The KZN midlands has had 50mm of rain recently which is good news ahead of Winter – Bush Hill Stud is looking lush, Capital Stud are getting off the ground in what was previously known as Summerhill Stud with their large Sport Horse operation.

Amongst the social media posts this week was Ashley De Klerk pictured with her soldier of a racehorse, the 11-time winner Putchini enjoying time off in his paddock and base, Yellow Star Stud, during lockdown.

The eight year old son of Bezrin has reportedly only ever seen a vet for routine work and has never had a day of unsoundness in his career, and boasts 108 runs for 10 wins, 25 places and stakes of R740,175. He won his last start on 11 March, under Jabu Jacobs over 1600m.

KZN’s pretrainers Jill Fox and Jane Thomas, situated in Fort Nottingham and Mooi River respectively, are continuing work each morning with their babies, a number which are now ready to go into training once lockdown lifts.

Mike and Tanya McHardy of Rathmor Stud in Nottingham Road have reported “its business as usual” at Rathmor. “Its all good so far. All our staff are on lockdown with us on the farm. We are continuing as normal and our clients have been fantastic in their support!”

Whilst 2020 has been a challenge for all concerned, the breeders will be under severe pressure this year for income with the National Yearling Sale delayed to the end of July and the the KZN Yearling Sale being integrated into the National 2YO Sale – now delayed to the end of November, originally scheduled for August.

Breeders begin prepping their yearlings from the end of 2019 for inspections, so it is indeed a long haul until the sale.

Amongst the the horses on offer from KZN this year in the Nationals catalogue are: half-brother to Gr2 winner Montreal Mist, a half brother to Listed winner Alfeo, half sister to Celestina, half-sister to Silent Crusade, half brother to Railtrip and Gr1 winner Hero’s Honour, half sister to Gr1 winner Rabada, half-sister to Gr1 winner Takingthepeace, half sister to Gr1 winner Love Struck, and Gr3 winner Royal Pleasure.

Having his first ride since a return from injury, super sub Marco van Rensburg took over from Diego De Gouveia and rode an inspired race to get Stuart Pettigrew’s consistent 4yo Soldier On home to beat the gallant Dan The Lad (Fransie Herholdt) by the proverbial whisker.

Owned and bred by avid Pettigrew supporter Terry Kung, Soldier On started a well supported tote place favourite and saved many Pick 6 punters as the 40-1 Dan The Lad forced the photo finish.

The two came together at the 250m marker after Sail For Joy, who had done the donkey work, starter to wither.

In a terrific drive to the line, Van Rensburg showed cheek and saluted at the wire to indicate that Soldier On had done enough. His official time was 88,81 seconds on turf softened by a drizzle earlier.

Dan The Lad, who had tracked the leader, ran a gallant second from his awful draw under the experienced Herholdt, who leaves shortly for a four-month contract in South Korea.

Lake Kinneret was a solid further half length back in third, with Sail For Joy showing courage to hang in for fourth.

The 7-2 favourite Divine Odyssey was run off his feet and ran a two length sixth.

The last horse to earn was the tenth placed Chepardo (4,45 lengths) who banked R5000 for his efforts.

Bred by Terry Kung, Soldier On is a son of Brave Tin Soldier (Storm Cat) out of the unraced Australian-bred Rockabye Girl (Southern Image).

A winner of 4 races with 5 places from 11 starts, Soldier On took his stakes earnings to R572 650.

Brave Tin Soldier has been relocated to Jill Fox’s The Fort Stud. He is the sire of two Gr1 winners Rabada (who stands his first season at his place of birth, Summerhill Stud) and French export Brave Mary.

-extract sportingpost.co.za

Jill Fox’s The Fort Stud will be offering three quality lots, and another three as agent, at the 2018 KZN Yearling Sale at the beginning of July.

The Fort’s draft includes yearlings by successful sires Querari and Toreador, and promising young stallions Crusade, Master Of My Fate, Noble Tune and champion first crop sire What A Winter.

Rainhill (Lot 3) is a bay son of Danehill’s successful sire son Toreador, whose best include G1 winners Bull Valley and Link Man. The colt’s second dam is a half-sister to champion and G1 winning sprinter Golden Taipan and this is the same family as Summer Cup winner Liege and outstanding sprinter Rebel King.

Hot young stallion Master Of My Fate is responsible for a filly (Lot 76) whose winning second dam is a half-sister to 11 time stakes winner Grecian Gale, dam of G1 winners Malteme and Wendywood, and to the dam of July winner Power King.

Middle Park Stakes winner Crusade is responsible for Mythos (Lot 133) –a colt out of a four time winning daughter of emerging broodmare sire Camden Park, and this is the family of Christmas Handicap hero Fourth Estate.

Outstanding sire Querari, whose runners this season include Guineas hero Monks Hood and G1 sprinter Pinnacle Peak, has City Dancer (Lot 135) in this draft. This bay colt is out of a winning daughter of champion Johannesburg (sire of Scat Daddy) and second dam is a half-sister to champion and Oaks winner Candy Critic. This is the famed E family of champions Empress Club, Ecurie and Elusive Fort.

Unbridled’s Song’s Breeders’ Cup runner up Noble Tune is the sire of a colt (Lot 144) out of a winning half-sister to six time stakes winner Variometer, while four time G1 winner, and prominent young stallion, What A Winter, has a filly on offer, whose winning Royal Academy dam (a sister in blood to outstanding matriarch Mystic Spring) is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Feel My Love (Lot185).

The two day KZN Sale will be held at the Sibaya Entertainment World on July5th and 6th.

KZN farms Summerview Stud and The Fort will both be represented by a single lot at next week’s Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale.

Summerview Stud will be offering a standout daughter (Lot 425) of triple G1 winning Equus Champion Elusive Fort. The latter is an excellent filly sire, with his daughters including G1 winners Siren’s Call and Lauderdale, as well as current smart performers Elusive Heart and Secret Potion.

The Summerview filly, named No Money Honey, is out of a winning Trippi daughter of Melting Moments. The latter is a nine time stakes winning daughter of champion sire and emerging broodmare sire Captain Al who is a ¾ sister to Irridescence Stakes winner Leeward.

No Money Honey is from an excellent family, with her relatives including the standout sprint stars Fov’s Favourite and Shea Shea, among many others.

The Fort is also represented by a quality yearling at the 2018 National Sale.

Their sole lot is Top Line (Lot 444), a colt by proven G1 sire Toreador. The latter’s numerous high class performers include champion Link Man, dual G1 winner Bull Valley, exported G1 performer Misty Birnam and current top galloper Matador Man.

Top Line, a half-brother to a winner, is out of a winning Jet Master half-sister to Politician Stakes winner Robinson Crusoe and his third dam is the G1 winning Dancing Champ mare Cool Success.

This is the same family as champion Argonaut and current high class stakes winner Sir David Baird –to name but two.

The 2018 National Sale is set to get underway at the TBA complex on April 24^th, with trading due to commence at 11:30 am.

Spring Valley Stud’s sire Just As Well, who has been consistent and at one point had an impressive runners to winners percentage of 53%, has produced a champion juvenile colt in Kenya – a horse bred by Jill Fox of The Fort Stud in partnership with Out Of Africa Stud.

The good looking bay colt named As Aragon is currently unbeaten from three starts, winning with ease. He won his maiden over 1400m, and a month later took the Nakuru Champion Stakes over 1400m – a two year old classic race. The next month saw him have his third start, winning the Sir Ali Bin Salim stakes over 1600m, also regarded as a two year old classic race. He has been nominated as favourite in the Kenya Guineas to be run in January 2017.

As Paragon sold for R40 000 at the 2015 National 2YO Sale, and is out of a Jet Master mare named Jet To Paradise. She has produced three foals, two of them unraced. Her third dam is Gazelle, the dam of Durban July winner, Gondolier. This damline includes Ernie and Stormy Kestrel, as well as Qatar multiple winner Classic Oasis.

Just As Well has excelled from small opportunities, having produced the likes of Well In Flight and Just As I Said, as well as Gr1 performer Just Africa. From his first crop he only had 12 registered foals and three went to Gr1 performances. He ended the 2015/2016 season on a winners to runners percentage of 41%, above the average of most stallions.

By supreme sire AP Indy,  his dam No Matter What is a Gr1 winner (by Nureyev, same cross as Judpot), and Just As Well himself crossed the line first in a Canadian Gr1 race which was sadly lost in the courtroom several months later. He is a half-brother to Gr1 Rainbow View and descends from the immediate family of Raven’s Pass and E Dubai.

Just As Well stands for just R10 000 this season.

Jill specialises in pretraining of horses, and provides the service of spelling, sales preparation and boarding of mares.

Jill has foals by Silvano, Black Minnaloushe, Noble Tune, Toreador, Mogok and former resident sire King Of Kings.