Legislate surveys his surroundings (pic: hamishNIVENPhotography)
Drakenstein Stud Farm’s stallion day scheduled for Friday, 21 August was pencilled into my diary well in advance. I wanted to go, but at the same time, the trip required a bit of a deep breath because the last time I was there, Horse Chestnut was still in residence.
It’s a funny thing how one gets attached to horses. Horse Chestnut’s 1999 Met win was the first time I profoundly experienced greatness in a turf star. What no-one warned me was that there’s a transaction that takes place – for the heart-stopping moments of wonder they give you, they take in exchange a little piece of your heart and from that point on, you and that horse are irretrievably linked. And ever after, those great horses feel just a little bit ‘yours’. Horse Chestnut is the first of ‘my’ heroes to pass on to the great pasture in the sky – taking his little sliver of my heart with him as he went. I was taken by surprise by how much it hurt. Both for the loss of him as well as the inevitable realisation that I am no longer that 24 year old girl on the rail.
Of course I’m not that silly 24 year old anymore, because the clock ticks and the minute hand chases the second hand and life DOES go on and that was one of the reasons we were at Drakenstein Stud Farm in the first place – to see the stallions and all the speed, courage and glory that they promise to pass on to the next generation and just perhaps create enough alchemy to produce another big horse who might perform illicit open-heart surgery on unsuspecting fans.
With the Western Cape still gingerly extricating itself from winter’s long fingers, even the weather played along, gracing us with blue skies and sending the mercury shooting up into the mid-20’s. A little pre-season preview of what’s to come – ah, heaven! The clear blue sky hung over a tapestry of green and while my fellow commuters continued hurtling along the R45, it was sheer, smug indulgence to flick my indicator right and turn up the driveway to Drakenstein Stud Farm.
The liveried attendants at the gate greeted me with a warm smile and waved me through while a pair of playful mongooses gambolled up the drive ahead of me. In the car park of the Franschhoek Motor Museum my coach, or more specifically my tram, awaited to whisk me up to the stables. No matter how many times one has visited Drakenstein Stud Farm, the first sight of the gracious Herbert-Baker inspired stabling complex is always an arresting sight.
Warm welcome
Futura on parade (credit: hamishNIVENPhotography)
There was a quick chance to catch up with fellow guests over a welcome drink and then we all made our way to the stallion barn, where we were all in for an extra little surprise. Legislate and Futura, both enjoying a little break at Drakenstein, were brought out on parade and it was extra special to find myself standing next to co-owner Jack Mitchell while they were walked out. The Franschhoek mountains are arranged in a natural amphitheatre around the farm and made the perfect setting for the last two South African Horses Of The Year. Both horses are looking magnificent and clearly enjoying their little break, although Justin Snaith, who was on hand to introduce his charges, was quick to reassure us that both horses would be back in training for the season. Snaith Racing have had a little social media fun with their two stable stars last season, including cartoons and hype before their big race clashes and it will be interesting to see these two renew their rivalry next term.
Duke Of Marmalade
Duke Of Marmalade (credit: hamishNIVENPhotography)
Next on show was Duke Of Marmalade, the talking horse of the moment with his progeny collecting no less than three European Classics this year (Sound Of Freedom – Italian 1000 Guineas, Nutan – German Derby and Star Of Seville – French Oaks). It is perhaps somewhat superfluous to say that Cartier’s Champion Older Male of 2008 with five Group 1 victories to his name is a well-made horse, but I’ll do it anyway. Built very much in the Danehill mould, he is, if anything, more attractive in the flesh than on his brochure page with a particularly lovely eye and lively expression. Trainer Aidan O’Brien saw fit to pay him the following compliment “If horses were made of concrete and stone, he would be made of something harder”. Taking in his proportions and imperious attitude in the late winter sunshine, it is easy to see what inspired the comment. His first crop of South African foals are due this season and his very first foal, a colt out of Gr3 Strelitzia Stakes winner Valdivia, was born safely at Ridgemont Stud earlier this month. Unfortunately his much anticipated foal from Beach Beauty was still born, but the good news is that Beach Beauty is doing fine and has been scheduled to visit Trippi this season.
What A Winter
What A Winter (pic: hamishNIVENPhotography)
Mike Bass has been constantly in everyone’s thoughts since the news that he’d taken ill and so it was poignant that we got to see one of his ex stable stars, What A Winter, in his new role. During training, What A Winter had a reputation for his particularly good temperament and his transition to stud hasn’t changed him a bit. He was still his calm, composed self, posing quietly for everyone to take his photograph. He had a number of impressive wins during his racing career, but perhaps my favourite was his win in the Computaform Sprint on Champions Day 2013. It is quite hard to make a field of sprinters look like slouches, but somehow What A Winter managed it, producing a turn of foot the likes of which I doubt I’ll ever be privileged to see again, to win by 1.25 lengths with his ears pricked.
Philanthropist
Philanthropist (pic: hamishNIVENPhotography)
Next to be led out was Philanthropist. The imposing chestnut seems bigger than his brochured 16’3hh suggests and he stands over a lot of ground. The first time I saw Philanthropist was shortly after his arrival in South Africa and he seemed a little unsettled and anxious at the time. Drakenstein obviously suits him as he has let down well and is looking magnificent. Philanthropist grabbed headlines earlier this year when one of his yearling colts out of an A.P. Indy mare was knocked down for R1.4 million at the National Yearling sales. With synthetic tracks becoming a fact of life in South African racing, it’s worth noting that Philanthropist ended 2014 as the leading North American All-Weather Sire. He also scored a Canadian treble when 2 of his runners won at Fort Erie and another at Woodbine over the weekend. His oldest South African progeny have just turned two, so we can look forward to seeing them on our tracks soon.
Trippi
Trippi (pic: hamishNIVENPhotography)
With the loss of Horse Chestnut, Trippi is now Drakenstein Stud Farm’s senior statesman and wears his responsibilities well. It’s hard to believe that he is 18 years old already, but he remains as attractive as ever, if perhaps a shade more relaxed than in his younger years. It has been a good season for the son of End Sweep, finishing as the leading sire of 3yo’s. Trippi enjoyed a particularly memorable start to the year, when he sired the first three past the post in the 2015 Gr3 Lebelo Sprint as well as a Paddock / Majorca Stakes double with the Drakenstein homebred, Inara and of course Hammie’s Hooker, a graduate of his very first South African crop, closed off her season with the Champion Older Female Award.
Kingsbarns
The eagerly anticipated Kingsbarns was sadly delayed in quarantine, but all being well, he should be released and make his way to Drakenstein Stud Farm later this week. With there being a little uncertainty about his fertility, only 20 nominations will be made available at a fee of R60k live foal. As Inara’s dam has proved, Mrs Rupert has had success with horses previously deemed poor breeders, so we can only keep our fingers crossed that the South African sun and lush Drakenstein pastures will do the trick for Kingsbarns as well.
Nic Fiddian Green’s ‘Roman Horse’
With the horses being led off back to their respective paddocks, the guests collected in little knots to chat, catch up and reflect on the morning’s viewings. There was just time to admire Nic Fiddian Green’s beautiful ‘Roman Horse’ in the gardens behind the stallion barn before the trams arrived to whisk everyone off for lunch.
Lunch
Drakenstein Stud Farm’s beautiful facilities are a feast for the eye inside and out. The wonderful Cape Dutch style buildings sit gently in their surroundings and the immaculately landscaped gardens dotted with wonderful sculptures merit a tour all of their own. Considering that the farm is situated in one of the prettiest corners of one of the most beautiful parts of the Western Cape, it is a particularly appropriate home for the work of one of South Africa’s most celebrated landscape artists and a treat to see such a large collection of Pierneef linocuts all in one place.
Lunch was a wonderful buffet and complemented by the Antonij Rupert Protea range wines in their exquisitely decorated bottles, everyone was soon feeling pleasantly round. Mrs Rupert is the consummate hostess and somehow manages to find time to welcome and exchange a few words with everyone personally, but huge thanks are due to the entire team for a wonderful day out. While Ross Fuller and his stallion team ensured that the horses were all turned out and shown to perfection, it takes a team effort to ensure success and the day flew by seamlessly.
All too soon it was time to head back home. My little mongoose friends saw me back out to the gate, while I reminisced on the day’s highlights and pondered what might be to come. Although the breeding and racing season bring many disappointments, it is hard – particularly under Friday’s warm early sunshine – not to feel quietly excited at the prospect of the new season’s foals and runners stretching out ahead of us. Because of course it is dreams that sell horses.
I found a wonderful quote by Ed Dunlop which sums it up beautifully. “It’s always possible – it is not LIKELY but it is unquestionably possible – that one of them, almost any one of them, could be the greatest horse that has ever set foot on a racetrack. You know that almost certainly this will not be the case. But you cannot say it is impossible.”
However, at the home of Horse Chestnut, that dream somehow seems a little more possible than most.
