Blue Sky Thoroughbreds will be offering a well-balanced and exciting consignment at this year’s National Yearling Sale.

From proven stallions such as Act Of War, Futura, Master Of My Fate, Querari and champion sire Gimmethegreenlight to exciting younger sires such as Danon Platina and New Predator, Blue Sky Thoroughbreds’ National Sale draft has something for every buyer.

Champion sire Gimmethegreenlight is represented here by a colt (Lot 333) whose five-time winning dam is a daughter of G2 SA Oaks winner Bedloe’s Island, and a half-sister (Lot 344) to G3 Cape Classic victor Captain Tatters.

Another top sire represented in Blue Sky Thoroughbreds’s string is Querari, with the latter sire of a three-parts brother (Lot 172) to the Querari sired G1 Thekwini Stakes winner Querari Falcon.

Lacewing (Lot 74) is a filly by the very promising Danon Platina out of G3 Strelitzia Stakes queen She’s A Stunner, while The Lodge (Lot 114) is a Master Of My Fate colt is a colt from the family of G1 Computaform Sprint winning sire sensation Rafeef and the latter’s champion dam National Colour, as well as the Master Of My Fate sired G2 winner Basadi Faith.

Former G2 Charity Mile/G2 Drill Hall Stakes winner New Predator has made a sensational start to his stud career and the son of Derby winner New Approach has no fewer than nine yearlings on offer in this draft. New Predator yearlings on sale include a colt (Lot 113) out of a stakes winning daughter of top-class broodmare sire Windrush, a half-sister (Lot 140) to G3 Strelitzia Stakes heroine Neptune’s Rain, a filly (Lot 144) out of Var’s stakes winning daughter Winter Passion, and a half-sister (Lot 263) to this season’s smart three-year-old filly Raratonga Rose.

The aforementioned draft can be viewed from Blocks C and E at the TBA complex in Germiston.

Majestic Power, a half brother to smart debut winner by New Predator, Calling All Angels, followed up with a back to back win for trainer Gary Rich, owned by retired trainer Julie Guthrie in a partnership. Blue Sky have a New Predator yearling on offer at Nationals, a sibling to the aforementioned winners on offer as Lot 133, out of Windrush mare The Angelus.

The day started with a very smart debut win for the Hollywood Syndicate, Hugsandhighfives named for premier football club Brentford FC with whom Hollywoodbets are associated as a sponsor. The daughter of Master Of My Fate trained by Garth Puller looks sharp – a half sister to the useful Black Type AJ’s Captain, give a great ride by Athandiwe Magudlwa and looks a horse to follow for the coming KZN season.

Another victory on the same day came from Maggie Tee (Act Of War), out of Fantasy Lady by Kahal. She has won back to back now for trainer Mark Dixon over 1200m on the Polytrack, ridden by leading apprentice jockey Rachel Venniker for owners Messrs H F T Lin, G N Cumming, M Dixon & C N Larsson who have also had a number of wins with this female line.

Get In The Q, another for trainer Mark Dixon for the same owners as above and including Mr C Gordon, won under a forward ride from Keagan De Melo. It is the third win for the Querari filly out of Silver Fantasy, and has only been out of the money in one start from eight. She is a half sister to feature filly Silent Crusade, and Blue Sky are offering a William Longsword half brother as Lot 79 at Nationals.

Consistent African Dusk, by Ideal World out of Sunrise In Africa by Trippi, got his second career win at Hollywoodbets Scottsville for trainer Garth Puller, ridden by Tristan Godden over the mile. This is a family that has been good to Garth Puller, a half sister to African Skyline who has won several for Garth and his owners.

Blue Sky will be transporting a large draft of 25 quality #kznbred yearlings to Nationals in April.

Their respective NHRA stats:

Bruce Le Roux – 50% winners to runners and an AEPR R55,575

Blue Sky Thoroughbreds – 37.5% winners to runners an AEPR of R47,828

Tinus Gericke – a winner from a handful of runners for the season.

Visit them in Block C at the TBA Complex, the Nationals is set to take place on 21 and 22 April.

Coin Spinner, a handsome ‘head spinner’ at the Nationals where he sold for R475 000, has made it three wins in a row for trainer Tony Rivalland and owners Messrs Sadha Naidoo,R Maingard & Mrs M D J Liley.

Under Keagan De Melo, the William Longsword colt won going away over 1200m.

He carries a wonderful female line with the likes of Redberry Lane, Solo Traveller, Flying Ice and Purple Diamond seen close up in the pedigree.

Out of Strawberry Line by Western Winter, the mare has a Willow Magic yearling to come through for breeders Blue Sky Thoroughbreds, who have purchased Yellow Star Stud to continue their breeding operation – a partnership of Tinus Gericke and Bruce Le Roux.

Blue Sky Thoroughbreds boasts a 50% winners to runners percentage for the current season from just six runners.

They have an immaculate draft coming up for the National Yearling Sale – including a Rafeef filly out of Gr2 winner A Woman’s Way, a Lancaster Bomber filly out of Trippi’s Girl and New Predator out of The Angelus – the previous two mares bred by Bruce Le Roux.

Coin Spinner may be one to follow come KZN’s Champions Season!

Blue Sky Thoroughbreds, a partnership between Bruce Le Roux and Tinus Gericke, have bred their first winner after they started accumulating mares together in 2016 and their efforts are being rewarded. They are based at the farm of Bruce Le Roux in Mooi River, Spring Valley Stud, that has yielded multiple Gr1 winners and many talented racehorses over the years.

A grey colt by Legislate opened their account at Hollywoodbets Greyville last week – and looks to be a smashing individual for the Mike Miller Racing Stable after placing 2nd on debut over 1500m, and winning his third start after jumping late – showing a sharp turn of foot to win by 4 lengths over 1900m. His 2nd start shows as unplaced over 2400m – but its a race that needs to be seen, after he jumped late and had the fastest finishing 400m of any horse in the field.

Trained by Mike Miller for his son Sterling Miller and partners, and bought for just R70 000 off the 2019 National 2YO Sale, Silver Fox Dog (named by a little boy associated with the family) could be a Gr1 horse for the 2021 Champions Season.

Amongst the 20 mares owned in partnership by Blue Sky Thoroughbreds are Silver Fantasy who has produced multiple winners and Black Type, Beautiful Princess (a full sister to 7-time winner Laser Star), Strawberry Line (whose first foal sold for R475 000 at the Nationals held in July), Trippi’s Girl, Bedloe’s Island who has produced multiple winners, the beautifully bred Modraj (IRE) from the dam line of Galileo (and the dam of Dubai winner Alareef and Gr3 Gold Vase winner Just Cruised In), Kahula, and Group winners for the partnership above who were purchased as yearlings – A Women’s Way and the Gr3 winning and at one point unbeaten Hashtagyolo, and then Rain Gal by Galileo.

The goal of Blue Sky Thoroughbreds is to acquire the best families possible in the stud book in order to breed the best, and their strike rate for purchasing fillies to race and succeed with a view for stud is excellent.

Amongst Spring Valley’s six Lots on offer at the upcoming Emperors Palace National 2YO Sale which has encompassed the KZN Yearling Sale, is Lot 89 for the partnership – a Futura colt out of the now deceased Devonella by Kahal. She has produced 2 winners, and descends from the family of Devon Air (3rd dam) that has produced Gr1 winner, Tempting Fate.

Tinus Gericke and Bruce Le Roux of Spring Valley have had their first winner in their joint colours of Blue Sky Thoroughbreds at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday.

Having purchased and raced several choicely bred fillies with their future aim at stud, they won yesterday with the Michael Roberts trained Amber Forever, a daughter of Bold Silvano out of Pretty Waves by Crimson Waves.

They purchased her for R450 000 off the 2018 National Yearling Sale.

She is a half-sister to Gr1 winner Querari Falcon, from the family of Savannah Queen and On Her Toes.

Bruce and Tinus have bought mares such as Gr3 winner Hashtagyolo, currently in foal to Gimmethegreenlight, and Gr2 winner A Women’s Way who sadly lost her foal this year. There is always the story of ‘the one that got away’ and that happened to be Green Pepper!

Bruce and Tinus also own Love Theme – a half-sister to two speed record setters Humidor and Scandal, Chartreuse and Marsala.

Both Tinus and Bruce have enjoyed success in their own right – Tinus owns a share in the smart Rivarine, whilst Bruce has bred amongst many Gr1 winners VDJ winner Dunford, Buy And Sell, Indiscreet Fantasy and many more.

All the best to this partnership in future!

The successful partnership of Tinus Gericke and Bruce Le Roux (Chairman of the KZN Breeders Club) have purchased a share in South Africa’s champion sire Dynasty.

Bruce and Tinus have been purchasing well bred fillies from yearling sales countrywide to improve their broodmare band in KZN over the past few years, and have achieved an excellent strike rate with every single one flying past the winning post in first place so far – including two achieving Graded Stakes success – a Gr2 win with Var mare A Woman’s Way, and the unbeaten sensational filly, Hashtagyolo, who captured the Gr3 Flamboyant.

Hashtagyolo is a Varsfontein-bred daughter of Dynasty who looks to the have the Triple Crown in her sights.

Next month’s Parade Magazine will feature the story of both Bruce Le Roux and Tinus Gericke, who have purchased amongst the fillies A Woman’s Way, Marsala, Hashtagyolo, Love Theme and originally, the great Green Pepper!

Farms in KZN are standing superb mares at the moment across the board including Streetwise (the dam of Talk Of The Town), Vinn Fizz (dam of Pierre Jourdan, Champagne Haze and Belle Rose) and two of the most expensive mares to sell at CTS Premier Mare Sale in 2017 and 2018 (almost R6-million between the two mares), as well as Mystery Dame (Lady In Black) amongst many others have found their way to Nottingham Road.

Champion Breeders for over 10 years nationally, Summerhill Stud’s broodmare band have carried them to this outstanding achievement and stand the dams of two Gr1 winners in particular, and not excluding Scott Bros, who have lost track of the sheer number of Group Winners they have produced over almost 50 years, and have been in the top 10 on the National Breeders Log for many years without fail.

KZN currently stand two sons of Dynasty at stud, Act Of War (first crop are foals) and Irish Flame. Dynasty is following in the footsteps of his great sire Fort Wood, a prolific sire, sire of sires and broodmare sire.

KZN’s achievements at the tracks countrywide are quite remarkable, considering we stand less than 20% of the national broodmare band.

Some of the leading stallions and stallion prospects in the country have KZN roots – the most prolific being KZN-bred Jet Master who needs no introduction, whilst Yellow Star-born Futura, bred by Guy Murdoch is by Dynasty and off to a smart start with a crop of handsome foals. His Drakenstein-based racing and stable mate, Legislate’s dam line has KZN roots, whilst Querari’s Gr1 winning third dam was raced by Des Scott of Scott Bros. Peter Blyth of Clifton Stud is also part of Dynasty’s history as he stood Commodore Blake and sold Blake’s Affair as a young filly.

Congratulations to Bruce and Tinus and we look forward to the progeny to come from Spring Valley in the future.