Raised at Cathy and Jonathan Martin’s Hadlow Stud in Mooi River for St John’s Graystone Stud, the chestnut is out of Jet Master mare Bennie And the Jets. Ronnie’s Candy has a Mogok half-sister (2yo) who has just entered pretraining, and her dam has a yearling by Bezrin.

Cathy reports that unfortunately Bennie and the Jets didn’t have a foal this year, but she is in foal to Potala Palace for the 2020 season.

Ronnies Candy is a nominee at the KZN Breeders upcoming annual Awards, where she is in the category for Champion 3YO Filly and Champion Middle Distance Filly.

Her Race Record is 4 wins and 7 places – including the Gr2 SA Fillies Nursery where she beat Celtic Sea, the Gr3 Starling Stakes where she again beat Celtic Sea and Running Brave, a win at the Vaal before her Gr2 yesterday.

She has also placed in three other Graded Stakes races and has earned R842,775 in stakes.

Congratulations to all concerned!

In other KZN related news, young Klawervlei sire Captain Of All is making a name for himself.

The Gr1 winning son of Captain Al looks to be taking the baton from his champion sire. He is out of a #kznbred Fard mare Serious Side, who was bred by Robert Smith. His son Shango won the Gr2 Dingaans yesterday for trainer Sean Tarry. Captain Of All was the leading juvenile sire this past season by Stakes Earned.

Bize, bred by Moutonshoek won her second start yesterday at Turffontein in the Oaks Trial Listed and is definitely on the list of a horse to following the future.

The three year old filly, out of a Goldmark mare is trained by Alec Laird and owned by Mr J Gerber.

Bize won by close to two lengths over the 2000m from favourite and well-bred Drakenstein filly Seville Orange.

Bize was bought back for R100 000 at the 2017 National Yearling Sale and debuted on 22 January, winning over 1600m by almost a length. Her dam has produced 1 previous 3-time winner in Mistaken Identity – this is the family that has both roots at KZN farms Clifton Stud and Rathmor.

With Mambo In Seattle standing at Clifton Stud, another great flashy chestnut to come from this farm and under the third dam of this pedigree was Gr2 winner Bezanova, who was also trained by Alec Laird for owner – the Late Chris Gerber.

It is also the damline of Malteme, the ill-fated Gr1 winner Wendywood and Vodacom Durban July winner Power King.

There was plenty of news yesterday for sire Mambo In Seattle, not only achieving a double at Turffontein with Mercer Girl winning over 1000m, but Majestic Mambo having his Dubai debut in the Gr1 Jebel Hatta last night.

At 40/1 and his first start since leaving South Africa immediately after his 4th place in the Vodacom Durban July, he impressed his connections and trainer Mike De Kock to finish strongly after sitting in third position until the turn, he finished midfield off the winner in 6th place under Bernard Fay’d Herbe – a good effort after 8 months of not seeing a racecourse and a tedious journey to Dubai.

Racing in the colours of Wilgerbosdrift, he is owned in partnership by Mrs Mary Slack and Mr J Peter, formerly trained by Paul Peter.

Mambo In Seattle who stands 16.3h, is no stranger to Gr1 horses with the likes of Same Jurisdiction and Saratoga Dancer, has had 46 wins this season and over R4,4-million in stakes earned.

Mambo In Seattle relocated to Clifton Stud in 2018 and stood his first breeding season in KZN for a fee of just R10 000.

#kznbred Dawn Assault has snatched the Gr3 London News Stakes from favoured Al Danza and Pietro Mascagni (a R2,3-million yearling). Second to Tilbury Fort in the Gr1 Summer Cup, Dawn Assault is yet another feather in the cap for owner / breeder / trainer St John Gray.

St John has had a fantastic season and has another special horse on his hands with the talented #kznbred Ronnie’s Candy, a Gr2 and Gr3 winner.

Graystone Stud boast phenomenal stats – with a 37% winners to runners percentage, 12 wins for the season and 86 places, with a very impressive average earnings per runner figure of over R70 000.

Ridden by Karl Zechner in a brilliantly judged ride, this is the second time in recent history this race has gone to a #kznbred – prior 2017 winner Romany Prince (bred by Rather), who nearly came down in the race with Luke Ferraris aboard, got back on his feet and steadied himself but finished unplaced.

Dawn Assault, by St John Gray’s stallion Call To Combat out of Cayman Ridge by Al Mufti, is now a 7-time winner and has won R1,115,425 in stakes. A previous winner of the Drum Star Handicap, Dawn Assault as a 5yo entire is getting better with age.

Born and raised by Cathy and Jonathan Martin of Hadlow Stud who manage St John Gray’s breeding operation within their own, they also stand the brilliant 5-time Gr1 winner Dancewiththedevil, again bred, owned and trained by St John Gray.

In other recent KZN related news, Gr1 winner Lady In Black trained by Dennis Drier finished powerfully with a courageous run behind the brilliant Oh Susanna (AUS) in yesterday’s Gr1 Cartier Paddock Stakes. Rathmor Stud stand her dam Mystery Dame, who has a Noble Tune colt on offer at the upcoming Nationals in April.

Bush Hill Stud’s Irish Flame got Black Type win his daughter Just My Style placed third in the Lady’s Bracelet (Listed) at Fairview for trainer Sharon Kotzen. Out of a Jet Master mare, Just My Style has won 3 times and placed 7.

Bush Hill also had a very impressive debut winner yesterday with Gareth Van Zyl’s imposing King’s Chapel filly Daidala. A race that could have gone the way of any of the horses in the first three, she flew up on the railing in facile fashion to snatch victory by a quarter of a length from Frosty Princess.

Well done to all concerned.

KZN had a brilliant day yesterday at Turffontein, kicking it off with a surprise Gr2 win in the SA Fillies Nursery, whilst Takingthepeace did not disgrace herself to finish 4th in her Triple Tiara bid, and Summerhill gained another outstanding Gr1 with son of Await The Dawn, Hero’s Honour.

For a small province, an outstanding day indeed when racing with the best in Gauteng!

Reminiscent of the shock win by King’s Temptress a few years back, another daughter of King Of Kings came flying through to win the Gr2 SA Fillies Nursery for owner, breeder and trainer St John Gray.

In the process, Ronnie’s Candy defeated the most expensive filly ever sold at a BSA National Yearling Sale, with R5-million Ghaalla finishing second two and a half lengths off.

Ronnie’s Candy, winning third time out and for the first time at Turffontein, after placing in her first two starts over 1000m and 1200m and franking the form of two of the horses she lost against previously, is out of Jet Master mare Bennie Andthe Jets.

St John Gray purchased Bennie Andthe Jets off the 2015 KZN Mare Sale consigned by The Fort Stud, when she was in foal to King Of Kings and carrying Ronnie’s Candy.

The mare was previously owned by Aldora Stud and is from the last crop of the great racehorse, King Of Kings, who ended his days at Jill Fox’s The Fort Stud after suffering from heart failure in February 2015.

The dam of Gr3 placed Mogok Master stands at Cathy and Jonathan Martin’s Hadlow Stud for St John Gray, and currently has a Mogok yearling colt, and a Mogok weanling filly and in foal to Bezrin – the sire of recent Kenilworth Stakes winner, Too Phat To Fly and Bezanova.

All eyes were on the brave Visionaire KZN-bred filly Takingthepeace, in the third leg of the Triple Tiara and she was not disgraced. Coming off her customary run from the back of the field, she made up masses of ground over the 2450m to finish a very admirable fourth, just two lengths off in the Gr2 SA Oaks which may have been a stretch too long for her. Takingthepeace has made KZN immensely proud once again and particularly for Champion breeders, Summerhill Stud.

Comeback Kid Mark Khan defied  fitness doubts and the generous betting  odds to grab his fourth SA Derby winner when steering longshot Hero’s Honour home for Gary Alexander in the R2 million Gr1 SA Derby at Turffontein on Saturday.

A five-times SA champion jockey, Khan was having his first Gr1 ride in over 7 years when throwing a leg over Hero’s Honour as he turned back time and made a mockery of age and battle scars – and  that after retiring from the saddle in 2010.

Khan returned to race riding in August last year, hurt a knee while work riding and was off for six months from the end of October. This was his first win since his recent return to riding.

A maiden winner, Hero’s Honour was trying the 2450m for the first time on Saturday and taking on some big guns. But he produced the goods to give Gary Alexander his third SA Derby success and the jockey-trainer combination a second after Timber Trader won the race in 2002.

Khan had Hero’s Honour relaxed in fifth as Walter Smoothie and Gambado showed the way all the way around. At the 400m, Aldo Domeyer produced Ashley Fortune’s Cash Time down the centre with what looked to be a winning surge. But Hero’s Honour slipped down the rail and took command as Surcharge and Noble Secret took off late.

At the line, the multiple champion jockey had judged it to perfection and the 55-1 shot Hero’s Honour registered an impressive win by 1,50 lengths in a time of 155,09.

A R300 000 2016 CTS Johannesburg Ready To Run Sale graduate, Hero’s Honour has won two races with two places from six starts for stakes of R1 354 600.

Bred by Summerhill, the winner is by Await The Dawn  – a  son of Giant’s Causeway who stood for less than two years at Summerhill Stud before he died of a heart attack in October 2014.

Await The Dawn is a very sad loss to breeding in KZN, having headed the first season ranks of his year by a superior winners to runners percentage – and he continues to do so, currently at an outstanding 47.7%.

Hero’s Honour is out of the versatile four-time winner Grail Maiden (Galileo), who won from 1200m to 2400m, and no doubt imparted her staying genes to her son. Summerhill has had huge success with Galileo mares, which have produced Gr2 winner Intergalactic and the great Igugu.

Congratulations to all concerned!

-extract sportingpost.co.za

Another impressive day for KZN-breds at Turffontein yesterday, as five of the 10 races carded went to horses born and raised in Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Amongst the winners was the second career win for Mike De Kock-trained daughter of Crusade, Onamission, for owners Messrs Matthew de Kock, C Gordon, T Quigley, P E White, Brad and Brett Summers. The black Roski-bred filly (which is no surprise as both of her parents are exactly the same – black with no markings!) is out of Gr2 winner Tempted (out of Tempter) by Jallad.

Under an exceptional ride from Callan Murray, the R120 000 purchase off the 2016 National Yearling Sale defeated Best Kept Secret, a R5,250 000 graduate off the 2016 CTS Premier Yearling Sale by a length.

Summerhill had a great day with wins from three of their stallions, including KZN Breeders Award nominee The Elmo Effect winning under a top weight of 60.5kgs by Lyle Hewitson in an MR90 Handicap over 1800m. The Admire Main half-brother to Gr2 winner Heaps Of Fun secured his sixth career victory for owners Messrs Pravin Chetty and H B Odendaal. The Elmo Effect has been nominated for KZN Breeders Outstanding Stayer and Outstanding Middle Distance Male.

Await The Dawn is proving indeed to be a sad loss to breeding in KZN – he had yet another winner yesterday for Paul Peter with Tammany Hall – a three year old out of the brilliant Bridal Paths.

She thumped her opposition in weight – carrying the top under Keagan De Melo at 60.5kgs to finish almost half a length in front of Fish River Canyon, carrying 53.5kgs. Tammany Hall, who had a name change and sold for R80 000 at the 2016 CTS Ready To Run Sale, is now a 2-time winner from three starts.

Await The Dawn is the leading 3yo sire nationally by winners to runners percentage of 34% (as of 11-10-2017 nhra.co.za). He also lead as the 2yo sire by these statistics.

From the Summerhill website: “Await The Dawn was entitled to be a top stallion, bred as he was on a foal share between two of the best stud farms the world has known, Juddmonte and Coolmore. Like the immortal Frankel, he was the pick of his year for Coolmore, and while his career was one of unfulfilled expectations just as it was blossoming into that of a major Group One performer, the manner of his Group race victories from Ireland to Royal Ascot was that of a horse with “Arc” pretentions.

Coolmore’s rotten luck was to be South Africa’s fortune, and he was imported to Summerhill with precisely what he’s doing right now in mind. Sadly, with less than a half crop from his second season at stud, just a handful of his progeny remain for sale, and they’ll come under the hammer at the Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale on Wednesday 25th October.

The difference between these and the last progeny of an aging stallion is simply this: whereas older stallions often “train off”, here was a horse in the prime of his life, whose stock on the ground have caught the attentions of some of the country’s finest judges.”

Summerhill will be hosting their Ready To Run Sale on 25 October at the School Of Excellence. The last crop of the Await The Dawns are on offer – make sure you dont miss out!

Considering the minority of the numbers of horses produced in KZN compared to the neighbouring provinces, two of them – one a KZN-bred, the other by a KZN sire, came very close to securing Gr1 victories but finished close second each. There were plenty of results over the weekend which saw KZN-breds place closely in several feature races in both Kenilworth, Turffontein and Borrowdale in Zimbabwe.

Kahal produced a Gr1 winner in Zimbabwe when Summerhill-bred Comanche Brave secured the exclusive Zimbabwean race, the Gr1 Castle Tankard from Royal Honour (by Archipenko). Trained by Amy Bronkhurst, the four year old also won the Breeders Champions Cup Listed in March this year.

The tone was set in the first race of the day at Turffontein, with the first four across the line all hailing from KZN including the second placed Bold Viking – the Bellwood Stud-bred a winner of the Egoli Mile Non-Black Type.

From there, Bush Hill Stud’s useful Aramouse secured his fourth career victory in the second race, with Just As I Said finishing third. Aramouse is a full brother by Kahal to Gr2 winner The Mouseketeer. Sad news in is that his three parts brother Cat ‘n Mouse, which Sean Tarry had very high hopes for, died accidently in the float on the way home after winning his debut recently by a scorching five lengths. His Crusade half-sister sold for R100 000 at the recent National Yearling Sale to Grant Maroun.

KZN-breds Lions Emblem (Lion Tamer) and Coby (AP Arrow) both finished second and third respectively from Hermoso Mundo in the Gr3 Gold Vase. Lion’s Emblem has been an unlucky bridesmaid in several of SA’s leading staying races and needs to be respected.

The previously undefeated Daring Diva (by King Of Kings) experienced her first loss in the Gr2 SA Fillies Nursery, but still managed to capture futher Black Type in third place. The juvenile daughter of King Of Kings is bred and owned by Gerald Kalil, and won the Ruffian Stakes Listed in her previous start.

Mogok has not lost his touch and Varsfontein-bred Pagoda further strengthened his bid for an entry into the Vodacom Durban July by finishing second in the Gr1 SA Derby under Gavin Lerena. Pagoda previously won the Derby Trial Listed and he looks an exciting prospect indeed.

Equus Champion Sprinter Talktothestars bounced back to finish second in the Gr1 Computaform Sprint behind Rafeef by a length – in the process he beat the smart Carry On Alice, Brutal Force, Isca and many other other leading sprinters in the process, after being a bit off colour in his previous four starts. The son of Overlord finished second in this race to Carry On Alice in 2016. His half-brother by Eightfold Path sold for R80 000 to Stone Hill Stud at last week’s National Yearling Sale.

Kenilworth on Saturday saw Roski Stud’s Zodiac Jack place third in the Somerset 1200 Listed for juveniles for trainer Greg Ennion and owners Messrs O Schoeman & Braam van Huyssteen. The first son of 10-time winner Pisces Star (by Kahal) and Just As Well has earned cheques from three of his five starts, including breaking his maiden by five lengths. Just As Well boasts a 45% winners to runners percentage and his progeny were not ignored at the Nationals – with World Wide Bloodstock signing for a full brother to Just Positive and half-brother to 6-time winner Silver Inspiration, for a price of R120 000. His other yearlings from Roski, including siblings to recent juvenile winner Onamission and a first foal of Princess Julietta, sold for R150 000 and R110 000 respectively.

Another not to be ignored is Bezrin’s smart 2yo daughter To Phat To Fly – owned in partnership by trainer Glen Kotzen and Sean Pillay, the filly won on debut and finished second in a well-bred field of Cape juveniles in the Perfect Promise Sprint (Listed). Contrary to confusing reports last year, Bezrin is actively at stud in Mooi River, standing at Cathy and Jonathan Martin’s Hadlow Stud – the home of St John Gray’s Graystone Stud that has produced many champions, amongst them Engagement and Dancewiththedevil.

Summerhill Stud will be presenting their Mare and Weanling Reduction sale this weekend on May 14. Contact Amorette on info@summerhill.co.za to rsvp and visit the following link to apply for a buyers card.

Mares catalogued include Jordie – the dam of dual Gr1 winner Rabada, Surfer’s Eye – the dam of several bold black types and Particular Passion – the dam of Gr1 winner, Love Struck.

View the catalogue at the following link.

The Vodacom Durban July list of first declarations arrived this afternoon – amongst the entries for Africa’s most exclusive Gr1 race are KZN-breds Africa Rising, Witchcraft, Pagoda (Varsfontein bred by Mogok), The Elmo Effect and Bold Viking.

Congratulations to all concerned on a great weekends racing!

KZN-breds and horses by KZN sires won four of the nine race card at Turffontein yesterday, including three of the days features – the Oaks Trial Listed, the Derby Trial and the Gr2 Senor Santa Stakes, whilst Rabada’s grey half-brother won over 2000m on debut in the last race.

KZN produces less than 20% of the racing stock annually in South Africa and yesterday’s performances at Turffontein are not to be ignored.

Golden Sword’s daughter, who gave him his first winner two year ago – Belle Rose, also gave her sire his first Stakes winner and provided the first of a Stake winning double on the day for her sensational dam, Vin Fizz (Champagne Haze winning the Gr2 Senor Santa later in the day).

Mike De Kock trained High Chaparral’s outstanding son Golden Sword in the latter part of his career, and labelled the Summerhill sire the best horse of a classy generation in his overseas string.  Golden Sword still holds the record for the fastest 2000m at Meydan.

Callan Murray had Belle Rose relaxed about five lengths off pacesetter Emily Jay in the sixteen horse charge that moved into the long Turffontein home straight.

Belle Rose glided up hard against the steel in the centre at the 400m marker, closely tracked by Wind Chill.

Under a beautifully balanced left handed ride, the Callan Murray kept Belle Rose to her task and she stayed on doggedly to hold the determined Wind Chill by a head in a time of 124,46 secs.

The Woodruff runner Parabola came on steadily to get third ahead of Scott Bros’Costa Da Sol. The latter ran a gutsy race from her wide draw.

Belle Rose was purchased by Form Bloodstock for R475 000 at the 2015 CTS Johannesburg Ready To Run Sale.

SA champion breeders Summerhill Stud also produced Gr2 Senor Santa winner Champagne Haze and the last race 2000m debut winner, Glider Pilot – the latter an AP Arrow half-brother to dual Gr1 winner, Rabada.

Glider Pilot sold initially for R475 000 off the CTS Ready To Run Sale to Adriaan Van Vuuren, and resold for only R65 000 off the 2016 November Mixed Sale – trained by Tyrone Zackey and owned by Mr K P & Mrs N M Backos & Mr S F G Habib. His grey dam Jordie has an outstanding foal by Trippi this year at Summerhill.

Belle Rose is by Golden Sword out of the versatile four-time winning Qui Danzig mare, Vin Fizz – dam of the day’s Gr2 1160m winner, Champagne Haze. She also produced the brilliant Pierre Jourdan and 7-time winner Dakiwe, definitely thrown her name into the hat as KZN Breeders Broodmare Of The Year.

The high – class Pierre Jourdan’s half-brother Champagne Haze is a previous winner of the 2015 Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup and produced a sensational victory in the R400 000 Gr2 Senor Santa Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday.

While he has won up to a mile, Champagne Haze’ best recent form has been over the sprints – yet he was easy to back when lining up in the 1160m Gr2 feature against some serious speed merchants. Champagne Haze won by two lengths in a time of 65,49s.

Champagne Haze has won five races with six places from his 15 starts for stakes of a healthy R2 065 050.

The winner, astutely purchased at the CTS Johannesburg RTR Sale for R280 000, is by Kahal.

Ever consistent sire Mogok added yet another Stakes winner to his list with Varsfontein-bred Pagoda taking the Derby Trial.

Pagoda collected his second win on the trot, making it the three year old Mogok gelding’s third career win. Pagoda – out of Pascha by Wolfhound – had previously placed three times including the Sea Cottage Stakes Listed.

Trained by Geoff Woodruff and owned in partnership by Messrs Kuben Gengan, Rajen Devan, G V Woodruff & Mrs S E M Louw, Pagoda sold for R100 000 off the 2015 Val De Vie Cape Yearling Sale, and has earned almost R400 000 including the BSA Value Added Stakes bonus of R77 500.

This is the immediate damline of Do You Remember, Festive Occasion and KZN-bred Sarasota.

Congratulations to Summerhill Stud and all the winning connections!

– extract sportingpost.co.za