Racing, Breeding and Sales - Summerhill Stud

Entries in Northern Guest (58)

Thursday

Aug262010

SADLER’S WELLS : A “NORTHERN GUEST” PARALLEL

Thursday, August 26, 2010 at 01:44PM

sadler's wells stallion

Sadler’s Wells
(Photo : Irish Times)

SADLER’S WELLS

The 2010 Summerhill Sires brochure features the farm’s most famous resident, Northern Guest, as its cover piece. It is a celebration of the old man’s equalling of Mr. Prospector’s world record nine Broodmare Sires titles. In his regular column for the Thoroughbred Daily News, Andrew Caulfield draws a parallel case for Sadler’s Wells, already the most successful stallion in European history.

The 2005 season saw the end of one of the bloodstock world’s most remarkable sequences, when Sadler’s Wells was finally deposed as champion sire in Britain and Ireland, after 13 consecutive titles.

We hardly had time to use the metaphor that the “King is dead,” though, because the astonishing Coolmore stallion - still with us at the age of 29 - ended 2005 with a new crown sitting proudly on his noble head. He topped the broodmare sires - list for the first time at the age of 24 and, remarkably, he has repeated the feat every subsequent year.

With earnings more than double those of his nearest pursuer, Sadler’s Wells currently looks to be well on his way to a sixth consecutive title, raising the strong possibility that - with so many daughters to his credit - he is going to prove every bit as dominant in this new role as he was as a sire. His daughters’ numerous 2010 group winners feature the likes of the Derby winner Workforce and his fellow Group 1 winners Campanologist and Chinese White.

What surprises me a little about this tremendously successful second career for Sadler’s Wells is that it has been achieved in an Anglo-Irish industry which is already steeped in his blood. Since he lost his crown as champion sire, his sons Galileo and Montjeu have rarely ranked outside the top five stallions and Galileo currently looks guaranteed to land his second championship.

The time is surely coming when inbreeding to this exceptional stallion will start to occur more regularly, with pedigrees pairing the likes of Barathea, In The Wings, Galileo, Montjeu and even El Prado.

Until now breeders have preferred to double up on the major elements in Sadler’s Wells’ pedigree by pairing his descendants with those of his close relative Nureyev. However, the 2008 German Derby fell to Khamsin, a colt inbred 4x4 to Sadler’s Wells. If anything is going to act as a deterrent to inbreeding to Sadler’s Wells, it will be the fear that it will produce horses with too much stamina for today’s commercial market. Remember, though, that Sadler’s Wells sired three winners of the 2,000 Guineas, three of the Irish 1,000 Guineas and two of the Irish 2,000 Guineas.

This concern about an excess of stamina in the progeny of Sadler’s Wells’ daughters is apparent in the stallions which have their most regular mates. With the notable exceptions of Rainbow Quest, Darshaan and Daylami, they have largely been high-class two-year-olds, sprinters or milers, such as Kingmambo, King’s Best, Danehill Dancer, Danehill, Zafonic, Machiavellian, Indian Ridge, Rock of Gibraltar and Selkirk.

Extract from Thoroughbred Daily News

COMMENT

tags

Danehill,

Galileo,

Thursday

Aug122010

THE EQUUS AWARDS 2010

Thursday, August 12, 2010 at 01:30PM

Northern Guest
(Photo : Summerhill Stud Archives)

The Equus Awards

As we write, the Summerhill delegation of twelve is bussing its way to Jo’burg, for this evening’s gala function, which hails the Champions of 2010. It has been a banner year for racing, featuring one of history’s strongest crop of Three-Year-Old Colts, headed by the season’s biggest earner Pierre Jourdan, bred and raised at Summerhill by the Farm and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum.

He is joined on the podium by Irish Flame, Bold Silvano, Noordhoek Flyer, Bravura and Orbison. It must be decades since any category of finalists was adorned with such illustrious names.

Of course, lest anybody should think we’re getting complacent, we’re as excited about the 6th consecutive National Breeders’ title as we were the first time our team occupied the stage. This time, our leadership of the breeding ranks is punctuated by a record margin of more than R10million, and the added lustre that comes with Hear The Drums, eclipsing the all-time record number of wins, just a few days before the season’s end - and our most famous resident, Northern Guest’s world record-equalling 9th Broodmare Sire’s title.

tags

National Breeders Championship,

Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum,

South African Racing Awards

Equus Awards,

South African Horseracing,

Thoroughbred Racehorse Breeders

Tuesday

Aug032010

SEASON’S END : HAIL THE CHAMPIONS

Tuesday, August 3, 2010 at 10:33AM

Raymond Ellis receiving the 1947 King’s Cup
(Photo : Summerhill Stud Archives)

SOUTH AFRICAN HORSERACING SEASON
1 August 2009 - 31 July 2010

Africa’s first Fifa World Cup is not the only reason we’ll remember 2010. For Summerhill, it marked the greatest year in our history, and if you take that back to the founding of the farm in 1875, we’re talking of 135 years. There are deep layers of consequential history in the Summerhill and Hartford stories, and one of them, from the horse perspective, dates to the point at which the mighty Ellis machine first rolled into action.

Sir Mordaunt Miller recognised the feats of Raymond Ellis and his team in his writings which saluted the great owner-breeders of their era, including the Aga Khan and Lord Derby, the Frenchman Boussac, the Italian Tesio, the Americans Phipps and Hancock, and the Claiborne and Calumet farms. In the same breath, he spoke of A.R. Ellis of Hartford, the only farm on the African continent to warrant a mention.

When we came here, we inherited the responsibility of trying to fill the biggest shoes South African racing had known, and there was a symbolic dimension that marked the beginning of that awesome era. There is a sculpture in the Hartford garden, a creation of da Vinci’s mentor, Verrocchio which dates to the 1420’s. It owes its presence to a former Tesio head groom, who spent his prisoner-of-war incarceration on the property. The arrival of this sculpture in 1945 heralded the beginning of the trente glorieuses, the three decades of unprecedented Ellis prosperity on South Africa’s racecourses. While the names and the faces have changed, the sculpture is still there, presiding over a new period of prosperity.

With the conclusion of the 2010 racing season on Saturday, Summerhill became the only entity in Arcsa and Equus Awards history to garner six consecutive championships in any category. The same day, Northern Guest surged to his ninth Broodmare Sires’ title; equalling the great Mr. Prospector’s world record, while Pierre Jourdan became the season’s biggest stakes earner with R3,175million. If that wasn’t enough, Hear The Drums’ 33^rd victory last week, made him the winningmost racehorse of all time. Summerhill’s almost R19 million in stakes earnings constituted a new and significant record for any one stud in any season, with a margin between ourselves and the runners-up of more than R10 million.

Among trainers, Mike de Kock, already recognised as one of, if not the best trainer in the world, pushed his stable’s earnings past R21 million with a memorable one-two in Saturday’s Vodacom Durban July. There’s not much more this man can do domestically, but his ambitions and talents are limitless, and no doubt, there’s far more to this story than we already know.

On the jockey’s front, Anton Marcus’ world class professionalism guaranteed him the championship in thoroughly deserving style, while the indefatigable Jet Master grabbed yet another sires’ title.

From one Champion team to our Champion colleagues, well done. Relish the moment. This is the mountain top.

For more information please visit :
www.summerhill.co.za

LEADING TRAINERS BY STAKES

#	Trainer	Stakes (ZAR)
1	Mike de Kock	22,304,287
2	Sean Tarry	13,945,750
3	Charles Laird	11,949,687
4	Mike Bass	11,875,224
5	Justin Snaith	9,420,250
6	Glen Kotzen	7,819,275
7	Joey Ramsden	7,279,574
8	Gavin Smith	7,053,499
9	Gary Alexander	6,625,512
10	Alan Greef	6,427,725

LEADING JOCKEYS BY WINS

#	Jockey	Wins
1	Anton Marcus	196
2	Felix Coetzee	138
3	Anthony Delpech	133
4	Piere Strydom	128
5	MJ Byleveld	124
6	Karl Neisius	104
7	Bernard Fayd’Herbe	98
8	Muzi Yeni	95
9	Sherman Brown	93
10	Warren Kennedy	89

LEADING BREEDERS BY STAKES

#	Breeder	Stakes (ZAR)
1	Summerhill Stud	18,723,862
2	Ascot Stud	8,424,475
3	Klawervlei Stud	6,458,825
4	Lammerskraal Stud	6,338,325
5	Highlands	6,309,824
6	Normandy Stud	6,293,375
7	Wilgerbosdrift	6,227,800
8	Scott Bros	5,921,237
9	D Cohen & Sons	5,743,512
10	Maine Chance	5,441,662

LEADING SIRES BY STAKES

#	Stallion	Stakes (ZAR)
1	Jet Master	14,124,350
2	Silvano	12,619,774
3	Captain Al	9,801,800
4	Fort Wood	9,534,737
5	Kahal	9,383,525
6	Western Winter	7,966,862
7	Parade Leader	7,913,024
8	Windrush	6,575,599
9	Dynasty	6,487,925
10	Jallad	6,343,874

LEADING BROODMARE SIRES BY STAKES

#	Broodmare Sire	Stakes (ZAR)
1	Northern Guest	13,569,500
2	Elliodor	13,232,349
3	Al Mufti	12,158,462
4	Model Man	7,863,512
5	Jallad	6,755,674
6	Fort Wood	6,320,100
7	Foveros	6,115,637
8	Qui Danzig	5,689,570
9	National Assembly	5,526,362
10	Badger Land	5,307,500

Figures courtesy of Sporting Post as at 31 July 2010

tags

South African Horseracing,

Thoroughbred Racehorse Breeders

Wednesday

Jun302010

THE SOUL OF THE FARM

Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 02:43AM

summerhill stallion barn by michael nefdt

The Soul of the Farm
(Photo : Summerhill Stud)

Here you sense the history of Great Ones…

Continuing the extracts from the Summerhill Sires Brochure for 2010/2011. Are you on the mailing list? If not then please let us have your details and we’ll gladly ensure you get a personal copy when it’s published on the 1st August.

“Step into the stud office, with its marble floors, trophy cabinets and Designers’ Guild furnishings and you think, this is the soul of it all. But that distinction belongs to the Stallion Barn.

Here you sense the history of the Great Ones, whose names adorn the honours boards. Here you make the acquaintances of Greig Muir, in his 25th year of service, and the Zumas, whose grandfather “did” Mowgli in the 50’s; their father groomed Sentinel. This place reeks of tradition and horsemanship, and decades of success. The only concession to modern times, is the TV tuned to Tellytrack.

In as old a ritual as the farm itself, all the people that make Summerhill tick, assemble at 6.45am at the stud office. Not long ago, when the farm’s most famous resident, Northern Guest, made his daily way to his paddock, the management gathered on the verandah to pay their respects. He’d paid for most of what you saw around you.

Towards the end, the old horse with his arthritic gait, would announce his presence with a reassuring neigh. He was not about to play the invalid. Like every great stallion, he didn’t look at you, but over and beyond, across the fields of dreams.

“Legend” is a devalued word in sport, yet here, standing before you, was the genuine article. You realise in an instant that this is a place where the Thoroughbred is not only a way of life; it is a reason for living, and a deep pool of sentiment.

Alongside the Stallion Barn is the cemetery, the Heroes’ Acre. You don’t get in here unless you’ve been worshipped by the cult. St Pauls, Mowgli, Magic Mirror, Cape Heath, Panjandrum, Sentinel, Sybil’s Nephew and Masham from a bygone era, and the modern giants Liloy, Home Guard, Northern Guest, Rambo Dancer. There’s not much room left, and you get the feeling that immortality is the only yardstick for induction. Looking at the present line-up though, you’d have to believe there are more than a few live candidates.”

For more information please visit :
www.summerhill.co.za

COMMENT

tags

Greig Muir,

Home Guard,

Liloy,

Mowgli,

Summerhill Sires Brochure

South African Horseracing,

Summerhill Sires Brochure 2010 - 2011,

Thoroughbred Racehorse Breeders

Friday

Jun182010

CANON GOLD CUP : SATURDAY 26 JUNE 2010

Friday, June 18, 2010 at 03:15PM

Winning Leap - 3000m Gold Bowl (Grade 2)
(Photo : JC Photographics / Summerhill Stud)

LE COUP D’OR : CONFUSION REIGNS

For the first time in living memory, the two Gold Cups that really count are being staged within the same week. Yesterday saw the running of the Royal Ascot version, highlight of the greatest week in European racing, and for the past four years, domain of Solskjaer’s younger brother, Yeats. Because of the upheaval the World Football Cup has imposed upon local racing, our own Gold Cup (sponsored by Canon), is to be staged on the 26th June, as opposed to the first Saturday in August, where it’s been since time immemorial. It is the staying championship of South Africa, and its winner is almost invariably crowned the Equus Awards Stayer of the Year. This year’s renewal is remarkable for the fact that for the first time (ever, as far as we can make out), there’s the potential of a three year old winning it.

There was a time when the English Derby, staged over 1,5 miles in June, was considered the sternest of tests for a three year old, and it was never thought advisable to run a horse much further in his classic year. More recently, the Australians have taught us it’s possible to run three year olds in their greatest staying race, the Melbourne Cup as early as November.

And so it’s happened that this year, we have our own top three year old engaged in the event in the form of Winning Leap. Ordinarily, we’d be concerned about his ability to get the trip, being the son of a world class miler in Labeeb, out of a Northern Guest mare descending from one of the Aga Khan’s oldest families, the one which produced Nasrullah and Royal Charger as well as the flying filly, Mumtaz Mahal. Another really good sort to come from this family was the European Champion Miler, Kalamoun, like Nasrullah and Royal Charger an outstanding stallion in his own right, but unfortunate to die prematurely.

Winning Leap’s credentials over the trip are well known, as he charged off with the laurels in Johannesburg’s Gold Bowl (Gr.2), over 3000m in May, so there’s every reason to expect that he’ll get the trip next Saturday, unless the handicapper has “fixed” him with weight once and for all. Winner of his last three starts by a combined 9.75 lengths, he is up there at the top of most bookmaker’s boards, as matters stand.

We quote from a recent article posted by Charl Pretorius on Racingweb.

His trainer, Dominic Zaki said “He’s not much to look at - he resembles a little camel, but he’s got a big stride and some acceleration and he stays forever and a day. He’s improved with maturity and there is much more to come. We’ll restrict him to long distances; there is no reason to change what is clearly his game. Yes, the Gold Cup is his mission, he’s a top horse and we may go for the Gold Vase on 3 July over 2800m on his way to the Cup.”

“Another impressive graduate of the winner factory at Summerhill Stud, Winning Leap fetched R85,000 at the 2008 Ready To Run Sale. Breeder Mick Goss would call him a horse “stolen” from the sales ring”.

CANON GOLD CUP (Grade 1)
Greyville, 3200m, 26 June 2010
Final Field

#	Horse	Kg	MR	Dr	Jockey	Trainer
1	MOKARO	60.0	112	17	R Fourie	Stephen Page
2	OMAHA BEACH	57.5	105	16	B Fayd’Herbe	Joey Ramsden
3	SANTA	57.5	105	5	A Marcus	Ormond Ferraris
4	STRATEGIC NEWS (AUS)	57.0	103	1	J Geroudis	Herman Brown
5	ANCESTRAL FORE	56.0	108	12	K Shea	Mike de Kock
6	VERTICAL TAKEOFF	56.0	101	8	P Strydom	Sean Tarry
7	SPEED FOR GOLD	56.0	100	6	A Forbes	Dennis Drier
8	WINNING LEAP	55.5	106	14	B Lerena	Dominic Zaki
9	GOLDEN PARACHUTE (NZ)	55.5	99	9	K Neisius	Mike Bass
10	ROBINSON CRUSOE	55.0	99	11	I Sturgeon	Glen Kotzen
11	STARZENE (USA)	55.0	99	20	G Lerena	Weiho Marwing
12	SANGRIA GIRL	55.5	98	4	R Danielson	Greg Ennion
13	THANKS JOHN	55.0	9	18	M Byleveld	Mike Bass
14	BOLD WONDER (AUS)	54.5	96	13	S Randolph	Duncan Howells
15	REFINED IN FIRE	54.5	96	7	P Whitmore	Yvette Bremner
16	HOSPITALITY	53.5	93	19	F Coetzee	Mike Stewart
17	LA FOCE	52.5	91	3	A Delpech	Mike de Kock
18	PREDESTINATION (AUS)	52.0	89	10	K Teetan	Joey Ramsden
19	SPORTS FACTOR	52.0	89	15	*A Domeyer	Paul Lafferty
20	RECONCILE	52.0	88	2	D Daniels	Glen Kotzen