Broodmare daughters of Varsfontein Stud’s late Nureyev sire Caesour continue to make their mark in races across Southern Africa.
On Saturday 1 June the brilliant three-year-old Lucky Lad (Gimmethegreenlight) scored a breathtaking win in the Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint at Hollywoodbets Scottsville, and on Saturday Zimbabwe Triple Crown winner Buster Barnes (Erupt) landed the OK Grand Challenge at Borrowdale.
Varsfontein Stud’s late Nureyev sire Caesour (Pic – Hamish Niven Photography)
Lucky Lad is out of the Caesour mare Imperial State, while Buster Barnes was produced by Caesour’s daughter Servilia.
Lucky Lad, whose dam ran second in both the Gr3 Final Fling Stakes and Listed Ladies Mile, is a full-brother to Gr3 Fillies Mile queen Follow Me (Gimmethegreenlight), while, in contrast, Buster Barnes is the only stakes winner for his Listed Lady’s Pendant winning dam Servilia.
Another daughter of Caesour, Alexia, is the granddam of this season’s high-class three-year-old Main Defender (Pathfork).
While disappointing in Saturday’s Gr1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge, Main Defender had earlier in the season won all of the Gr1 Wilgerbosdrift H F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes, Gr2 Betway Joburg Spring Challenge, Gr3 Betway Got The Greenlight Stakes, and Gr3 Betway Graham Beck Stakes.
His Caesour sired granddam also ranks as the dam of this season’s Gr3 Betway Victory Moon Stakes winner Atticus Finch (Master Of My Fate) (runner up in Sunday’s Gr3 Jubilee Stakes), as well as 2019 Listed Swallow Stakes winner All At Once (Captain Al).
Alexia’s winning daughter Andermatt (Western Winter) produced 2023 Listed Durbanville Cup winner Thefutureisbright (Futura) to add to this family’s growing impact.
It is not, however, the first time that Caesour’s broodmare daughters have enjoyed notable success.
Caesour broodmare daughters continue to enjoy notable success (Pic – Supplied)
Caesour not only ranks as the broodmare sire of former Equus Champion Dancewiththedevil (Modus Vivendi), but also such Gr1 winners as Attenborough (Western Winter), Emerald Cove (Captain Al), Royal Bencher (Greys Inn) and Oleksandra (Animal Kingdom). The latter won the Gr1 Jaipur Stakes at Belmont Park in 2020 and won a further three black type races.
His top-class daughter Irridescence, winner of Hong Kong’s Gr1 Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup in 2006, produced dual US G3 winner Hopper (Declaration Of War) , while another Caesour mare Caughtintheslips (like Irridescence winner of the SA Fillies Classic) produced four black-type horses, including Gr3 Graham Beck Stakes winner Doosra (Captain Al) and Gr1 SA Fillies Classic runner up Green Top (Gimmethegreenlight).
The Caesour sired Gr2 SA Oaks winner Arcola produced Gr2 Fillies Guineas winner Fiorella (by Captain Al), while another daughter Bearing Strait is the dam of this season’s Listed Southeaster Sprint winner Kiss Me Captain (Captain Of All).
Caesour, whose broodmare sire Graustark sired outstanding broodmare Glowing Tribute among many others, was a son of outstanding sire Nureyev, himself a superb broodmare sire.
Not only was Nureyev broodmare sire of outstanding stallions Kingmambo (Mr. Prospector) and Zabeel (Sir Tristram), but he also ranks as the maternal grandsire of G1 Kentucky Derby/G1 Preakness Stakes winner Big Brown (Boundary).
The latter has sired an outstanding broodmare daughter in the form of Puca, whose son Dornoch (Good Magic) won Saturday’s Gr1 Belmont Stakes. Dornoch is a full-brother to 2023 Gr1 Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic).
