Johan Janse Van Vuuren, who enjoyed a career-best 5th place on the South African National Trainers Log in the 2022/3 season with 79 winners and R10,95 million in gross stake earnings, has opened a satellite training base at Milnerton, Western Cape.
Janse van Vuuren will be filling 15 boxes to start, supported by his leading patron, Laurence Wernars and other owners in the yard.
Johan Janse van Vuuren (left) with Lyle Cooper on the occasion of his 2022 Betway Summer Cup (Pic – JC Photos)
He will be assisted by Elbert Steyn, who has extensive experience following a spell as an assistant trainer in Saudi Arabia and several years working alongside his father, veteran trainer Piet Steyn.
Four horses have already moved into the yard, including three purchased by Wernars at the 2023 Cape Premier Yearling Sale, and Janse van Vuuren commented: “Our decision to start a satellite base followed Laurence’s acquisition of three high-quality colts at the Premier Sale in January.
They qualify for the first running of the Cape Racing Sales Slipper.
Lot 13 – a lovely colt
“The first one was Lot 13, a lovely Klawervlei-bred colt by Gimmethgreenlight out of a half-sister to Willliam Longsword. Then there was Lot 56, a beautiful grey by Querari, a half-brother to Master Archie from Winterbach Stud and Lot 95, a Vercingetorix out of Starburst Galaxy from Avontuur Stud. They were the backbone of our plans. We wanted their base in Cape Town instead of relocating them and then travelling in from Johannesburg.”
The stable purchased a pair of two-year-olds at last week’s BSA August sale. They will also be moved to Milnerton with a few others from existing clients, already in training at Turffontein.
Janse van Vuuren concluded: “We are excited about this venture and look forward to competing in the Cape for the increased prize money, especially for the Two-Year-Old Series races, which will attract my more precocious young horses.”
- Media release by Cape Racing on Tuesday 5 September 2023
