A stallion always filled with character and vigour and still covering mares with great enthusiasm until last season, his influence as a smashing broodmare sire will not be forgotten through his world wide travels whilst at stud.

His champion grandchildren such as Dutch Art, himself a Gr1 producer and sire of sires (including Slade Power) at stud, and the likes of Up – a Gr1 winning mare who changed hands at Keeneland for $2,2-million in foal to War Front, will see his name in pedigrees for years to come.

At one point of Spectrum’s career, he was 84th in the world as a broodmare sire. He is also a sire of sires, having produced the likes of Golan and Tartan Bearer.

His grand-daughter the grey Moonlight Cloud, another exceptional Gr1 filly, almost brought Black Caviar’s dream race career to an end at Ascot.

Amongst Spectrum’s exceptional race record were wins in the Irish 2000 Guineas (1995) and Champion Stakes (1995). He won 4 times (including a 10 length win on debut) from 9 starts, never contesting a maiden race, and was Timeform Rated at 126.

He was also the broodmare sire of Winchester, and South African Gr1 winners Tellina and Sand And Sea.

Our thoughts to all at Yellow Star Stud on the passing of this wonderful horse.

Images: Candiese Marnewick

The KZN midlands has had 50mm of rain recently which is good news ahead of Winter – Bush Hill Stud is looking lush, Capital Stud are getting off the ground in what was previously known as Summerhill Stud with their large Sport Horse operation.

Amongst the social media posts this week was Ashley De Klerk pictured with her soldier of a racehorse, the 11-time winner Putchini enjoying time off in his paddock and base, Yellow Star Stud, during lockdown.

The eight year old son of Bezrin has reportedly only ever seen a vet for routine work and has never had a day of unsoundness in his career, and boasts 108 runs for 10 wins, 25 places and stakes of R740,175. He won his last start on 11 March, under Jabu Jacobs over 1600m.

KZN’s pretrainers Jill Fox and Jane Thomas, situated in Fort Nottingham and Mooi River respectively, are continuing work each morning with their babies, a number which are now ready to go into training once lockdown lifts.

Mike and Tanya McHardy of Rathmor Stud in Nottingham Road have reported “its business as usual” at Rathmor. “Its all good so far. All our staff are on lockdown with us on the farm. We are continuing as normal and our clients have been fantastic in their support!”

Whilst 2020 has been a challenge for all concerned, the breeders will be under severe pressure this year for income with the National Yearling Sale delayed to the end of July and the the KZN Yearling Sale being integrated into the National 2YO Sale – now delayed to the end of November, originally scheduled for August.

Breeders begin prepping their yearlings from the end of 2019 for inspections, so it is indeed a long haul until the sale.

Amongst the the horses on offer from KZN this year in the Nationals catalogue are: half-brother to Gr2 winner Montreal Mist, a half brother to Listed winner Alfeo, half sister to Celestina, half-sister to Silent Crusade, half brother to Railtrip and Gr1 winner Hero’s Honour, half sister to Gr1 winner Rabada, half-sister to Gr1 winner Takingthepeace, half sister to Gr1 winner Love Struck, and Gr3 winner Royal Pleasure.

Brave Tin Soldier gelding Merlin From Berlin has now won three races in a row for his elated owner and KZN Breeders Club Chairman, Ted Hughes.

It was a joyous occasion in particular as Ted’s wife Ruth, who owns the massive horse Paybackthemoney (Marchfield), was a fast finishing 2nd under Anton Marcus.

Just the week before, both geldings met at Hollywoodbets Scottsville and saw the Hughes’ collect their first silver trophy, with Merlin From Berlin taking the KZN Summer Challenge Final over 2000m under Warren Kennedy for a stake of R150 000.

Both horses, Merlin From Berlin and Paybackthemoney are trained by the in form Nathan Kotzen.

Bred by Rupert Plersch, Merlin From Berlin is out of a Fort Wood mare Woodcut – who is a full sister to Limerick – in turn the dam of exports Noah From Goa and the immediate family of Forries Waltz. This is also the family of champion stayer in Europe, Royal Gait. Ted purchased Merlin From Berlin for R35 000 off the 2017 KZN Yearling Sale, and he has earned over R350 000 in stakes.

Ted Hughes is also the owner of sire Golden Sword, who stands at Yellow Star Stud.

Foaled on the 13 October in 2011, the 8yo gelding has earned R 679,425 in stakes, with 24 places and recording 9 wins to date.

His winning range specialises between 1200-1600m. He remains in form as he placed very recently under Calvin Habib, just a half a length off the winner.

Out of an almost ironically named broodmare sire, Centenary, his dam Suki Tortri has only produced one winner at stud, being Putchini. In the damline is 11-time winner Byblos and champions Golden Loom and Majestic Light can be found under the 3rd dam.

Trained by Deon Visser initially who bred him in parthership with Yellow Star in a foal share scenario, Putchini racing in the colours of Ashley De Klerk then transferred to Chris Erasmus after Deon gave up training. With Ivan Van Wyk taking over the training reins at Yellow Star, he has taken on Putchini for the balance of his career.

“We named him Putchini after the composer Puccini but the name was taken, so we changed the spelling. He is a favourite of Koos and mine – he wrote Nessun Dorma – some of our family thought he was Porcini like the mushroom!” laughs Lorraine De Klerk.

The chestnut geldings blue and white colours have become a familiar sight at both racecourses in both Hollywoodbets Greyville and Hollywoodbets Scottsville.

Putchini will be running at 16:00 on Sunday at Hollywoodbets Greyville over 1600m, with Nathan Klink in the irons carrying 55.5kgs.

Yellow Star Stud have reported that Warm White Night has lost his struggle with a painful hoof condition in horses, namely Laminitis, and passed away peacefully this morning.

The speedy son of Western Winter from a leading family of Thousand Nights (by Foveros) which produced Prince Asad, Highland Night and Night Watch, also has Clifton Stud’s family of Prince Of Kahal, Fort Vogue, Whatalady featured.

He had produced the likes of Gr2 winner in South Africa and Gr1 winner in Mauritius, Hard Days’s Night, Gr3 horse Executive Power and Gr3 winner Harlem Shake, as well as Buffalo Soldier.

Warm White Night had stood at Klawervlei Stud prior to relocating to Yellow Star.

He was a 7-time winner over 1000-1200m, at 2 to 4 and earned R1.6 million. Merit Rated at 114, he won the Gr1 Gold Medallion (1200m), Gr2 SA Nursery (1160m), Gr3 Protea S. (1100m) and Gr3 Man O’War Sprint (1100m).

Voted KZN Breeders Horse Of The Year in 2015, Yellow Star-born Futura has his first crop of yearlings on offer in 2019 and saw a colt, bred by Ridgemont Highlands, knocked down to Peter Doyle and Diane Nagel for R1,2-million. Futura was bred by Guy Murdoch.

Consigned as Lot 123 and aptly named Warrior, the handsome colt is out of a Commands mare, from the family of Zodiac Ruler and Lasserfaire. The Australian bred dam is a Stakes Winner with two race wins to her record.

Futura stands at stud at Drakenstein, interestingly alongside another KZN Breeders Horse Of The Year (both by Dynasty) in the diminutive multiple Gr1 winner, Beach Beauty.

Futura was named National Horse Of The Year in 2015, versatile with 9 wins from 1200m – 2000m, including the Gr1 Queen’s Plate, the then Gr1 J&B Met, and the Gr1 Champions Cup twice. He earned over R4,3-million in stakes.

By Dynasty, he is out of a Badger’s Drift mare Scribblin’ The Cat, in turn out of a Western Winter mare.

A triple Equus Champion, at one point Futura was ranked 7^th in 2015 LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings – a phenomenal achievement. He stood for a fee of R20 000 in 2018.

Yellow Star Stud have the honour of foaling two multiple Gr1 winners in their barn – Futura, and Dancewiththedevil.

Keep an eye on our news for more to come on this five-time winning Gr1 mare.

Candice Dawson enjoyed the honour of saddling  the first winner of KZN Galileo stallion The Assayer, whose son Lumber Jackaroo stormed to victory in the first race at Turffontein on Thursday evening.

Based at Yellow Star Stud, The Assayer stood his first season in 2014 and only produced 6 foals in his first crop.

Bred on the Galileo x Danehill cross that has produced Frankel and numerous other champions, his 2018 fee was R10 000.

Improving smartly at his second start and stepping up to the mile, Lumber Jackaroo came home powerfully in the Turffontein opener under Denis Schwarz for trainer Candice Dawson.

The Spring Valley Syndicate bred grey gelding is out of the six-time winner Forest Lecture, a daughter of Lecture.

The Assayer had an eyecatching Barrier Trial winner with Thomas Shelby, trained by Ivan Van Wyk for breeders Yellow Star Stud and owner Mr A F J Duncan.

The juvenile colt looks a smart prospect, finishing first by almost two lengths. Another that is close to winning from trainer Craig Mayhew is Flirty Girty, who has finished second in her last two starts. Also bred by the Spring Valley Syndicate, the three year old is out of a Dominion Royale mare.

The Assayer sold for R1-million at the National Yearling Sale and began his training career with Charles Laird for the Markus Jooste and Bernard Kantor racing partnership.

The handsome grey later relocated to Mike De Kock, racing 10 times to win once and placed twice in two Gr1’s – the Golden Horseshoe and Premier’s Championship. He placed nine times in total.  An injury forced an early retirement.

His dam Crystal Charm made two appearances as a two year old in the UK, placing in both with Listed status. She was sent to Hong Kong, finishing second to Fairy King Prawn at Sha-Tin in the Hong Kong Sprint by a length.

A year later she finished with the same result in the same race, and sent back to Ireland for stud duties.

Sold in foal to Cadeaux Genereux, she was then sent to Australia where she was covered by Galileo.

The Cadeaux Genereux mating produced Les Alizes, in turn the dam of 4-time winning Arrived Ahead in Hong Kong; also placing in the Gr3 Sha-Tin Vase.

A dam-line bursting with Gr1 winners, it includes the likes of half-siblings four-time Gr1 winner Timely Writer and dual Gr1 winner Timely Assertion – both found under the second dam Timely Tammy.

Others include Wild Wolverine, champion filly Indian Skimmer, Dark Mirage, Missy’s Mirage, sires Bluebird, Java Gold and Madeglia d’Oro, and local Gr1 Mercury Sprint winner All Will Be Well.

-extract sportingpost.co.za

Champion international trainer Mike de Kock labelled new Yellow Star sire Golden Sword ‘the best horse of a classy generation in my overseas string. At his best, he was a serious international competitor.’

It was thus fitting when De Kock enjoyed the honour of saddling the big son of High Chaparral’s first winner and stakes victress. The Gr1 placed Belle Rose won the Listed Oaks Trial and made it on to the 2017/18 De Kock Dubai draft.

Golden Sword, a former resident of Summerhill Stud, has relocated to the De Klerk family’s Yellow Star Stud from the 2018 breeding season.

The stud, closely associated with SA Horse Of The Year and current Drakenstein stallion Futura, as well as Equus Champion Dancewiththedevil, is situated approximately 12 km outside the village of Mooi River, the hub of Thoroughbred breeding in Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Golden Sword was the second highest rated Northern Hemisphere bred son of High Chaparral,  and his illustrious sire’s first son to stand here when he arrived in 2012.

He hails from one the greatest families in the stud book, whose members include the classic winning fillies Alexandrova and Chicquita – both, like Golden Sword, descendants of the great Sadler’s Wells – as well as former legendary SA sire Royal Prerogative and Dolpour – the latter being the broodmare sire of The Apache.

While he is a Graded Stakes winner of four races from 1400m – 2400m, with earnings of more than R6.7million, it is arguable that Golden Sword’s finest moment came in the Gr1 Investec Derby at Epsom, where he was beaten just over two lengths by the world champion, Sea The Stars.

He was also runner-up in the Gr1 Irish Derby  to triple Gr1 star, Fame And Glory.

While in the care of Mike de Kock, South African racing fans will recall Golden Sword’s storming finishes from behind in Dubai, where he ran the fastest 2000 meters ever – a record which still stands.

Former Summerhill Stallion Manager Greig Muir is on record as saying: “Golden Sword is a big, elegant horse, much in the mould of So You Think, and provides breeders with a welcome source of one of the most valuable bloodlines in the world. In any other year, he might’ve been a Derby winner, and he would not have been in South Africa if that were the case.”

Golden Sword has had 13 winners this season with 52 places, and over R1-million in stakes earned. Ted’s wife Ruth, owns Virtuous, a son of Golden Sword who placed second yesterday at Greyville over 1800m.

Golden Sword has 2 lots on the CTS April Yearling Sale next month.

See the CTS catalogue – click here

-extract sportingpost.co.za

Queen Laurie by Great Britain, out of Maggie Kay, swooped to victory last night for Mr G Maroun as trainer and owner in the Gardenia Listed over 1000m.

Queen Laurie won by a length and gave the second placed Winter Watch an additional 3kg weight beating. Amongst the field was Daring Diva and Kissable.

Bred by Worldwise Breeding Syndicate (Nom: Mr K Hunter), the dam Maggie Kay stands at Yellow Star Stud who consigned a full brother to Queen Laurie at the 2017 KZN Yearling Sale. He sold for R50 000.

Lorraine De Klerk of Yellow Star reports that the mare has a What A Winter colt at foot this season.

This is the damline of 12-time winner (including 2 Gr1’s) Ingleside and Evening Mist.

Yellow Star Stud have had multiple Gr1 champions born at their farm including five-time Gr1 winner, Dancewiththedevil, and multiple Gr1 winning son of Dynasty, Drakenstein resident stallion Futura, bred by Guy Murdoch.

Another recent performer is Vision To Kill for owner breeder and former Chairman of Gold Circle, Mr Robert Mauvis – and Yellow Star have a full sibling this year to the star Kildonan filly.

Yellow Star Stud stand stallions Kildonan, Warm White Night, The Assayer and Spectrum at Yellow Star Stud.

Yellow Star’s Kildonan is in form with 33% winners to runners currently, excluding his winner last night for the stable of Alyson Wright. He also had a superb winner for the yard of Paul and Beth Gadsby on Wednesday at Scottsville with Clifton-bred Kildonan Lad whilst Vision To Kill is an exciting prospect for Champions Season.

The Gadsby’s have a brilliant Kildonan filly in their yard named Vision To Kill – now a three time winner from five starts with a second place, she showed her mettle in her last run where she handed top multiple stakes placed Barbosa a half a length beating, over the 1000m stretch at Scottsville.

She also defeated the likes of Isca and Natal in the process. Out of Royal Vision by Alami, the filly is bred by former Gold Circle Chairman Robert Mauvis, owned in partnership by Robert and Sam Osman. Robert and Sam also own Kildonan Lad in partnership.

Another Kildonan to impress was the recent debut run of Pina Colada, a Scott Bros-bred juvenile who had a fast finishing second at Scottsville for the stable of Gary Rich and looks an exciting prospect.

From small numbers the champion sprinter’s progeny frequent the winners enclosure and he has had Graded Stakes winners with the likes of Rosier and Beach Goddess, as well as feature horses Tribute To Kylie, Night In Tahiti and now Mauritian-based Scotsnog.

A winner of the Gr1 Premier Champions Stakes and the Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint in a record time that the likes of JJ The Jetplane couldnt better, Kildonan’s ability and courage stretched as far as the Vodacom Durban July where the sprinter specialist finished four lengths off behind the subsequent winner Hunting Tower.

At the 2016 National Yearling Sale, Mary Slack of Wilgebosdrift purchased a Clifton-bred Kildonan colt for R250 000. He is out of Esterel by Var, named Highland Hero.

At the recent Cape Yearling Sale which averaged R58 000 for a yearling sold, a handsome chestnut colt sold for R60 000 at a sale that favoured the buyer’s market. He is out of Indira by Tiger Ridge, the second dam is Rat Burana, Equus Champion filly in 2007.

Kildonan stands for a fee of R5000 at Yellow Star Stud.