Jet Master
The news that South Africa’s reigning champion sire Jet Master has contracted the West Nile virus was greeted by despair throughout the country. Hopefully the great horse makes a speedy recovery.
When Jet Master won his fifth consecutive general sires title recently, it placed him in truly esteemed company. Since 1900, only a nine other sires have won five sires championships or more in South Africa. The first stallion to achieve that milestone was Pearl Diver. To date, Jet Master is the only SA bred sire to head the general sires list on more than one occasion.
From 1899, Pearl Diver captured six consecutive sires championships. Pearl Diver himself was a useful racehorse, who ran second in the Royal Hunt Cup (one of the bigger handicaps at Royal Ascot). He was a son of Master Kildare (a grandson of the great stallion Stockwell), and was a descendant of the great racemare, Caller Ou whose 51 wins include a victory over colts in the St Leger.
Pearl Diver’s get included the great filly Peerless, the King’s Stand Stakes winner Campfire II and July winner Verdant Green.
The next stallion to capture five or more sires titles was Greatorex. That stallion proved one of the most successful stallions ever to stand in this country, as he was champion sire on no fewer than ten occasions! Greatorex was a very useful 2yo in Britain where he was second in the Middle Park Plate (beating subsequent Triple Crown winner Rock Sand) and third in the Dewhurst Stakes (behind Rock Sand). Both the Middle Park and Dewhurst are G1 races today.
Greatorex was a superbly bred horse being a son of the great Australian champion Carbine out of the English Oaks winner Mrs Butterwick. Mrs Butterwick was a daughter of the unbeaten champion St Simon, one of the greatest stallions of all, whilst Greatorex himself was a direct descendant of Woodbine.
Greatorex, who stood at Dwarsvlei Stud, first topped the SA general sires list in 1911, and followed that up with three more consecutive sires titles. After being dethroned by Quickmarch in 1914, and Minor Forfeit the following year, Greatorex was then champion sire a further six times!
Greatorex sired a number of champions, and his progeny included Nobleman, the record breaking 2yo who won the Durban July. His offspring include another July winner in the form of Collett and SA Derby winner Noble Lady. Greatorex is also sire of champion racehorse Dignitary, who was the first South African bred stallion ever to become champion sire.
Interestingly enough, Jet Master’s fifth dam, Midnight Fun, is inbred to Greatorex.
The next stallion to dominate the sires ranks was Polystome. The winner of three races whilst racing in England, Polystome became a crackerjack performer whilst racing in South Africa. He was a versatile performer, winning from 1200-2000m, and his victories include a Merchants Handicap and the Jockey Club Stakes.
Polystome was a son of the mighty stallion Polymelus, sire of five classic winners . He was champion sire in GB on five occasions and sired the hugely influential sire Phalaris. Polymelus’s classic winners include Cinna, who proved such important broodmare.
At Polystome became champion sire on 11 occasions, and also became a leading broodmare sire. At the outset of his stud career, Polymelus was thought of as a horse capable of only siring precocious stock, but he soon proved the doubters wrong.
He sired the likes of Johannesburg Summer Handicap winners Poldemere, Footman and Polinique, SA Nursery winner Illustrious, Durban July victor Agrippa, July runner up Goodwill, and Goldfields Handicap winner Manners. Polystome also achieved the remarkable feat of siring three consecutive SA Derby winners in the form of Channel Isle, Asteroid and Just!
The stallion to head the general sires list five times was Sunstone. He was a son of Derby winner and champion sire Sunstar. His dam, Stony Ford, also produced Salmon Leap, winner of the Coronation Cup.
Sunstone was a smart sprinter in Britain, where he won five races including the Portland Handicap, but was a roarer, and had a restricted career as a result. Retired to stud, Sunstone’s first crop hit the track in
Sunstone first headed the general sires list in 1936, and repeated the next year. After a two year hiatus, Sunstone then had a hatrick of sires titles from 1940-1942. Sunstone was best known as the sire of the great champion Lenin, but he also sired July winner Sun Tor, and no fewer than six SA Derby winners The Sun, Meteros, Lenin, Stonewall Sunnite and Junior. His daughters produced three Met winners in Feltos, Sympathetic and Snipe.
Met winner Asbestos II was the next stallion to dominate the SA breeding industry. He began his racing career in France and Britain, but enjoyed his biggest success when he won the Metropolitan, when receiving 32lbs from runner up Moonlit. Asbestos II was a well bred horse (by champion sire Asterus, he was from a prolific family), and it showed at stud. He was champion sire five times and also topped the broodmare sires list.
The sire of five consecutive Cape Derby winners, Asbestos II was also sire of July winner St Pauls, Benoni Guineas winner Donate, Met winner Feltos and Summer Handicap winner Fire.
Fairthorn, who headed the list on five occasions between 1953 and 1961, will always be remembered as the sire of the legendary champion Sea Cottage. But he sired a host of high-class runners such as Queen’s Plate winners Muscovite, Inverthorn and Fair Weather, top sprinter Worthiness, Clairwood Winter Handicap winner Brightness, and July winner Left Wing.
Persian Wonder, who topped the sires list on six occasions, was described as rather effeminate when he first went to stud. The critics were soon silenced, however, when his first crop of seven foals produced four winners, amongst them the stakes winner Persian Ruler. Persian Wonder would go on to sire another 55 stakes winners (despite never siring more than foals in a crop). His top horses included Have A Ball, Ton Up, Archangel, Rock Star, Festive Season, Sunshine Man and Majestic Crown.
Persian Wonder became a great broodmare sire, with his daughters producing the likes of July winners Space Walk and Bush Telegraph.
Jungle Cove, who would also go on to claim six sires titles, was another who would win no beauty contests. But the plain son of Bold Ruler became a great sire in South Africa, after beginning his stud career in the US. His G1 winners were many (and of both sexes) and included Bush Telegraph, Enchanting, Arctic Cove, Uncle Percy, Bold West and Jungle Rock. He too, became a great broodmare sire, and his son Bush Telegraph, in a short stud career, sired Horse of the Year London News.
Foveros, by comparison, was a high-quality horse, who was an attractive individual. He showed high-class form when he raced in Britain, but became Horse of the Year when sent out to this country. Foveros belied his rather plebeian pedigree to become champion sire eight times, and sired a number of outstanding performers such Aquanaut, one of the country’s greatest stayers, July winner Teal, classic winners Fast Break, Harmony Forever, Shah’s Star, Corning Touch and The Monk, as well as top sprinters Simonside and Enforce. Foveros’ sons never enjoyed much luck, or success, at stud, but his daughters have done exceptionally well. To date Foveros mares have produced such G1 winners as Wolf Whistle, Ingleside, Floatyourboat, Fearless and Malteme.
It is a testimony to Jet Master’s greatness as a stallion that he has joined such a list of outstanding stallions.
