Archipenko – a top racehorse
There are ten top stallions on the sale with just one lot each. That draws the curtains on the window of opportunity. But there is a fair range on offer of varying opportunity, so don’t give up without trying.
Archie- No Comic
We all know Kingmambo stallion Archipenko for his exploits on the racetracks when trained by Mike De Kock.
The Gr1 winner and leading international miler, won 5 Group races on 3 continents and sent out his first runners in 2013. He has started quickly with a host of winners.
Balmoral Stud offer (#106), a colt out of the Dansili mare Desarmante, a well related winner at 2 in France.
Top-Class
St John Gray trained the top-class racer Biarritz during his racing career here before he continued his career in Dubai.
A winner of 6 races including 3 Gr races, and 5 Gr placed (all by short heads), from 1400m to 1800m, he enjoyed a Timeform rating of 112 in Dubai and was merit rated 114 in South Africa – the best son of Count Dubois.
This could be the first time we see a Biarritz 2yo in motion on a racecourse when his unnamed chestnut filly, (#127) steps out for her gallop.
She is out of the twice winning Kitalpha mare, Fenella (ZIM) and from the same family as The Shark and Sea Chest.
World Record
Summerhill stallion Brave Tin Soldier (USA) topped the rankings as a leading freshman sire (by percentage of winners) last season. The son of Storm Cat was purchased as a foal for a world record R33 million.
The Group winning miler has had his winners from limited numbers and thus True Brave (#111), a chestnut colt out of a stakes winning National Assembly mare, could be worth a second look.
Royal Ransom
The impressive young Darley stallion Domesday (AUS), is the sire of Group 1 winners Pressday and Doctor Doom and has also produced more first-crop winners than his illustrious sire Red Ransom
An unnamed Australian bred bay colt (#108) is offered out of the End Sweep mare Diplome (AUS), who was placed at 2. She is a half-sister to Stakes winner Countess Christie.
Perennial
Athina wins The Gr1 SA Fillies Classic
Our well-loved former Champion sire Fort Wood enjoyed another fine season in 2013-2014. The son of Sadler’s Wells was represented by six stakes performers locally, headed up by Gr1 SA Fillies Classic winner Athina.
A truly outstanding stallion, the ever-green Fort Wood is the sire of 75 individual stakes winners – of which 15 are top-flight Grade One winners. No fewer than three of Fort Wood’s sons, Celtic Grove, Dynasty and the astonishing Horse Chestnut, were named South Africa’s Horse Of The Year.
His daughter Dubois Destiny (#166)is out of the well related Gone West mare, Late Summer (USA) and will attract plenty of interest.
Priceless
A half-brother by Lammerskraal stallion Go Deputy to the Adam Marcus-trained multiple stakes winner Priceless Jewel is offered by Sandown Stud.
Go Deputy was a multiple Gr1 winning turf Performer and in 2013 produced first crop stakes winners Changingoftheguard, Pessoa and Adobe Pink.
Royal Badge (#33) is out of the seven-time winning Kahir Almaydan mare So Royal (ZIM), who has produced 2 stakes winners from her five foals to race.
Very Fast
This is a rare opportunity.
HenryTheNavigator (USA) was a brilliantly fast winner of 4 Gr.1 races in a row, including 2 Classics. At 2 he won the Gr.2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot in a new track record.
By the proven sire of sires Kingmambo from the Gr1 winning 2-y-o Sequoyah, the Coolmore stallion is exceptionally well-bred.
Balmoral Stud offer an unnamed bay colt (#164) out of the Australian bred Bluebird mare, Ladybird Blue a stakes winner in her homeland.
Rock Solid
Australian-bred Lithuanian was acquired for Aus $525 000 as a yearling and won three races over 1000m and 1400m during a career which saw him competing in the UK and South Africa. He only started eight times in total.
He is s a son of Nureyev, the disqualified 2000 Guineas winner of 1980 whose notable sons at stud include Peintre Celebre, Breeders Cup Mile winner Spinning World, successful sire Fasliyev, and former Varsfontein flag-brearer, Caesour
Spencer Cook’s The Rock consign an unnamed bay colt (#126) out of the three-time winning Count Dubois mare, Fashion File.
Lionhearted
Gavin Van Zyl’s Heart Of A Lion
Zabeel stallion Seul Amour has had very limited opportunities at stud but has produced the winners and these include the stakes performer, Heart Of A Lion, who races out of the Gavin Van Zyl yard in Gauteng.
Sorrento Stud (as agent) offers a beautiful unnamed grey filly first foal (#80) out of the Model Man mare, Birthday Girl. She hails from a prolific winner producing dam line.
Tame A Tiger
The exceptionally well-bred Wilgerbosdrift stallion Tiger Ridge died in January this year. At the time of his death, Tiger Ridge’s progeny had won more than $25 million in prize money and included 29 reported stakes winners.
Klawervlei are offering his colt Tiger Torque (#54) who is out of the one-time winning Cordoba mare, Via Mala. Her granddam Vesta was a multiple Gr1 winner, who requires no introduction.
Next week: A look at some of the top dam-lines on offer
