St John Gray of Graystone Stud, based in KZN, has made a miraculous achievement of 1000 wins this afternoon at the Vaal with his now 11-time winner and #kznbred Dawn Assault.

Appropriately, Gavin Lerena, who has ridden several of St John’s top horses to Gr1 success including the likes of 5-time Gr1 winner Dancewiththedevil, was in the irons at the finish line in the familiar green and white ringed colours.

St John maintains his breeding operation at Cathy and Jonathan Martin’s Hadlow Stud – and has enjoyed enormous success at the top level with what would be considered non commercial pedigrees, and his favourite being his chestnut stallion with whom he has had great success, Announce (who shares a damline with Danehill, Machiavellian and Northern Dancer). Amongst his current broodmare band are the likes of his star racemare Dancewiththedevil who was exported to England, but had to return after an injury to her pelvis.

St John also won the Gr1 SA Classic with Jam Alley, an Australian horse he bred by Pientre Celebre and who stood at Hadlow before his retirement. He also has the star chestnut mare Engagement, who during her time with St John defeated Gr1 stars Igugu and The Apache.

The wheel turns, and The Apache now stands at Hadlow Stud alongside her.

St John took home the KZN Breeders Achievement Award, for his outstanding season which saw Dawn Assault and Ronnie’s Candy stamping themselves repeatedly among the nominees, and Dawn Assault taking home Champion Middle Distance Male and Champion Older Male.

Ronnie’s Candy added the recent Gr2 Ipi Tombe Challenge to her already impressive record this past November.

Graystone Stud for this season has 33.3% winners to runners, and AEPR of over R60 000.

This was the 11th win for Dawn Assault, his sire Call To Combat also bred and raced by St John. Dawn Assault has earned over R1,-6-million in stakes. St John has earned a lifetime stakes of over R79-million, and R5,182,725 alone last season.

Gavin Lerena in the post race interview today praised St John’s achievement, saying “He has supported me so much, he is a great trainer and a horseman, so well done to him and his team!”

St John commented in his interview whilst cracking open a bottle of Moet & Chandon, “it feels fantastic as you can imagine, its fantastic too for Gavin as he has ridden some of my top horses and Dancewiththedevil in particular. Im feeling quite emotional about this and fantastic that I could do this with Gavin.”

Congratulations to Graystone Stud.

Scott Bros sire Crusade had a big weekend, producing two Stakes Winners with the second Listed win for Covered In Snow at Turffontein, and Butchie Boy in Zimbabwe taking the Gr3 Zimbabwean Guineas.

Covered In Snow, who recorded her fourth consecutive win on the trot, gave her sire his second Stakes Winner when taking the Bauhinia Handicap Listed over 1000m – adding to her previous victory in the Swallow Stakes Listed.

“She is such a decent little sprinting filly, she keeps upping her game and running her heart out,” says Randjesfontein-based Dianne Stenger. Covered In Snow will have one more outing at home before travelling to KZN for the Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint in May.

Covered In Snow, who enjoyed the distinction of being her sire’s first stakes winner when winning the Swallow Stakes in January, was a popular choice to win on Saturday and she duly delivered.

Relaxed a few lengths off the heat, Covered In Snow never looked in danger of losing as she turned it on at the 250m marker to hold the improved again Myfunnyvalentine by 1,25 lengths in a time of 58,7 secs.

Bred by Clifton Stud and racing in the familiar Peter White silks, Covered In Snow has won 4 races with 1 place from 5 starts for stakes of R315 125,

She is out of five-time winner Blue Nevada (Anytime) who hails from a genuine Clifton damline, descending from the same family as their Gr2 winner, Glenrossal.

Blue Nevada, out of Crystal De Roche mare Sierra Blue has produced three winners from three runners. Her 2016 foal is by Jackson, whilst her filly currently at foot is by Ideal World – she is in foal to Crusade.

Bush Hill born and raised Butchie Boy, bred by Richard Fitzgerald, collected his second win in a row when grabbing the Gr3 Zimbabwean Guineas on Sunday for trainer Bridget Stidolph.

The three year old Crusade gelding owned by the Sunmark Racing Syndicate, followed through and fought courageously to the finish after winning by 2 lengths in his previous start.

Butchie Boy is the first produce of his dam Reed Dance by Kahal. Butchie Boy sold for R90 000 at the 2016 National 2YO Sale, and his year younger half-brother has placed from both starts.

His fourth dam is Arcsa Champion Filly of 1992, Tempest Queen.

Crusade is represented by 12 yearlings at the upcoming BSA National Yearling Sale. Currently boasting a stat of 37.5% winners to runners for his 2 and 3yo crop, his Nationals crop include a half-brother to Matador Man, a filly out of a full sister to The Apache, a half-brother to twice Gr3 placed Angel’s Power, a half-sister to Irish Flame, a half-brother to Sapphire Ring, a half-brother to 8-time winner Cannes from the family of Star Watch, and a half-sister to 5-time winner and Stakes Placed Just As I Said.

Crusade is a half-brother to several Group Winners and performers, including multiple Gr1 winner Seventh Heaven and Cristoforo Columbo. He stands for R20 000 at the Scott Bros Highdown Stud, and is a Gr1 winner himself of the Middle Park Stakes.

KZN-breds won six of nine races yesterday at Greyville – and in particular the wins by Putchini and Curved Ball filly, Je Suis Silver, stood out from the rest.

After placing nine times – six times in second – Secret Service broke his maiden for Wendy Whitehead. The son of Overlord bred by Scott Bros is a full-brother to Lady Carter who is a broodmare at Summerview Stud. This is the damline of Lady Caroloty, and Gr1 winner Carolera.

Three year old gelding The Private won his fourth start for an elated Michael Roberts, winning by almost two lengths over 1400m. The son of Brave Tin Soldier out of a Dynasty mare Queen Tamara.

Mr Abery’s Await The Dawn filly, Quakeshake, won her fifth time out after the first time attempting further, and the chestnut filly trained by Dean Kannemeyer won by three quarters of a length. Bred by Summerhill Stud out of a Jet Master mare, her sire Await The Dawn is a terrible loss to KZN breeding ranks – he is currently at a winners to runners percentage of 44.1%.

The diminutive but brave filly Je Suis Silver saw her elated connections on course to greet her at the winners enclosure. Winning her fourth race of her career, the daughter of Curved Ball – the latter the only son of Fastnet Rock currently at stud in SA – has won stakes of R 253,375 for owners Messrs I M & M G Horsfield, G N Cumming, Arthur Potts, trainer Tony Rivalland and Mrs Mary Liley.

Curved Ball, currently on a winners to runners percentage of 37%, also had a place on the day with Bonjour Baby. Je Suis Silver has yet to be tried about 1000m and has finished three lengths off Sommerlied and Vision To Kill in the past.

The next to come was seasoned campaigner Putchini, an honest son of Bezrin who flew up to win his seventh career victory for owner Ashley De Klerk and breeders Yellow Star Stud. The six year old has earned R 501,350 in stakes, with seven wins and 18 places to date. Trained by Ivan Van Wyk from the training facility at Yellow Star Stud, Putchini is out of Suki Tortri by Centenary.

Big Si, by Mogok out of an All Fired Up mare, secured his fourth career win for Garth Puller and over R300 000 in stakes earned. Owned in partnershi by his breeder Dr R P & Mrs R C Plunkett, trainer Garth Puller & Dr Ralph Katzwinkel, Big Si has won over 1400m – 2000m. From the family of 12-time winner Brian’s Time, the dam has produced three winners to date.