The KZN Breeders Club have purchased Gr1 winning son of Var, Eden Roc, to stand at stud in KZN.

A quality son of Var, a sire who needs no introduction, is out of Captain Al mare Townsend. The handsome bay colt boasts a pedigree that equals his good looks and race record, and he has trained sound up to his current age of six.

A session 1 National Yearling Sale consignee and trained by multiple Champion trainer Sean Tarry, Eden Roc won the Gr1 Gold Medallion over 1200m in only his second career start where he defeated Frosted Gold (NZ). He also won the Gr2 Golden Horseshoe just over a month later, to put him in contention for the Equus 2YO Colt award of his year. He followed up the following season to win the Gr2 Post Merchants, in which he defeated Gr1 winning stable mate Warrior’s Rest, Gr2 winner Ultra Magnus and Gr2 winner African Warrior.

He enjoyed six career wins and four Graded Stakes places, including second in the Gr3 Merchants Handicap and following up with a second in the Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint to Battle Force. He also finished fourth in the Gr2 Señor Santa and Gr3 Graham Beck Stakes respectively.

Star sprinters Chimichuri Run, Vars Vicky, MK’s Pride, Ikigai, Bohica, Pearl Of Asia, Mardi Gras, Mount Pleasant and Kasimir have all finished behind Eden Roc in his time.

His half brother by Gimmethegreenlight, Sandringham Summit (a R1,7-million yearling), looks to be continuing the family legacy – having won and placed second twice in his first three starts, he makes for a sharp prospect to follow for Champions Season.

Eden Roc’s dam, Captain Al mare Townsend is a half-sister to Regal Ransom, an 8-time winner including the Gr1 Champions Challenge. He is also closely related to Zapatillas, winner of the Gr2 World Sports Betting Guineas and Sophomore Sprint Listed, as well as Gr2 and Gr3 placed Shoemaker.

It is a pedigree boasting plenty of current activity on tracks nation wide and Eden Roc is an exciting asset for the KZN Breeders Club.

Shares will be available to purchase in Eden Roc, please contact Peter Blyth of Clifton Stud for further information on blyth@cliftonstud.co.za.

Watch Eden Roc’s Gr1 win:

Cathy and Jonathan Martin’s Hadlow Stud enjoyed a double in a week, with Im The Buzz (Flying The Flag) and Lady Lacewing (Danon Platina) both winning in a week. They have also had three places in addition to their wins from their last seven runners.

We reported on the prior win of Im The Buzz, who took the historical feature Carbineers silver trophy for Tienie Prinsloo, and Hadlow Stud enjoyed a follow up at the Pietermartizburg course with Lady Lacewing coming through to win for the The Racing Boys Syndicate and the team of Michael Miller.

The chestnut filly earned her owners the BSA Bonus cheque of R100 000, not a bad return for her purchase price of R80 000 off the 2022 KZN Yearling Sale excluding her stakes cheque. The filly out of Var mare Anatevka was part of a superb draft the Martins sent to Suncoast last year.

Anatevka is from the female line of Kommetdieding and Captain America, and she has produced two runners and two winners to date.

Cathy and Jonathan Martin have an AEPR of R43,096 and a winners to runners percentage of 38%.

The 2yo filly placed second on debut and followed up to run a phenomenal race to win by five lengths. 

From the family of Imperious Sue, Victory Moon and Royal Airforce, she sold to Mario for R500 000 at the 2019 National Yearling Sale (pictured). Hidden Beauty has a 2018 Noble Tune colt coming through. 

Paul Peter trained Springs Of Carmel pulled ahead to open a blinding 9 length lead, but Varina was having none of it and unleashed an impressive acceleration to fly past her to win by five. 

Varina was ridden by Aldo Domeyer. 

Congratulations to all concerned. 

Piemonte Stud have bred a very handsome but unusually marked Var colt named Aberto, as Lot 200 at the KZN Yearling Sale.

Out of Selkirk / Sadler’s Wells mare Irish Heroine, he is just about a guaranteed winner with his dam who has produced four winners from six runners – including 5-time winner Lee’s Pick, and very recent Oratorio debut winner, Di Me.

The third dam is Royal Heroine – herself a Champion Filly in the USA on turf with 10 wins in Europe and America, including top class Gr1 wins – Breeders Cup, Matriarch Stakes and the Hollywood Derby.

Piemonte Stud, a young farm who have already bred the likes of Gr3 winner O Tamara and Listed Winners Carlita and Alfeo – interestingly, all three of the aforementioned are all KZN Yearling Sales graduates.

Piemonte Stud are currently boasting a 38% winners to runners percentage for the season, 35 wins and 108 places for the season with 2 Black Type wins, and over R2,5-million in stakes earned.

Aberto is registered with the KZN Breeders Premium Scheme and qualifies as a #kznbred for the KZN Breeders Race Day in 2019.

View his catalogue page at the following link.

Speedy Val-La-Ree made all sit up and take notice at Scottsville yesterday, when the Hadlow-born Var filly and a grand-daughter of the great Dog Rose galloped to a four-length victory for trainer Doug Campbell and owners Sir George Albu, Messrs L S Naidoo and P D Robinson.

Sold for R150 000 off the 2017 KZN Yearling Sale, the beautiful daughter of Irish-bred Colchium is a first foal that was bred in partnership between Hallmark Thoroughbreds and Hadlow Stud.

Hallmark Thoroughbreds have had their name in lights owing to their brilliant broodmare First Arrival – the dam of of the likes of Light The Lights, In The Fast Lane, Pack Leader and Let’s Rock ‘n Roll, to name but a few.

Trainer Doug Campbell has recounted previously how her connections never placed a bet on Val-La-Ree in her first run, after her gallop at Scottsville saw the filly flitting all over the track and her antics didnt infuse much confidence for her first race – however she blew them away by winning on debut by four lengths! She has been ridden on both occasions by up and coming apprentice Dennis Schwarz, now based in Johannesburg.

Colchium is now owned by Cathy and Jonathan Martin of Hadlow Stud, and she currently has an outstanding Potala Palace foal at foot and in foal to Bush Hill Stud’s Flying The Flag.

It is an interesting pedigree – Colchium by Elnadim (Danzig), is the dam of Black-Type Smart Colleen who placed in the Stormsvlei Listed, and is herself a daughter of Dog Rose by Fort Wood. Colchium has also produced 6-time winner in Hong Kong, Flying Comfort (Travel Comfort), as well as two other winners.

Mauritzfontein-bred Dog Rose also produced Gr3 winner Saluki (GB) by Dubai Destination. The third dam is Lady Shirley Bird – this female line has produced Kestrel, Banbury, Colonial Girl and Pure Platinum.

Backworth Stud enjoyed a great weekend’s racing with their talented Var winning at Kenilworth, whilst Love Theme by Oratorio flew home for her first maiden win at Scottsville yesterday.

Talk Of The Town, who sold for R3-million at the CTS Select Yearling Sale, has now won both of his previous starts and placed from all four.

Trained by Joey Ramsden, the eye catching chestnut colt is impeccably bred out of a Street Cry mare and hails from a strong family that includes super sires Redoute’s Choice, Al Maher, Manhattan Rain (sire of Whisky Baron) and Hurricane Sky. Carrying top weight of 61.5kgs, Talk Of The Town won over 1400m under Anton Marcus by a length. An exciting future awaits this smart classical looking colt.

Love Theme followed up on Sunday for owners and breeders Bruce Le Roux and Tinus Gericke. The eyecatching Oratorio filly, who originally was to be sold alongside Talk Of The Town and got injured which saw those plans withdrawn, was offered later at the KZN Yearling Sale where she was knocked down for R450 000 to Bruce Le Roux.

Love Theme’s dam has the rare feat of producing two sprinting record setters – Humidor (by Miesque’s Approval) at Scottsville, and Scandal (by Muhtafal) at Fairview.

The mare is Lewinsky’s Lover by Jallad, hence the clever naming of her progeny! Again ridden to victory by Anton Marcus the day after Talk Of The Town, she has now won and placed from all three starts – unlucky last time out for second, after her jockey dropped his reins and saw her finish second gamely after recovery. Love Theme is trained by Duncan Howells and also looks to be a smart sort for the upcoming Champions Season next year.

Backworth, from small numbers have produced seven winners this month with nine places for the month of December.

Well done to all concerned!

It was a typical winter day in Mooi River with visibility interrupted after the neighbouring farm chose to burn their fire breaks for the season, but a big thank you to Bruce and Delia Le Roux for hosting the BSA KZN Mare Sale, with plenty of steak rolls, coffee and wine to keep everyone warm!

Backworth consigned three mares to the KZN Mare Sale held at Spring Valley Stud on Monday and all three topped the price list on Monday. The leading purchase was the eyecatching chestnut mare  – Lot 6 November Sky, who sold for R150 000 to Clifton Stud. Her oldest foal is a yearling by Var.

Peter Blyth of Clifton Stud commented that she was a lovely big mare with a leading pedigree, and a bonus of being in foal to Var who is a difficult stallion to access.

A half-sister to August Rush and Miss October, she is in foal to Var and descends from the female line of She’s On Fire, She’s A Pippa and Cream Of The Crop.

Jane Thomas purchased Hargraves Bell as Lot 20 on behalf of a client for R110 000 – the Royal Academy mare out of Bellhouse by Danehill is in foal to Querari.

Her Australian pedigree includes the current top family in South Africa, none other than the great Mystic Spring (herself by Royal Academy), the dam of Bela-Bela and the family of Rabiya and All Is Secret amongst others.

Syd and Shirley Rosseau of St Helier Stud purchased Lot 14 Ballad For Annie, for R90 000. The Rakeen mare is in foal to Oratorio, and is a half-sister to Ice Cube, Jagged Ice and descends from the damline of Grand Emporium.

The Rosseau’s had two runners on Vodacom Durban July day, with Varimax (a three parts brother to Rivarine by Var from the damline of Pocket Power) in the Gr2 Golden Horseshoe and Ryker in the KZN Yearling Sale Million.

The top priced weanling was Lot 32 which sold to Michael Roberts for R50 000.

The Visionaire colt out of Vanity by Jallad is a half-brother to two winners, from the family of Australian Gr1 winner, Dracula.

32 of the 40 Lots consigned were sold, at an average of R18 000 each, R4000 more than last year.

Well done to all concerned.

View the Gallery of the KZN Mare Sale pictures on Facebook at the following link.

View the price list. 

Backworth Stud, breeders of Gr1 winning filly Chocolicious, have a very special filly on sale at the KZN Yearling Sale, Backworth’s only offering. Lot 205 stable number C21, the filly named Extravargant is a full sister to Cuvara, a winning three year old son of Var out of Cupid’s Daughter (AUS) by Ad Valorem.

Cuvara has won and placed from all three of his starts for the stable of Tony Rivalland and owner Mrs Mary Liley.

The dam of Lot 205 Extravargant, Cupid’s Daughter, sold for R650 000 at Backworth Stud’s April Dispersal Sale a few months back.

Cupid’s daughter won twice and placed three times. She is by Ad Valorem (Danzig) out of a Redoute’s Choice mare Albaicin.

This is the damline of several Australian Bold Black Types, including 9-time winner Generalife, Celebrity Girl and 10-time winner, Kablammo.

Lot 205 Extravargant will sell on the second day of the Auction, 30 June, beginning at 12:00 in the afternoon.

Backworth have previously bred and sold the likes of Gr2 winner by Judpot, Colour Of Courage, off the KZN Yearling Sale.