Horizon has officially been retired and will stand at the Hemel ‘N Aarde Stud just outside Hermanus.
Horizon – off to stud
Bred by Maine Chance Farms, the bay set a then new record for a thoroughbred sold in South Africa when fetching R5.2 million at the 2015 Cape Premier Yearling Sale when selling under the name of Shining Knight.
Horizon is a son of four times Equus Outstanding Stallion Dynasty and his dam Shina (a daughter of champion German sire Lomitas) is an own sister to triple Gr1 winner and multiple champion sire Silvano.
A controversial runner up in the Jet Master Stakes at three, Horizon followed up that effort when scoring an emphatic one and a quarter length win in the Gr3 Politician Stakes. Dispatched to KZN, Horizon quickly made his mark when downing Gr2 Golden Horseshoe winner Zodiac Ruler in an allowance plate over 1400 metres.
He then showed his class when finishing third, to the now Hong Kong based Equus Champion Edict Of Nantes, in the Gr1 Daily News 2000, with graded stakes winners Zodiac Ruler, Secret Captain and Africa Rising among those beaten.
Mike Bass, Wehann Smith and Candice Bass-Robinson with the big-ticket Shining Knight – later Horizon – at the 2015 Cape Premier Yearling Sale
Horizon, who earned nearly R600 000, accounted for some very talented runners during his career, with the graded winners beaten by him including all of Nightingale (Gr1 Majorca Stakes), Silicone Valley (Gr2 Merchants), Elusive Silva (Gr2 Betting World 1900), and Redoute’s Choice son Table Bay (Gr3 Cape Classic).
He is one of 60 stakes winners sired by former Horse Of The Year Dynasty, whose lengthy list of high class performers include no fewer than eight official Equus Champions. Dynasty’s Horse Of The Year winning sons Futura and Legislate will be represented by their first yearlings in 2019.
Remarkably, Dynasty sons (who include three individual Horse Of The Year winners) have won the
Horizon is a half-brother to the very smart Santa Clara, one of the better 3yo fillies in the Cape this season.
Horizon and Santa Clara, a R1 000 000 yearling buy, share their dam Shina with international stakes winner Solapur.
A half-sister to US and German Gr1 winner Sabiango, Shina is a full-sister to Maine Chance Farms’ outstanding stallion Silvano – whose 20 individual Gr1 winners include four Vodacom Durban July winners.
Horizon and Silvano hail from the same family as Gr1 winning 2yos Jeanne Jones and Teggiano, Preakness Stakes winner High Quest, and successful sire Avenue Of Flag.
-Excerpt from Cape Breeders Club
