SA BREEDERS' CHAMPIONSHIP : AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

Summerhill Sires Film 2012 / 2013
(An iKind Media Production)

“THE FUTURE’S SO BRIGHT”
By Anne Wilson
Thoroughbred Daily News, 6 August 2012

It’s been hailed as one of the toughest contests in racing and breeding, the South African Breeders’ Championship, and 2011 was no exception. In the end, it was the KwaZulu-Natal-based Summerhill Stud who took their eighth consecutive breeders championship with R13,317,507 over the Cape giants Klawervlei and Highlands, who weighed in with R11,973,461 and R10,765,354, respectively.

During the last few months of the season, it was a battle royal, with the lead changing hands between Summerhill and Klawervlei several times, before it was sealed for Summerhill with a runner-up in the G1 Vodacom Durban July. The 2011/2012 season was another vintage one for the stud, thanks to the efforts and earnings of its various runners.

Heading the quartet of highest earners for the season was the recently exported filly and 2011 South African Horse of the Year, Igugu (Aus) (Galileo) with R1,612,500 thanks to her multiple Group 1 wins including the G1 J&B Met; in second was Smanjemanje (SAF) (Kahal), with R1,182 500 from efforts including wins in the G2 Victory Moon Stkes and the G3 London News Stakes as well as a nose second in Africa’s greatest race, the Vodacom Durban July. Last but certainly not least, is Pierre Jourdan (SAF) (Parade Leader), with R536,250 courtesy of an impressive victory in the G2 Charity Mile.

Summerhill also quietly claimed another breeding achievement this season, that of the Champion Broodmare Sires title. Won for the tenth year by their most celebrated former resident, Northern Guest, who beat the modern day record of nine, set by American champion sire Mr. Prospector.

It’s not only on the racing scene that Summerhill has shone, however, as its website and blog is ranked one of the most visited in the world. If you look at the Alexa rankings for the month of July, Summerhill sits on 120,228 internationally, as opposed to 1,152,092 for Coolmore, 2,152,731 for Darley and 2,905,346 for Lane’s End. Compare this to its previous March high of 139,943, and it shows that Summerhill has jumped a remarkable 19,715 positions in four months. They’re also knocking on the door of a top 500 position in the South African rankings.

Summerhill is fortunate to have some of the brightest and best talent in the film industry onboard their marketing team, and this is reflected in its now famous annual Summerhill Sires DVD. Heralded as one of the best in the industry, it has even been featured on the Australian racing channel Sky TV, and has received praise from people around the world.

One thing is certain, no matter what the future brings, Summerhill will continue to be at the forefront of innovation and enterprise on the local and international breeding and racing scene.

Extract from Thoroughbred Daily News

THE BOB OF A HEAD

Equus Champion Breeder Award
(Photo : Summerhill Archives)

“Nobody owns a monopoly on a championship.”

Don’t worry, we know the feeling. When Smanjemanje went down a nose in the Vodacom Durban July two weeks ago, it was the second time we’d been denied by a slim margin in the big race. Angus suffered the same fate at the hands of Ipi Tombe in the 2003 renewal, and if those decisions had gone our way, we’d now be sitting on six July wins, one ahead of the legendary Birch Brothers, who dominated the Breeder’s Premiership for more than half of the last century. They actually have six July winners to their credit, but they’ve won five Julys, the explanation being the dead-heat between Sea Cottage and Jollify in 1967.

The Jockey’s Championship this year is going to the wire just as narrowly, with Anton Marcus heading the log on 182 victories and Anthony Delpech breathing down his neck on 177. There are twelve days left in the season, and this one can go either way now. Delpech got a “holiday” of a few days recently for a riding infringement, and he took time out to visit Hartford House with his family. There was an air of despair about him, as he felt he’d blown his chances with the suspension, but it’s a measure of the man that he’s back in the hunt.

Position	Wins	Jockey
1	182	ANTON MARCUS
2	177	ANTHONY DELPECH
3	150	GAVIN LERENA
4	122	PIERE STRYDOM
5	122	RICHARD FOURIE
6	107	MUZI YENI
7	105	KARIS TEETAN
8	102	SHERMAN BROWN
9	101	ROBBIE FRADD
10	96	FELIX COETZEE

He did his prospects a turn yesterday when he picked up the chance ride on Great Smokey, a Summerhill-bred who was totting up a double at the Vaal with an end-to-end performance under a masterful judgment of pace. Of course, we’re in our own battle for our eighth Breeder’s Championship at the moment, having surrendered the lead to Klawervlei during June, when they pulled more than R400,000 ahead at one stage. We’ve clawed our way back, and we’re now sitting with a lead of just on a million.

Position	Stakes (ZAR)	Breeder
1	12,521,167	SUMMERHILL STUD
2	11,527,700	KLAWERVLEI STUD
3	9,868,804	HIGHLANDS
4	9,128,732	MAINE CHANCE
5	6,133,172	SCOTT BROS
6	5,864,100	GRAYSTONE STUD
7	5,672,495	WILGERBOSDRIFT
8	4,539,477	VARSFONTEIN STUD
9	4,514,912	LA PLAISANCE STUD
10	4,252,704	AVONTUUR FARM

You might take comfort in such a cushion, but it remains possible for us to be overhauled, and we won’t be making any claims until the “big lady” has had her say on July 31^st. If we do pull this one off, it’ll be one of the more satisfying. By our own standards, we haven’t had a great year, despite the fact that we’re in front in terms of Stakes winners, but it says something for the toughness and durability of our stock that they’ve run more often and earned more on average than our pursuers, who now have an advantage in terms of numbers at the track.

Either way, we’re prepared for any eventuality. Nobody owns a monopoly on a championship. The Summerhill team long ago identified other markers by which it wants to be measure. They know the equations others don’t seem to know. Great harvests come from arid sources. Seven Breeder’s Premierships, the winners of four Durban Julys, three J&B Mets, three Summer Cups. They all sprung from nowhere. The other thing that drives them, is knowing that one day you’re going to be beaten; it’s the best way to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose: you are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

Enquiries :
Linda Norval 27 (0) 33 263 1081
or email linda@summerhill.co.za
www.summerhill.co.za

THE GREATEST GIFT IN CREATION

Click above to watch an insert on the 2011 Investec Stallion Day and the
official opening of the Al Maktoum School of Management Excellence
(A Jimmy Lithgow Production)

AL MAKTOUM
SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT EXCELLENCE

The world is a very competitive place; it’s never been more so.
Education is the key to the world.
There is only one School of Management Excellence
in the Southern Hemisphere, and it has the best teachers in the world. 

AND THE BEST PEOPLE KNOW IT.

Drakenstein, Highlands, Klawervlei, Maine Chance, Mike de Kock, Summerhill and Wilgerbosdrift.

JOIN THE CLUB : YOUR STAFF DESERVE IT

Heather Morkel +27 (0) 33 263 1081
or email heather@summerhill.co.za
www.summerhill.co.za

SHEA SHEA WINS GOLDEN HORSE CASINO SPRINT

Click above to watch Shea Shea winning the Golden Horse Casino Sprint (Gr1)
(Image : Gold Circle - Footage : Tellytrack)

GOLDEN HORSE CASINO SPRINT (Grade 1)
Scottsville, Turf, 1200m
28 May 2011

David Thiselton
Gold CircleThe Golden Horse Casino Sprint day at Scottsville was held in fine weather Saturday and was enjoyed by a festive crowd, while punters had a good day with fancied horses winning all four of the Grade 1 1200m features on the card. The penetrometer reading for the day was a good 22, but the inside draws appeared to hold an advantage.

The Geoff Woodruff-trained three-year-old National Emblem colt, Shea Shea, won the feature race, the Golden Horse Casino Sprint, a handicap race, under jockey Anthony Delpech, who, wary of horses diving for the inside, kept Shea Shea away from the rail and rode a patient race, delivering him late. He responded superbly and went past August Rush who had found the inside rail and finished a fine 0,75 length second. The bottom weight Polar Moon, drawn three, finished just 0,25 lengths further back in third. Winking Jack set the pace alone on the outside, hanging on for fourth ahead of Gaultier. The 13-20 favourite What A Winter took a bump early and from a draw of 11 was always going to battle to make up the ground.

Woodruff said the team had been left a bit deflated after the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint in which they were always chasing the lightning fast Val De Ra, before finishing third, but he revealed that Delpech believed Shea Shea would win the Golden Horse. Shea Shea is owned by Brian Joffe and Myron Berzack and was bred by Klawervlei Stud. The horse is named after Joffe’s grandson, Shea. Woodruff also won the Golden Horse two years ago with Earl Of Surrey.

GOLDEN HORSE CASINO SPRINT (Gr1)
Final Results

#	LBH	Horse	Kg	MR	Dr	Jockey	Trainer
1	0.00	SHEA SHEA	58.0	110	4	A Delpech	Geoff Woodruff
2	0.75	AUGUST RUSH	57.0	105	6	B Fayd’Herbe	Neil Bruss
3	1.00	POLAR MOON	53.5	98	2	M V’Rensburg	Sean Tarry
4	1.10	WINKING JACK	56.0	103	13	G Lerena	Lance Wiid
5	2.35	GAULTIER	57.5	106	7	S Randolph	Mike Bass
6	2.85	WHAT A WINTER	59.5	113	10	K Neisius	Mike Bass
7	3.60	SPLASH GOLD	57.5	109	12	A Fortune	Dean Kannemeyer
8	4.10	BUSH PIRATE	57.5	106	9	G Hatt	Joey Ramsden
9	4.85	ELUSIVE RIVER (AUS)	54.0	102	5	A Marcus	Charles Laird
10	5.35	ARABIAN MIST	58.5	108	8	D David	Gary Alexander
11	5.60	RUSHING WIND	58.5	108	15	A Domeyer	Mike Bass
12	6.35	DANCE WITH AL	55.5	102	11	F Coetzee	Justin Snaith
13	7.10	RABATTACHE	60.0	111	3	I Sturgeon	Glen Puller
14	8.10	TWO TONE	58.0	107	1	* JP v’d Merwe	Mike Azzie
15	8.60	KAVANAGH	56.0	106	14	K Shea	Mike de Kock
16	14.85	GOOD THING	59.5	110	16	M Mienie	Wendy Whitehead

Extract from Gold Circle

2011 CAPE PREMIER YEARLING SALE SUMMARY

Cape Premier Yearling Sale - CTICC
(Photo : Astrid Stark)

CAPE PREMIER YEARLING SALE
Cape Town ICC, 27-28 January 2011

The inaugural Cape Premier Yearling Sale, staged at the Cape Town International Covention Centre, drew to a close Friday. The sale attracted plenty of international interest with 214 lots sold for turnover of R87,900,000 (US$12,222,105). There was a clearance rate of 79 percent. The average price was R410,748 ($57,113) (US$1=R7.192).

Leading vendor at the sale, by aggregate, was Klawervlei Stud. They sold 32 yearlings for an aggregate of R15,725,000. Leading vendor, by average (three or more sold), was Lammerskraal Stud. They sold a trio of yearlings for an average price of R933,333. Champion sire Jet Master had an outstanding sale. His 21 yearlings sold for an aggregate of R15,585,000 and an average of R742,143, which made him the leading sire by average as well. A pair of colts by the stallion, both knocked down for R2.5 million, ultimately topped the two-day sale. Lot 269, a son of Jet Master (SAf) - Alexandra Bi (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), was knocked down to Singapore-based trainer Patrick Shaw.

Patrick Shaw was also responsible for Thursday’s R2 million son of Captain Al (SAf) - Leading Dame (SAf) (Jallad). Lot 269 is a half-brother to three winners from four to race, including Alexandra Rose (SAf) (Caesour), a Group 2 winner and twice Group 1-placed in South Africa. She later finished runner-up in the Cape Verdi Stakes in Dubai and landed the 2008 Monrovia Handicap (G3) for Team Valor and partners. The bay colt was consigned by Varsfontein Stud. The other son of Jet Master to sell for R2.5 million was lot 102. Out of the Al Mufti mare Laptop Lady (SAf), the colt was consigned by Klawervlei Stud. He was bought by Gauteng owner Ebrahim Khan.

Both the venue and quality of horse on offer drew praise from all involved and buyers were very impressed by the sale.

Angus Gold, racing manager to Sheikh Hamdan whose association with Summerhill goes back some 20 years, had this to say, “Everyone has been tremendously positive and upbeat for this sale, and judging on what I have seen, they have every right to be. The venue is wonderful, and there are a number of wonderful horses up for sale, who compare favourably with the horses I have bought at the country’s National Sale. Despite being in the middle of a busy city, the horses at the sale have been remarkably settled and relaxed.”

Team Valor’s Barry Irwin remarked, “I came here to buy three, and am leaving with seven horses. There were some very nice horses on offer, and I was happy to see the horses were not backward, but of a very high quality. The selection of horse on the sale was excellent and, despite having a relatively small number, I still found 16 fillies I was keen to buy.”

Dubai owner Ali Alqama, who has horses in training with champion trainer Mike de Kock, purchased three horses at the sale, all of which are headed to Dubai. He said of the sale, “The prices are very reasonable in South Africa, which I like. There were some very nice horses on offer, and South African horses have an excellent record in Dubai. After this sale, I will definitely be coming to the Emperor’s Palace National Yearling Sale later in the year.”

All in all, the sale proved tremendously popular, with both buyers and vendors praising the concept, venue and quality of horse on offer.

TOP LOTS SOLD FOR R1,000,000 PLUS

Lot	Horse	Sex	Sire	Dam	Vendor	Price (ZAR)
269	Alexandra Palace	Colt	Jet Master	Alexandra Bi	Varsfontein Stud	2,500,000
102	One Sunday Morning	Colt	Jet Master	Laptop Lady	Klawervlei Stud	2,500,000
106	Tequila Sunrise	Colt	Captain Al	Leading Dame	Klipdrift Stud	2,000,000
220	Abercrombie	Colt	Trippi	Stratos	Drakenstein Stud	1,800,000
113	Yorker	Colt	Jet Master	Little Indian	Varsfontein Stud	1,800,000
223	09 Sunshine Lover	Colt	Captain Al	Sunshine Lover	Klipdrift Stud	1,700,000
101	Lord Windsor	Colt	Silvano	Lady Windsor	Varsfontein Stud	1,700,000
274	Solomons Wall	Colt	Western Winter	Angelina	Lammerskraal Stud	1,700,000
144	Legal Trip	Colt	Trippi	Niyabah	Drakenstein Stud	1,500,000
114	Tiger In Africa	Colt	Tiger Ridge	London Niece	Wilgerbosdrift Stud	1,500,000
164	Captain Lars	Colt	Captain Al	Polar Charge	Klawevlei Stud	1,400,000
184	09 Russian Muse	Filly	Windrush	Russian Muse	Normandy Stud	1,400,000
212	Force Majeure	Filly	Jet Master	Star Wars	Arc-en-ciel Stud	1,400,000
188	Grassland	Filly	Western Winter	Savannah Breeze	Highlands Farm	1,200,000
14	Epic Tale	Colt	Western Winter	Classique Story	Avontuur Farm	1,050,000
136	Mussoorie	Colt	Trippi	Mountains Of Mist	Drakenstein Stud	1,050,000
22	Dime A Dozen	Filly	Jet Master	Dame Kiri	Klipdrift Stud	1,000,000
276	Count To Ten	Filly	Count Dubois	Aquilonia	Klawervlei Stud	1,000,000

Extract from Thoroughbred Daily News

For more information, please visit :
www.tba.co.za