KZN is having a great season with two Gr1 winners amongst our Stakes Winners this season, and three of our #kznbreds walked away with Awards – including two out of three Triple Tiara winner, Takingthepeace.

Owner, trainer and breeder St John Gray was rewarded for his smart Gr2 SA Fillies Nursery winner, Ronnie’s Candy by King Of Kings, won Champion 2YO Filly, whilst Takingthepeace took the Award for Champion 3YO Filly.

The daughter of Visionaire was bred by Summerhill Stud and has recently been bought into by the Kieswetter’s of Highlands, Part Of Ridgemont. The Sporting Post reported an updated on Takingthepeace from Mathew De Kock.

“Everybody wants to know what is happening to near SA Triple Tiara heroine, Takingthepeace, who was scratched from the July.

“She’s currently having a well deserved rest and Highlands-Ridgemont’s Ross and Craig Kieswetter have bought in and will race her with Murray Makepeace and Michael Shea. It is great to have more young dynamic owners in the yard. She will also be a top-class addition to the powerful Highlands broodmare ranks one day,” said Mathew.

It was a Gr1 double for Summerhill Stud, who also boast that they sold three Gr1 winners off the 2016 CTS Ready To Run Sale – Brave Mary (bred by Rupert Plersch), Hero’s Honour and Takingthepeace, but it was Hero’s Honour that took the Award for Champion Stayer last night, after winning the Gr1 SA Derby.

Another horse to be mentioned is Attenborough, who was bred in partnership by Pippa Mickelburgh and KZN Breeders Ian Todd and Keith Russon. He won the award for Champion Sprinter.

Both Ronnie’s Candy and Attenborough will be racing at Gold Circle’s Speed Festival on Saturday at Scottsville, sponsored by Tsogo Sun.

Congratulations to the winning breeders and connections on an outstanding result!

Images: JC Photos

Cascada is owned by French couple Xavier and Nathalie Bozo. They have been breeders for over 40 years in France, where they own a stud farm. Xavier is also a bloodstock agent.

Cascada is owned by French couple Xavier and Nathalie Bozo. They have been breeders for over 40 years in France, where they own a stud farm. Xavier is also a bloodstock agent.

Also following Cascada on Sunday was the Bozo’s great friend Aliette Forien, who bred last year’s Epsom Derby winner Wings Of Eagles.

She has displayed an interest in taking a share in Cascada. Another follower from France was the Bozo’s friend Emmanuel Chevalier Du Fau, who trained French Oaks winner Dunette, a daughter of Cascada’s fourth dam, Pram. Dunette’s half-sister Godille, who is Cascada’s third dam, was imported to South Africa.

Godille’s claim to fame is that she is the grandam of the Summerhill-bred Gold Cup winner Desert Links.

It was little wonder Xavier believed Cascada should be tried over more ground.

He said, “She ran twice over 1000m at Scottsville last year, but just to learn because she was not ready and was very green. Then she had a three month break and came back to finish second over 1200m on the Greyville turf.”

In her next start over 1400m she was too far back from a wide draw and finished fourth. Xavier persuaded Campbell to put her over further and she was duly entered in Sunday’s 1600m event.

Unfortunately she landed a wide draw of ten. However, Campbell managed to get in-form Warren Kennedy to ride her. Kennedy knew the main danger, Two Moon Junction, was a handy but somewhat one-paced horse, so he planned to be close to her in the running. He managed to get on to the flank of Two Moon Junction and Cascada duly quickened past her and then found another gear to fend her off.

Xavier reckons Cascada, despite being quite “hot” and possessing plenty of speed, will stay 2000m “easily”. She looks to have a bright future ahead of her.

She was bought for a mere R25,000 at the Summerhill Summer Ready To Run Sale. The chief reason for the purchase was the Bozo’s recognising the French mares in her female line. Nathalie inspected Cascada in the rain before the Sale. Like some of her French ancestors, the filly was small but nicely put together. So the Bozo’s decided to buy her “for fun”.

The Bozo’s approached Richmond-based Doug Campbell at the Sale and asked him to train the filly, having been told he trained the good Visionaire filly Lala.

Nathalie and Cascada (Candiese Marnewick)

The Bozo’s have bred some good horses in France in their time, including the Group 1-winning filly miler Gorella, who was by the British-bred Grape Tree Road (Caerlon).

Gorella’s nemesis during her two and three-year-old seasons in France was the brilliant Divine Proportions, who happens to be the dam of Scott Brothers-based sire Eightfold Path.

However, Gorella did win a Group 2 for trainer Jean De Roualle and among her stakes places were a Group 1-second and third. She then departed for the USA to be trained by Patrick L Biancone and won the Group 1 Beverly D Stakes as well as two Group 2s. She was considered good enough to run in the Breeder’s Cup Mile but had no luck and finished seventh.

The Bozo’s first visited South Africa in 2008 to visit some friends and see Cape Town and the KZN Midlands. They stayed at Summerhill Stud and were invited by the TBA to the National Yearling Sale. They ended up buying a Summerhill lot, an Australian-bred by Fantastic Light, for R900,000.

This filly, African Love, was trained by Geoff Woodruff and won two races over 1700m and 1600m respectively. Like Cascada, she raced in Nathalie’s dark green and beige colours. African Love is closely related to the New Zealand-bred champion Bounding, who happens to be the half-sister to African Love’s dam. Bounding, a Gr1 winning daughter of Lonhro, sold for A$1,900,000, making news headlines the world over when she was purchased by Stonestreet Farm in the United States. The mare currently resides in the USA and has just foaled a strong Curlin colt.

African Love now stands at Rathmor Stud in KZN. Her first foal by Captain Al, African Victory, sold for R1 million at the CTS Premier Yearling Sale (CPYS). In his recent debut as a four-year-old gelding over 1200m at Fairview, African Victory won by 9,5 lengths for Tara Laing. African Love’s second foal, the Rathmor-bred Var colt Pata Pata, sold for R475,000 at the CTS Cape Premier Yearling Sale. Trained by Brett Crawford, he won his maiden over 1000m at Kenilworth in December.

The Bozo’s enjoyed their first visit to South Africa, so returned in 2009 and without any pre-planned intention ended up buying a small farm in the KZN Midlands. The farm is called Springwater and their goal at present is to buy weanlings, rear them and then pinhook them.

Consequently, the Bozo’s spend a lot of time in South Africa and will be valuable assets to KZN racing. Doug Campbell is enjoying training for them and has already had a TV crew visit his farm to film a piece for a French Racing program.

-By David Thiselton / Gold Circle

From small numbers in our province, KZN had a great Summer Cup race day with a Gr2 Merchants win, followed up by several places in the feature races of the day including a very close second in the Gr2 Dingaans.

Trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren picked up his maiden Gr2 Merchants success courtesy of the Visionaire gelding, The Thinker. Summerhill Stud are doing KZN proud once again on the seasonal stats, as the current leading breeders of South Africa. Summerhill are having enormous success in particular with the progeny of Await The Dawn leading the way. KZN-bred Big Bear is currently the top earning racehorse of the season in South Africa.

The lightly raced The Thinker showed that he could be a sprinter to follow this season when he stormed through from some lengths off the speed for an impressive victory.

The only winner on the multiple feature programme in the SA champion owner silks of the Mayfair Speculators, The Thinker rewarded those that had seen his hard luck run when under a length off Graduation Day in the Golden Loom Handicap at his last outing.

With Naafer and Romi’s Boy going quickly early on, Donovan Mansour had The Thinker nearer last early on but gradually built him up into contention.

At the 300m marker, Naafer galloping all alone down the inside looked like he could be a serious challenger, but The Thinker had them all ice cold and went on to score by 1,10 lengths over the game 3yo Naafer in second.

Trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren was a relieved man. “After Square The Circle was beaten earlier and Kilauea ran such a bad race in the Magnolia, I was worried. I knew The Thinker would be the watershed – he was the horse putting up good work at home. Thankfully he produced that on the track!”

Bred by Summerhill Stud, The Thinker is a four year old son of Gr1 King’s Bishop Stakes winner Visionaire (Grand Slam) out of the three-time winner Radiant Lass  by Northern Guest.

A R180 0000 CTS Johannesburg Ready To Run Sale graduate, The Thinker has won five races with a place from 11 starts and stakes of R590 050.

Bush Hill Stud-bred son of Curved Ball, Seerite, came close to downing Monks Hood in the Gr2 Dingaans. Seerite has won and placed from just two starts and almost emulated his sire Curved Ball’s win in the Gr2 Dingaans.  Out of Damascus Charmer by Damascus Gate, Seerite is owned by Mr K Wilson and trained by Robbie Sage. He challenged Monks Hood in a flying finish to miss it by a head.

Scott Bros featured on the big day with the full sister to Gr1 winner and Equus Champion Sprinter Talktothestars (the latter finishing fifth in the Gr2 Merchants – a race he had won previously), saw Lady Starlett place third in the Gr3 Magnolia Handicap less than two lengths off the grey winner.

Racing in the familiar orange and white silks and blinkers of Talktothestars owner and trainer Mr Coenie De Beer, the filly with a big heart is a 4-time winner. She is by Overlord out of Tellittothestars, bred by Scott Bros.

Next up for Scott Bros saw the son of Mogok, Pagoda, gallop to a gallant fourth place in the Gr1 Sansui Summer Cup. Trained by Geoff Woodruff and bred by Varsfontein Stud from the former resident broodmare of Scott Bros, Pagoda finished just over two lengths off the winner.

A full brother to Gr1 Gold Cup winner Wild One, Save The Rhino by Mogok finished third in the marathon 3200m Racing Association Listed behind Fortissima. Save The Rhino is trained by Ormond Ferraris and placed under Keagan De Melo.

Paul Peter’s brave filly Fort Ember, a Gr2 winning grand daughter of Kahal, finished second in the Gr1 Sansui Summer Cup. Kahal has had Group success as a broodmare sire and recently produced a Gr3 winner in Australia. We look forward to seeing his Frankel grand daughter debut for owner Shadwell Stud and trainer Mike De Kock.

Congratulations to all concerned.

-extract sportingpost.co.za

The lightly raced Summerhill-bred son of Visionaire, Africa Rising, finished powerfully to win the Gr3 Byerley Turk at Greyville on Sunday afternoon.

Trained by in form Champion trainer Sean Tarry and owned in partnership by Mr Chris van Niekerk and Portapa (Pty) Ltd T/A Supabets (Nom: Mr P Anastassopolous), it is the third win for Africa Rising who has also placed three times from eight starts. Jockey Lyle Hewitson was ecstatic after the win, seen wrapping his arms around the three year old chestnut colts neck when walking into the winners enclosure.

He has previously placed behind Gunner in the Gr1 Premier’s Champion Stakes and second to Chili Con Carne in the CTS Ready To Run Cup and finished four lengths off William Longsword in the Gr1 Cape Guineas.

Africa Rising was acquired by Chris van Niekerk’s Rainbow Beach Trading for R625 000 at the CTS Johannesburg Ready To Run Sale. His dam Sucha Looka is by Braashee out of a Northern Guest mare. She is a half-sister to Charisma and 11-time winner, Stud Master. This is also the damline of Black Wing and Salutation. Sucha Looka has produced four multiple winners from five foals to date.

Commenting on their seventh Black type performer by Visionaire, Summerhill sales supremos Tarryn Liebenberg and Thabani Nzimande were unanimous in their recollections of Africa Rising as a youngster: “He was a typical athletic, fluid-moving son of Visionaire with the big ‘motor’ we’ve come to expect from them. Visionaire is dominant for the type of horse he gets, and now with just his second crop of three year olds, we seem to have really grasped the recipe; the horses we’re prepping for Jo’burg are up there with the best Visionaires we’ve consigned, and might even surpass our earlier efforts. The great thing about them is they have superb temperaments, they can handle any amount of work, and on race day, they’ll give you everything they’ve got.”

Visionaire relocated from Summerhill Stud to Lammerskraal in 2016.

I’ve had to make some hard decisions in my life, one of which was buying Summerhill in the days when I was penniless, the other exchanging our family home in Hillcrest for Hartford at a precarious time in South Africa’s political history and giving up a rewarding life in law. There have been many others, but the most painful of all was letting Visionaire go on the weekend, writes Mick Goss.

He is not only our and the province’s flagship stallion, but he’s a lovable character to whom every last soul on the farm has an attachment.

Our difficulty lay in the fact that we owned 50% of the stallion, and ever since we upped our stake to that level in October last year, Team Valor have been talking about the possibility of moving him to the Cape.

There was a time in January when I was preparing to leave for India to present South Africa’s case for the normalisation of our international protocol arrangements, when we had managed to assemble enough money to buy Team Valor out, but as most people know, I fell ill before I returned, and I remain under doctor’s “house arrest” at home to this day.

The deal became richer and richer, particularly after Heaps Of Fun’s fine victory in the Gauteng Fillies’ Guineas, and I was beginning to wonder whether we could afford to stand our ground. The worst time to decide whether to buy or sell in any circumstance, is when you’re not well, and so we sought the counsel of some of the people whose wisdom and judgment we respect and whose objectivity we could depend on, remembering that confidentiality had to be observed at all costs.

In the end, we are not dealing with Ferraris on which you can count to go from 0 to 100km in 5 seconds; we are dealing with flesh and blood which apart from the sentimental aspect, is so difficult to predict.

Clearly, the people behind the offer must believe he could be the successor to horses like Captain Al, Var etc, which of course he might well be.

On the other hand, at the price and at his current service fee, it would take at least 7 years for us to recover the capital cost in KZN, by which time he would be 18.

While there was a limitation on his movement in our founding agreement with Mr Irwin, he made a generous accommodation which eventually settled the deal.

That of course, does not appease anyone here as far as losing the stallion is concerned, nor anyone in the province who has been a supporter in the past. Putting my pen to the contract on the weekend felt like an act of treason, and it was one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do.

There is a view that he may get a better spread of mares in the Western Cape, and while that may be true, we shouldn’t forget that those he served here have delivered nine consecutive breeders’ championships, as well as those horses that have already represented him with distinction, including delivering the title of Champion Freshman sire last year; all of his Black-type runners to date were bred and raised at Summerhill and anyone who saw Vilakazi’s run on Saturday has to believe he is another Group horse in the making.

That said, he couldn’t be going to a better home in the Western Cape than Lammerskraal, who are obviously looking for a substitute for their grand stallion Western Winter, and are possessed of some of the nation’s finest bloodlines.

I have spoken with Pieter Graaff and I have told him as much, and nothing would please us more than to see Visionaire go on to bigger and better things in the years ahead. Besides his current juveniles, he still has three crops to come from Summerhill and KZN.

If you’re not an optimist in this game, you shouldn’t be in it.

Summerhill has recovered from bigger setbacks than this, including the loss of several stallions in their prime.

The answer appears to lie in the selection process and the depth of your stallion band, and we have been fortunate enough to get out of jail on each occasion; only time will tell whether we can perform the “Houdini” once again.

Of course, you’d not expect us to be sitting on our laurels, and we already have several other irons in the fire.

The recent CTS Emperors Palace Select Yearling Sale yielded exciting results, and even more so for the likes of deceased first season sire Await The Dawn, proven sire Toreador and last season’s Champion Freshman sire, Visionaire.

Young stallion Curved Ball has already produced an early juvenile winner from only seven runners, and four others which have placed, saw his top priced yearling sell for R200 000, averaging almost R150 000 for four yearlings sold in total. The big imposing colt is bred and consigned by Bush Hill Stud who stand Curved Ball on behalf of Klawervlewi, sold as Lot 26 and named Bad Attitude – is a half-brother to Stakes horses in Storm Bringer and Mr Whatever. This is the immediate damline of top sprinter Shoe Shac. Curved Ball is the first and only son of Australia’s brilliant Fastnet Rock to stand at stud in South Africa.

Clifton Stud’s sire A.P. Answer had a pleasing result with his only representative on the sale bred by Dr Ian Heyns. Lot 80 named Concealed Secret is out of a Kahal mare named Kahal’s Secret (a five-time winner) – is a half-sister to Gr2 placed Secret Babe.

A first produce, the colt sold for R250 000. The cross of A.P. Answer on a Kahal mare has yielded success with the likes of Beckedorf, who placed behind Guiness in the Gr1 Gold Medallion at Scottsville and second in the Gr3 Godolphin Stakes amongst his record of two wins and five places.

Prematurely deceased Await The Dawn has left behind just two crops of foals, his first offered on this sale. A talented son of Giant’s Causeway and one of two standing in KZN with their first progeny on sale this year, Await The Dawn’s son and half-brother to Gr1 Premiers Champions Stakes’ winner Rabada sold for R650 000 to Rainbow Beach Trading.

Sold as Lot 78, the Summerhill-bred and consigned colt named Bakkies is also a half-brother to Stakes Placed and four time winning filly, River Tyne. This damline includes the likes of Naan Khataay, Blue Voyager and Gun Drift. In total, Await The Dawn averaged R300 000 for four yearlings sold.

Ever consistent Toreador who regularly brings home the Stakes Winners from small crops each year is always rewarded with enthusiasm from the buyers at sales, and this sale was no different.

Having recently produced the likes of Graded Stakes winners Bull Valley and Lazer Star, his two yearlings averaged an impressive R412 500 each; his top price being R575 000 for Lot 51 named Changing Seasons. His five time winning dam is by Qui Danzig, bred and consigned by Mr and Mrs Anton Procter. This is the damline of Appelate Court, as well as Jackson Square and Trademark.

Last season’s Champion Freshman sire Visionaire had his daughter knocked down for R1-million as Lot 196 to Mayfair Speculators, a half sister to the brilliant half-brothers Piere Jourdan and Champagne Haze. Named Champenois, she is out Last Tycoon / Qui Danzig mare, Vin Fizz.

In total 167 of 199 lots were sold for an average of R377 754, with a median of R225 000.

Congratulations to all concerned.

Another daughter of last season’s national leading freshman sire Visionaire, added to his Graded Stakes winning accolades as a sire with the aptly named Summerhill-bred Heaps Of Fun, winning the Gr2 Wilgebosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas yesterday for her owner Mr Nchakha Moloi.

Heaps Of Fun won easily by almost a length under a tactical ride from top jockey S’manga Khumalo. The race over 1600m is also the first leg of the Triple Tiara and the second leg – the Gr1 SA Fillies Classic – will be run over 1800m on 2 April at Turffontein.

Fort Wood filly Negroamaro and Roski Stud-bred daughter of Western Winter (out of Kahal’s half-sister Katici Princess)  Frosty Friday finished second and third respectively.

Mr Moloi was the recent top buyer at the Summerhill Summer Ready To Run Sale, where he purchased another daughter of Visionaire for R220 000.

Trained by Champion trainer Sean Tarry, Heaps Of Fun was a R200 000 graduate off the CTS Ready To Run Sale in 2014 and has now earned close to R600 000 in stakes. This is her third win to date, and she ran two close seconds in both the Gr3 Fillies Mile over 1600m and a nose over 1160m in the Swallow Stakes Listed.

Her dam Dream Starling by Northern Guest is no stranger to producing success having had an impressive eight runners and eight winners, including the likes of Big Bird, The Elmo Effect (who finished three lengths off in the Aquanaut Handicap Listed yesterday) and multiple Stakes Placed Cookie Monster previously. Her daughter Red Spirit is the dam of Black Type Newton Power.

Heaps Of Fun has bought her ticket to stud and descends from a strong female line – her second dam is speed queen Clifton Queen, a five-time winner who placed nine times and herself a half-sister to First Arrival – the dam of Let’s Rock And Roll, In The Fast Lane and Light The Lights.

Breeders Summerhill Stud continue to lead the National Breeders Log ahead of Klawervlei Stud and Maine Chance Farms by Stakes Earned.

KZN-bred Frosty Friday, bred and owned by Greg and Chelle Royden-Turner of Roski Stud finished less than two lengths off the winner. To date the beautifully-bred Frosty Friday has won three times on the trot and placed three times from all her starts for the Gavin Van Zyl racing stable.

Well done to all concerned.

Article first published in December 2015 issue of International Racehorse Magazine

When the first small crop of Visionaire’s hit the tracks in America, news began to filter through to South Africa that they were winning – not only winning repeatedly but his daughter Bacopa Breeze annointed him with his first Black Type win, taking the Laurel Smart Halo Listed. This was followed up with winning colt Outlook placing in a further two Listed races.

While this was happening, Visionaire was safely ensconced in the big beautiful American-styled stallion barn at one of South Africa’s Leading National breeders’ Summerhill Stud, who held the title for an incredible nine consecutive years and continue to be amongst the leaders.

Crowned Champion Freshman Sire for the South African racing season of 2014/2015, it was thanks to Team Valor’s Barry Irwin and his vision of what he wished to achieve from the breeding of his mares based in KZN that we have Visionaire standing in the province of KwaZulu Natal.

Regarding the importation of Visionaire, Barry Irwin said that Visionaire’s front leg conformation was one of the main reasons he selected Visionaire to be exported to South Africa. “I wanted to be able to breed to a stallion that would sire horses with correct front legs. And he is getting the job done!”

The first son of Grand Slam to stand at stud in South Africa and a grandson of the great Gone West, Visionaire left halfway through his first American breeding season to become one of the most exciting stallion prospects to arrive in 2011 in South Africa, standing his first year for a service fee of R20 000.

With the Gr1 King’s Bishop victory behind his name, amongst his other scintillating racing performances that included the Gr3 Gotham Stakes where he emerged from the thick fog the winner on the wire, they were all run in the same goosebump fashion that we are now seeing from one of America’s leading sprinter-milers, Honor Code.

Visionaire was one of the most expensive purchases made for Team Valor International, bought for seven figures with the intention of taking on the Triple Crown in 2008.

The green and red chevron silks of Team Valor are no strangers in South Africa, where Gr1 winners such as Ipi Tombi, Gypsy’s Warning, Irridescence and Ebony Flyer (to name just a few) have carried them to many outstanding victories locally and internationally.

On the international racing front, who could forget those colours on the back of Animal Kingdom as he kept the racing world on the edge of their seats at every start, amongst the biggest, sweeping to victory in the Gr1 Kentucky Derby and Gr1 Dubai World Cup.

Visionaire’s racing style is one of those that would leave you totally breathless and shaking your head in absolute disbelief at his sheer speed, turn of foot and tenacity.

Jumping from the starting stalls to lie more than 10 lengths off the leader for most of the race – it looked impossible unitl he began eating up the ground off the turn and still managed to finish over two lengths ahead in the seven furlong race, that has seen the likes of Distorted Humor, More Than Ready and Elusive Quality etched into the honour roll.

It is really easy to see what Irwin liked so much about Visionaire. Out of mare Scarlet Deputy by French Deputy, he stands 16.1 with a handsome head, a big honest eye that reflects his kind temperament, a deep girth and powerful hindquarters, he has plenty of strength and substance about him.

All these qualities are passed on to his foals and its no surprise that his first yearlings averaged a very impressive R349 000 for 15 lots sold at the 2014 National Yearling Sale.

This was topped by an outstanding grey filly named Yoruba, bred by Summerhill Stud and a half-sister to Gr2 winner No Worries, knocked down for R1,4million to Ridgemont Stud. Another colt Diamontaire sold for R600 000, consigned by Somerset Stud and purchased by Team Valor. As a result Visionaire was the leading first season sire at the sale that year and his racing results wouldn’t disappoint.

At the 2014 Suncoast KZN Yearling Sale which takes place three months after the Nationals, Team Valor sold a chestnut filly out of King Of Kings mare Royal Purse for just R30 000 to World Wide Bloodstock. Almost a carbon copy of her sire in conformation including her gleaming chestnut coat, she was quickly taken up by 3A Racing Syndicate who having always previously leased horses, deciding to take the leap of faith and buy into a horse of their own. They formed a partnership with Andy Williams and Mrs Wintle.

Sent into training with Glen Kotzen, Royal Pleasure would not only give her sire his first South African win but she would go on to give him his first Group win in South Africa.

Royal Pleasure debuted at Scottsville in the black and shocking pink silks of the 3A Racing Syndicate, where she didn’t just win but completely thrashed the opposition by almost seven lengths over 1000m under apprentice Callan Murray. The win was enough to make Team Valor take notice of the horse that they had sold just seven months before and they immediately bought back into the filly, buying out a few partners and formed a new partnership with 3A Racing as well as Anant and Vaneshree Singh.

Royal Pleasure made her second track appearance two months later in the colours of Team Valor, with Greg Cheyne flown up from Cape Town for the ride. Once again at Scottsville over a 1000m, this time in soft going she won comfortably by over two lengths in the Non-Black Type Kings Pact Stakes.

She was immediately entered for the Gr3 Strelitzia Stakes a month later, going into the 1100m race unbeaten. Ridden by Anton Marcus on this occasion, she won by three quarters of a length from Miracle Rising and Princess Royal – the latter a half-sister to four-time Gr1 winning Princess Victoria.

A decision was made to go for the Gr1 Allan Robertson but Royal Pleasure found the 1200m a bit to long, finishing courageously just out of the placings behind Equus Two Year Old Champion filly, Entisaar(AUS).

With 12 winners in America, it wasn’t just Royal Pleasure – the Visionaire’s began to make themselves known on racetracks across South Africa.

Doug Campbell’s Summerhill-bred Lala came out next, winning her debut and going on later to place in the Gr2 Debutante. Another impeccably bred colt by Team Valor, Jet Air has now won twice for trainer Mike Bass and owners’ Bryn Russell and Marsh Shirtliff, finishing four lengths off the unbeaten Gr1 winning Rabada in the Premiers Champion Stakes. Smart debut winner Virtuality, at odds of 33/1 showed punters the error of their ways, winning by two lengths at Turffontein for trainer David Niewenhuizen.

Barry Irwin comments on the progeny of Visionaire: “While Visionaire is certainly an agent for delivering speed to his offspring, he himself got better with age and I would expect his offspring to do so as well. I hope the trainers that have Visionaires are patient with the tall ones and give them a chance to develop, instead of just looking at them as precocious juveniles”.

With the Visionaire’s off the mark and the breeders clamouring to fill his book for 2015, the next racing season as three year olds is indeed going to be an exciting one as more of them begin to step on to the tracks for the first time. Visionaire stands at Summerhill Stud for the highest service fee in KZN of R40 000.

– Text and Visionaire images: Candiese Marnewick

Visionaire achieved a 1-2 in the 11th race on J&B Met day, when the Joey Ramsden-trained Mr Wise Guy galloped to a near two length victory from Vilakazi, a son of Visionaire and half-brother to Hong Kong winner, Mighty Emperor.

It was the third career win and the first over 1600m for Mr Wise Guy, who is out of Jet Master mare Catch The Wind, owned in partnership by Mrs Vanashree and Mr Anant Singh, Mrs I Jooste and Mr M J Jooste. From a total of nine starts, the three year old gelding has in addition placed four times. Mr Wise Guy sold at the 2014 CTS Ready To Run Sale for R350 000, his dam is a three parts sister to Gr1 Mercury Sprint winner, Fly By Night.

Brett Crawford-trained Vilakazi, bred by Northfields Stud and owned by Messrs T H Fenner, M O C Wauchope, A R M Wood & Mrs F Samuelson is an exciting individual to watch, having won twice and placed twice from all four of his starts. He has won over 1200m – 1600m and is out of Casey Tibbs mare, Sweet Virginia. Vilakazi was consigned by Drakenstein Stud, and sold for R450 000 off the 2014 National Yearling Sale. Bearing a striking resemblance to his handsome Gr1 King’s Bishop winning sire, Vilakazi shares a dam-line with five-time Gr1 winning mare, Dancewiththedevil.

Visionaire, a son of Grand Slam standing at Summerhill Stud, was last season’s National Champion Freshman Sire and sees him leading the new Three Year Old Sires once more on the National Log by Stakes Earned – with Warm White Night and Querari following suit.

Visionaire’s other more recent winners include his Gr3 placed daughter Lala, and Revelation providing a special win for the partnership of Louis Goosen and Piere Strydom last week – the 150th to date. Revelation is a half-brother to Gr1 winner, Love Struck.

Visionaire stood for a fee of R40 000 last season.

The winning combination of the Louis Goosen Racing Stable and Piere Strydom results in the 150th win for the combination, aboard a Visionaire half-brother to Gr1 winner Love Struck.

The Summerhill-bred three year old chestnut gelding did it in impressive fashion, storming to victory by almost seven lengths at the Vaal over 1700m.

The facebook page of Louis Goosen Racing Stables says that Revelation still has some maturing to do and should definitely win again.

The Summerhill-bred out of Rambo Dancer mare, Particular Passion, sold for R300 000 at the 2014 National Yearling Sale. Revelation is owned by Messrs P Gayaram, L W Goosen & M E Wilken & Dr A Ramsubag & Fernando & Marcelle Baptiste and has placed three times in addition to yeserday’s win from six starts.

Broodmare Particular Passion is a breeders delight to possess, having produced seven winners to date from eight runners, two of them Bold Black Type – Fakazi and Gr1 SA Classic winner, Love Struck (by Kahal).

Love Struck has since been exported to Mauritius, where he has continued to race with great success – including victory in the Gr1 Duke Of York Cup.

Particular Passion is out of a Prontissimo/Roland Gardens mare My Sweet Love; her third dam Makin’ Whoopee produced 10-time and dual Gr1 winner, Anytime Baby.

Particular Passion was herself no slouch at the track, having won five times and placing 10, including a second in the St Andrews Paddock Stakes (L).

Visionaire, a son of Grand Slam was South Africa’s Champion Freshman Sire in 2015, and has produced the likes of Gr3 winner Royal Pleasure, Jet Air and Lala to date.

The big handsome chestnut stallion stood at Summerhill Stud last season for a fee of R40 000.