Avontuur’s supremely consistently resident sire Var enjoyed feature success in two countries this weekend with his exciting 4yo Vardy downing a star-studded field to win the Gr2 World Sports Betting Green Point Stakes in impressive fashion at Kenilworth and 24 hours later his 6yo son Verdier winning the Gr3 SKM Gold Cup Sprint at Borrowdale Park.
Vardy wins at Kenilworth (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
In claiming the 2019 Green Point Stakes, the Tawny Syndicate bred Vardy accounted for the G1 winners Rainbow Bridge, Undercover Agent and South Africa’s reigning Horse of The Year Do It Again. Bred on the same Var/Jet Master cross as Gr3 Lebelo Sprint winner Rivarine, is the second son of Var to land the Green Point Stakes, with his outstanding son Variety Club having captured the same race in 2012.
Var had two winners at Borrowdale, with his son Armstrong (out of a Galileo half-sister to champion Sun Classique) winning his second consecutive start there.
Verdier – enjoying Zimbabwe
Verdier’s win in the Gr3 feature was impressive as he showed terrific guts and heart under Brendon McNaughton to beat Coachella and former SA Yearling Sale recordholder, the R6 million Cape Premier Yearling Sale purchase Silver Coin.
The day was described as a difficult one with the SA jockeys arriving without their kit due to an apparent flight complication.
South Africa’s Leading Sire of 2yo’s in both 2016-2017 and 2017-2018, Var has eight yearlings on offer at the 2020 Cape Premier Yearling Sale on 16 January 2020.
