Champion international trainer Mike de Kock labelled new Yellow Star sire Golden Sword ‘the best horse of a classy generation in my overseas string. At his best, he was a serious international competitor.’
Belle Rose – classy and plenty of stamina
It was thus fitting when De Kock enjoyed the honour of saddling the big son of High Chaparral’s first winner and stakes victress. The Gr1 placed Belle Rose won the Listed Oaks Trial and made it on to the 2017/18 De Kock Dubai draft.
Golden Sword, a former resident of Summerhill Stud, has relocated to the De Klerk family’s Yellow Star Stud from the 2018 breeding season.
The stud, closely associated with SA Horse Of The Year and current Drakenstein stallion Futura, as well as Arcsa Champion Dancewiththeedevil, is situated approximately 12 km outside the village of Mooi River, the hub of thoroughbred breeding in Kwa-Zulu Natal.
Golden Sword and Greig Muir
Golden Sword was the second highest rated Northern Hemisphere bred son of High Chaparral, and his illustrious sire’s first son to stand here when he arrived in 2012.
He hails from one the greatest families in the stud book, whose members include the classic winning fillies Alexandrova and Chicquita – both, like Golden Sword, descendants of the great Sadler’s Wells – as well as former legendary SA sire Royal Prerogative and Dolpour – the latter being the broodmare sire of The Apache.
While he is a Graded Stakes winner of four races from 1400m – 2400m, with earnings of more than R6.7million, it is arguable that Golden Sword’s finest moment came in the Gr1 Investec Derby at Epsom, where he was beaten just over two lengths by the world champion, Sea The Stars.
He was also runner-up in the Gr1 Irish Derby to triple Gr1 star, Fame And Glory.
Golden Sword (High Chaparral – Sitara)
While in the care of Mike de Kock, South African racing fans will recall Golden Sword’s storming finishes from behind in Dubai, where he ran the fastest 2000 meters ever – a record which still stands.
Former Summerhill Stallion Manager Greig Muir is on record as saying: “Golden Sword is a big, elegant horse, much in the mould of So You Think, and provides breeders with a welcome source of one of the most valuable bloodlines in the world. In any other year, he might’ve been a Derby winner, and he would not have been in South Africa if that were the case.”
Have you visited our sires section?
Golden Sword has 2 lots on the CTS April Yearling Sale next month.
