Another Big Weekend for Kahal

Hard on the heels of Bold Ellinore’s career best performance in last Saturday’s Tibouchina Stakes (Gr.2), two more from Kahal’s second crop of Sophomore colts stepped up to the plate this weekend, ringing some big bells for the year ahead.

Khebraat (Photo Gold Circle)Evening AttireThe run of the weekend belonged undoubtedly to Khebraat, who, on only his fourth start, dropped the colours of the Gomma Gomma hero, Pick Six in the R250 000 KZN Breeders 1600m. Granted, he was in receipt of 4kgs from the Champion, who may even have needed his first run back since scooting off with the big cheque in Africa’s richest horserace, but we mustn’t forget, Khebraat was just a novice going into this one, and this was notice, for sure, that Emperor Napoleon and Evening Attire are not their sire’s only Three Year Old pony tricks.

Bred at Summerhill for Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell Stud, Khebraat is closely inbred to Mr. Prospector through a daughter of Breeders Cup Sprint Champion, Gulch, though his dam Khazima also has Nureyev close up, thus repeating the cross (with Northern Dancer) that gave Kahal the likes of “The Emperor”, Guineas victoress, Bold Ellinore, Evening Attire and Bhekinkosi, all Stakes winners in a season in which Kahal now ranks clear second (ahead of Muhtafal) by Stakes winners.

The Rulers of Dubai were also responsible for the second of Kahal’s standouts this weekend, as yet another three year old, Desert Links, came to the party with an especially impressive double at Greyville Friday evening. He was bred at the farm by Sheikh Maktoum’s Gainsborough Stud, out of the Home Guard mare Selborne Park. Basil Marcus has always maintained that this horse was somewhere in the vicinity of dual Classic winner Jay Peg’s class, and while he still has much to prove, the manner of his victory had his conditioner talking about a tilt at the J&B Met (Gr.1) come January time. Just imagine a J&B Met featuring three top class sons of Kahal, all in a single field.
Sheikh HamdanBasil Marcus

Week after week after week...

The victories of FAIR BRUTUS (by MUHTAFAL) and MOSCOW RISING (by RUSSIAN REVIVAL) in both the nation’s Graded Stakes contests marked the third consecutive weekend on which the Feature events have fallen to Summerhill connections.

Fair Brutus

Moscow RisingThree weekends back, EVENING ATTIRE (by KAHAL) was a deserving winner of the big Fillies sprint, while REGAL RUNNER (MUHTAFAL) staked his claim to the mantle of best juvenile colt seen out thus far when he took the Storm Bird Stakes (Listed) in grand style from Devine Jury’s own brother, Judge Jupiter (a R900 000 purchase). This was the third consecutive year a Summerhill-bred had nabbed the Storm Bird.

A fortnight has passed since the Drum Star Handicap (Listed) threw up a Summerhill exacta, as the veteran HIS LORDSHIP (RAMBO DANCER) and BAYETE (also RAMBO) led a field including four Grade One winners, a merry dance at Turfontein.

As if our stallions hadn’t already made enough of a statement, both South Africa’s top events of this past Saturday and Sunday, the Senor Santor (Gr2) and the King’s Cup (Gr3), fell to horses whose lives began in the Farm’s stallion barn. FAIR BRUTUS was bred by ex-Summerhill team member, Lorraine de Klerk and husband Koos, while MOSCOW RISING was bred by Charles Laird’s assistant, Debbie le Roux, from a Northern Guest mare. He was part of our National Sales consignment and fetched a modest R40 000 when sold to his present connections. Now that’s a bargain for you!

More Black Type success for Kahal

EVENING ATTIRE added win number six after cruising to victory in Saturday’s Listed Bauhinia Handicap despite lugging 59kg.

EVENING ATTIRE (B, F, out of Persian Guest by Northern Guest) now has 6 wins and 9 places and almost R500,000 in prize money to her name. In addition to her win on Saturday she has run second in the Gr 2 The Nursery (1160m), Listed Goldfields Sprint, Listed Gardenia Handicap (1000m), Listed Swallow Stakes (1160m), third in the Listed Ruffian Stakes (1000m) and fourth in the Gr 3 Pretty Polly Stakes.

She is another second crop stakes winner (3YO’s) for her sire Kahal who has also been in the news with the deeds of his Gr 1 performer EMPEROR NAPOLEON.

Big races, big names

The names were up in lights again last weekend:

Thunder Key (MUHTAFAL) 3rd in the Gr 1 Cape Flying  Champion Stakes

Evening Attire (KAHAL) carrying top weight of 62 kg second with Lady Red (RUSSIAN REVIVAL) 3rd in the Swallow Stakes [LISTED].

Meanwhile it was 1-2-3 for VUMA feds in the Gr 1 Cape Flying Champion Stakes … you can’t beat that !  

You can't ask for much more in 15 minutes

Just how good is Kahal? The question does have to be asked when in the space of one afternoon two of his progeny added black type to their sires record.

At  3.30pm, Kahal’s 3YO bay daughter EVENING ATTIRE (the 3-time winner and Gr 2 place getter who has only been out of the prizemoney once in 11 starts) added to her impressive record when she ran second in the R185,000 Goldfields Sprint [Listed] over 1160m at Turffontein. The filly was first to break from the gates and had 4 lengths on the field 280 m from home, and 150m out looked as if she would hold on to win but alas was snared in the final 3 strides by Lady Perez. Geoff Russell from the Keeneland Thoroughbred Association presented the trophy to the winning connections. We look forward to welcoming the Keeneland delegation to Summerhill and Hartford House tomorrow afternoon/evening.

Just 15 minutes later Kahal’s  4yo bay son - MAJESTIC SUN (a 6-time winner and only out of the prixzemoney once in 12 starts) won the R125,000 Gr 3 Matchem Stakes (1400m) at Kenilworth in a time of 85.92.

Kahal has a beautiful book of mares confirmed for 2006. These include:

• The dams of 11 graded stakes winners including an Oaks winner and 2 Equus Champions
• 7 graded stakes winners/performers
• 2 daughters of Gr 1 winners 
• Own and half sisters to 28 graded stakes winners/performers

BLUSHING SUMMER (the dam of Majestic Sun) is a confirmed booking to Kahal. BLUSHING SUMMER is dam of the 4-time winner and multiple Gr 2 placed BROCK and Gr 3 winner (and placegetter) MAJESTIC SUN. She is the daughter of the listed place getter CAPE SUMMER (half sister to PERSIAN SUMMER, Leading Colt of His Generation MAJESTIC CROWN, GOLDEN PROSPECT (dam of GOLD PANNER), Wheels ‘n Deals (grand dam of MISS ENTREPRENEUR, STERNWHEELER, and SHEE) and Luna Rose (dam of BLUSHING MOON, VINO ROSA and ADRIACTIC PORT.

Other mares who will greet Kahal in the Breeding Shed include:

• COASTAL RELATIVE – dam of the 11 time winner including Jockey Club Stakes [L] COASTAL ROCK. Half sister to Gr 3 winner ROYAL TOURS and Gr 2 placed PRESIDENTIAL SUITE.
• COUSIN LINDA – dam of Gr 2 winner REBEL KING. Half sister to Listed winner and Gr 1 placed LUCY’S LAD & listed winner and Gr 1 placed COUSIN JOHN. 
• DANCER’S CHOICE – Listed winner and Gr 1 placed. Dam of 4 winners. Daughter of a listed winner. Half sister to Feather-Weight (dam of FLYING LUCY – listed winner and Gr 2/Gr 3 placed).
• ELLINORE – dam of BOLD ELLINORE (by Kahal) - 4 time winner incl. the Gr 2 KZN Fillies Guineas, 2nd Garden Province Stakes Gr 1, 3rd Golden Slipper Gr 2; and the Mike de Kock colt that everyone is talking about - EMPEROR NAPOLEON (by Kahal).
• FOVESTA – dam of the 9 time winner (incl. twice at Listed Level) and Gr 3 placed SILVER ARROW and the Gr 2 Oaks winner VEILED ESSENCE.
• HEAT MACHINE – 5-time winner and Gr 3 placed. Dam of Gr 3 placegetter UZUMA. Half sister to Rollicking Lady (dam of Gr 3 place getter ROLLICKING ROYAL).
• LIFE’S ROMANCE – By Northern Guest. Dam of Gr 3 winner SIDE BY SIDE. Daughter of Listed placegetter HER HIGHNESS. Own sister to Listed winner & Gr 1 placegetter RIP CURL and half sister to Gr 2 winner HIS LORDSHIP.
• LOTTI – Listed winner and Gr 2 placed.
• MISS WONDERFUL – dam of listed placegetter THE CONVENT.
• MODRAJ – By Machiavellian. From one of the finest families in the British Stud Books - the family of URBAN SEA (dam of GALILEO, BLACK SAM BELLAMY, URBAN OCEAN, MELIKAH), KINGS BEST etc.
• NORDIC AIR – By Northern Guest. Dam of Equus Champion 3YO Classic Female 2002 ICY AIR. Half sister to Listed placegetter LUTH COMMANDER and GLAD MUSIC; also Great Attraction (dam of multiple Gr 2 winner & Gr 1 placed AMPHITHEATRE).
• REAL RED – 6 time winner and Gr2/3 placed. Family of TOM AND JERRY, BIANCONI, FANDANGO FLYER, CATCH TWENYTWO AND PEARLY QUEEN.
• SELBOURNE PARK – listed winner and Gr 2 placed
• VALLEY MIST – dam of 5 runners/5 winners including NHLAVINI – Equus Champion Older Male Sprinter in 2001, 2005 and 2006. 13-time winner & multiple Graded Stakes incl. Graham Beck Wines Cape Flying Championship Gr 1. Daughter of Gr 3 place getter MISTY FOR ME. Half sister to Gr 1 winner MYSTERY GUEST.