Breeders 1600 for fillies and mares, was won by the Wendy Whitehead-trained Liquid Irish under Grant van Niekerk.

She is by Traffic Guard and was bred by Summerhill Stud.

The ninth, the New Predator KZN Breeders 1600, was won by the Dennis Drier-trained Caliente under Sean Veale. This Visionaire gelding was bred by Summerhill Stud.

The last race, the Golden Sword KZN Breeders 1900, saw a fitting win for KZN Breeding remarkable trainer-owner-breeder St. John Gray with his home-bred Damage Is Done gelding Christopher Robin who gave Grant van Niekerk a double.

Trainers and owners took home sales vouchers from each of the first four places for the KZN sponsored races on the day, worth R225 000 in total towards the purchase of a #kznbred horse on offer at the Emperors Palace National 2YO Sale in November, which has encompassed the KZN Yearling Sale.

Thank you to our sponsors and to Gold Circle for a great day, albeit behind closed doors.

Images: Candiese Lenferna

Randjesfontein trainer Paul Matchett was stunned to see the price bookmakers were offering for his Brave Tin Soldier filly Running Brave at Turffontein Standside on Saturday.

She later converted odds of 15/1 in the Pinnacle Stakes event over 1400m, beating the 15/20 favourite Celtic Sea by 1,50 lengths. 

Matchett now wants to run the gallant filly in the Grade 1 HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes, in which she finished a narrow second last year to #kznbred Camphoratus, although he is still waiting to hear whether the restrictions placed on personnel during the national lockdown will have an affect on his horses’ training programs. 

Running Brave will later go down to KZN for the SA Champions Season where the defense of her Grade 2 Gold Bracelet crown will be among her targets.

Pundits had made Celtic Sea a virtual certainty on Saturday as she was in form and according to official merit ratings was 6kg well in with Running Brave, who was the second best weighted horse and appeared to be off form.

Furthermore, Celtic Sea is a twice Grade 1-winner and was named Equus Champion Three-year-old filly last season.

However, the pundits failed to take into account a number of factors.

The first was the head to head count between these two horses. Incredibly, that statistic now stands at Running Brave five, Celtic Sea two.

The second point, which Matchett pointed out was there for the public to see via replays and in the stipendiary report, was that Running Brave had over-raced badly in her previous start in the Grade 3 Acacia Handicap over 1600m and this had explained her 13,80 length beating.

He said, “She was being ridden by a jockey who didn’t know her and he tried to tuck her in. She hates that, if you try and restrain her she fights.”

Running Brave had used up all her fuel by the time they reached the business end of that race and began hanging from the 400m mark.

Meanwhile, Celtic Sea was having her first run back from a tough Cape Town campaign and it was likely a preparation run for the Empress Club Stakes.

This filly has a beautiful action and the alarm bells were ringing some way out on Saturday as she was apparently not enjoying the rain affected ground and was never travelling as well as she can.

Running Brave, on the other hand, was loving her favourite front-running role and was enjoying the conditions.

Celtic Sea ranged up to her and headed her but Running Brave, who was receiving 2kg, readily found extra to win cosily. 

Running Brave’s odds will be shorter in the Empress Club and pundits should this time take note she beat Celtic Sea by 4,05 lengths in that weight for age event last year when finishing a neck runner up to Camphoratus in good to soft conditions. 

-Gold Circle

Rob and Michele Pickering’s bred and part owned #kznbred Byword filly, Camphoratus, didn’t buckle from a fight and flew past the much touted Oh Susanna to win from another #kznbred filly by Brave Tin Soldier, Summerhill’s Running Brave who finished a close second.

Both fillies cost a combined R80 000 at BSA sales, and both have earned their owners over R1,7-million in combined stakes.

KZN only breed 15% of South Africa’s racing stock and these sort of results reinforce that horses produced in KZN are not to be ignored.

It was race filled to the brim with quality, and the Byword filly gave the trainers Rob and Shannon Hill their jockey, Gareth Wright their first Grade 1 winner!

Byword, who initially started his career in KZN before being sold to Mauritzfontein, stood at Rob and Michele Pickering’s Middlefield Stud after a glittering Gr1 winning race career in the UK.

Camphoratus, out of a Horse Chestnut mare Wild Camphor, sold for just R50 000 off the 2016 KZN Yearling Sale and won the Gr3 Flamboyant on Boxing Day at 36/1. She has now earned over R1,1-million in stakes with five wins and six places under belt for owners Messrs L J Muir, S Manicom, G R Sadleir and Mr and Mrs Rob Pickering T/A Middlefield Stud.

Summerhill Stud’s Running Brave flew up for second place for trainer Paul Matchett and came very close to becoming the 4th Gr1 win for The Fort Stud’s Brave Tin Soldier.

Owned by Messrs F Bronkhorst & H L Neethling, has had 7 seconds amongst her 9 places from 2 wins. Running Brave sold for just R30 000 off the 2017 National 2YO Sale and has earned almost R700 000 in stakes – both above horses have given their owners superb returns on their investments!

Movingandgrooving has a Capetown Noir yearling on offer at the upcoming National Yearling Sale.

KZN have approximately 70 horses headed to the Nationals – they will be easy to spot with #kznbred signs on their doors.

Congratulations to all concerned.

The Ato gelding Chijmes confirmed again that he is no slouch when leading all the way to win the R150 000 Listed Sea Cottage Stakes at Turffontein on Sunday to give claiming apprentice Denis Schwarz his first feature success.

Runner-up in the Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup last November, Chijmes had accounted for the highly regarded Green Haze last time and was stepping up to the 1800m for the first time on Sunday.

A relentless galloper, Schwarz had the Gary Alexander charge out dictating matters and into the final 200m it was clear that it was going to take a good one to grab him.

At the line, he was just under a length clear of Atyaab with Owlinthetree showing encouraging post maiden form to bank third a neck back.

The winner’s time was 112,52 secs.

The winner has now won from 1200m to 1800m in short time and looks worth following! Apprentice Schwarz is on 30 winners this season and is another worth following.

A R110 000 Summerhill Ready To Run Sale graduate, Chijmes was bred by the longstanding champion breeders and is a son of Ato (Royal Academy) out of the four-time winning Russian Revival mare, Sophie’s Choice. She has produced two winners at stud.

A winner of 3 races with 1 place from 6 starts, Chijmes has earned R287 500. This is the family of the speedy Outcome, Crimson Palace, Seraphos, Royal Glitter and Princely Heir amongst others.

Summerhill also had a second place with Running Brave, finishing a close second to Storm Destiny in the Gr3 Three Troikas by a head over the 1400m. The daughter of Brave Tin Soldier has won twice and placed seven times from 10 starts in good company. Brave Tin Soldier stands at The Fort Stud and has got all of his mares in foal for the 2018 season.

Another result for KZN stallions, Mambo In Seattle’s Vontreo, bred by Boland Stud, finished a flying third in the Gr3 Tony Ruffel Stakes to the talented Hawwaam, less than a length off. From only three starts, the Greenstreet Bloodstock purchase for owner Mr C Augustin has won and placed from all three of his starts.

Mambo In Seattle is having another good season at stud and stood his first KZN season at Clifton in 2018.

-extract sportingpost.co.za