Jet Master stallion Pomodoro, South Africa’s leading freshman sire of 2017/18, has left Klawervlei Stud to join the Riley family’s Heversham Park Farm in the Daleside Valley of South Gauteng.
Now 16 years of age, the former Durban July winner completes a formidable band of stallions for Heversham, who now have three of the country’s most prominent bloodlines available to breeders in Jackson (Dynasty), Capetown Noir (Western Winter) and Pomodoro (Jet Master).
They also stand Duke Of Marmalade’s best sprinting son, Moofeed (AUS).
Pomodoro (Jet Master ex Golden Apple) has moved to Heversham (Pic – Jeremy Nelson)
The move follows a dwindling of support for Pomodoro in the Western Cape and Heversham Park’s long-term objective to make the best available stallions available to breeders upcountry, re-establishing the region as a good centre for breeding thorougbreds.
John Koster of Klawervlei commented: “Pomodoro is a real man, as fertile as they come. He can service 10 mares a day, he’s a great stallion to work with and keeps himself in shape.
“There is every reason to believe he can produce many more top quality runners in time to come. He has sired a Gr1 winning colt and filly and upgrades his mares. Both Return Flight and Cirillo, for example, were born from weak mares.
“We’re hoping breeders will support Pomodoro, he has all the blood and ability needed and his stud record is good, having sired 5% stakes-winning colts and 4% stakes-winning fillies.”
As a racehorse, Pomodoro excelled at the highest levels. He was talented and versatile and won from 1160m to 2450m in a career which saw him win or place in six Gr1 races.
He scored the signature win of his career when landing the 2012 Gr1 Vodacom Durban July in a field which included champion Beach Beauty (Dynasty), as well as such notable Gr1 winners as Solo Traveller (Western Winter), English Garden (Camden Park), Pierre Jourdan (Parade Leader), Top Seller (Al Mufti), and Jackson (Dynasty).
Pomodoro also dead-heated for first place in the 2012 Gr1 SA Derby, where he shared the spoils with Royal Bencher (Greys Inn) and accounted for subsequent Gr1 Sansui Summer Cup winner Wagner (Tiger Ridge).
The versatile bay also notched up wins in the Gr3 Tony Ruffel Stakes and Listed KZN Guineas Trial and went down just a head to Slumdogmillionaire (Strike Smartly) in the 2012 Gr1 SA Classic.
In total, Pomodoro won or placed in 17 of his 24 outings and earned over R3.7 million in stakes.
Exceptionally well related, he is by a Champion Sire out of a Broodmare Of The Year by a Champion Sire and Broodmare Sire. He is out of now deceased Broodmare Of The Year and former Gr2 Gosforth Park Fillies Guineas winner Golden Apple (Northern Guest).
Pomodoro is from the same family as one of history’s greatest sires in the form of triple US champion Danzig (Northern Dancer), whose numerous top class performers include the outstanding sires Danehill, Green Desert, and War Front.
Pomodoro’s sired 15 stakes winners in his first three crops. His initial crop was headed by Equus Champion Return Flight, whose four graded victories included both the Gr1 Thekwini Stakes (at two) and the Gr1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic the following year. She was voted Equus Champion 2 year old filly.
Pomodoro’s smart son Cirillo
Pomodoro’s first crop also produced the top-class colt Cirillo, winner of the Gr2 Hawaii Stakes who earned over R5-million in prize money as well as Storm Bird Stakes runner up, Royal Italian. His second crop featured 2020 Gr1 World Sports Betting Summer Cup contender Cornish Pomodoro, Gr2 WSB Camellia Stakes winner Golden Belle and Listed Secretariat Stakes winner Leopold.
From the later progeny came the grey Russian Rock, who surprised all and sundry with his beating of Linebacker, Rascallion, Jet Dark and Malmoos in the 2019 Gr1 Cape Guineas; Listed winner Carulluma and Graded and Listed placed Epsom Girl, Indlamu, Social Image, Putontheredlight, Usuaia, Barzalona, Black Thorn, Woodland Retreat and others.
Heversham Park are offering a super value introductory service offer of R2500 (live foal), on Pomodoro this breeding season.
Mail [email protected] to book, or phone 063 604 4701.
