Last Winter’s electric turn of foot to register the fastest 400m to tape finish of a great day in the 2018 Gr1 Sun Met, to be left a half-length short of the outstanding Oh Susanna, is always worth a revisit.
Before we go on, refresh your memory.
Watch the big bay in the yellow and black silks – click here
The lightly raced son of Western Winter – a champion sire of champion sires – was unbeaten in his first 4 starts over 1200m-1600m.
His final run on African soil was that dazzling runner-up finish in the Sun Met. His performances at that stage saw him ranked by Longines as the joint 5th highest rated turf horse in the world.
Last Winter stands on behalf of Piemonte Stud at Bush Hill in KZN (Pic- Bush Hill Stud)
He was exported to the UK where he ran twice in two features, and placed in the Floodlit Stakes over 2400m. His was a racing career that could have delivered plenty.
Today he stands on behalf of Piemonte Stud at Bush Hill in KZN, where his first foals have everybody talking.
The handsome athletic specimen is out of local champion and breed-shaper Silvano’s daughter Field Flower, a winner of the Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas. This is also the family of Inverroche, Hashtag Strat and Origami (’97 f) and sire Fools Holme, and his 4th dam is a full sister to Champion sire Bold Ruler – the sire of amongst others Secretariat.
The handsome horse is an active and healthy young stallion and full of enthusiasm.
Top-class Last Winter in action (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
According to Bush Hill owner and manager Warwick Render, Last Winter has adapted seamlessly to his tasks in the new season.
“To be honest, the ease with which he coped with the start of last season proved that he would be good to go with no problems once again this season,” informs the lifetime horseman.
Due to circumstances beyond Warwick’s control, Last Winter had a rushed beginning to his new career at stud last year. However, he eventually arrived on the farm out of quarantine on 3 September 2020 and covered his first mare the very next morning!
“As an indication of things to come, the mare was confirmed in foal shortly after,” Warwick says with pride.
With the stallion’s late arrival, and little time for promotion, Warwick feels that Last Winter did not get the hype he deserved leading into the season.
“Despite this, he still covered some very nice mares – the result is some crackers, including a smashing colt out of the Gr2 Debutante Stakes winner Tempted. The stakes-placed Dynasty mare African Dynasty has also produced an impressive high-quality colt,” Warwick informs us.
The five-time winning half-sister to Gr1 performing She’s A Dragon and immediate family of Cerise Cherry, Antonia Major, has a strong, well-balanced colt at her feet. Penthouse Mouse, a daughter of Cataloochee from one of Bush Hill Stud’s founding families, also has a scopey and quality colt by Last Winter.
“That pairing worked exceptionally well with Mr Prospector lines coming through,” informs Warwick.
A lovely Last Winter colt out of Penthouse Mouse
So despite Last Winter’s late arrival for his first season, he still covered a decent first book of mares.
“Most importantly, he has proved to be exceptionally fertile, achieving the rare feat of getting every mare he covered in foal!” boasts Warwick.
Warwick and his team have been so impressed by the quality of his foals that they have planned to send the stallion to some of their better mares this season.
“The dam of multiple Gr1 performing Neptune’s Rain has already been covered by him this year. Still to visit him will be the Gr2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas winner Go Indigo, and the eight-time winner Victory Moon mare Lunar Lee has already tested in foal to him!
“There will be many more exciting developments as the season progresses,” says Warwick with a smile.
“To round off the package, he is a great looking individual who has shown he is passing this on to his first foals.
“I would urge breeders not to miss out,” concludes Warwick.
Last Winter is standing at Bush Hill Stud for R7000 live foal.
Contact Warwick & Karin Render for more information: [email protected]
