National Emblem, sire of ten Gr1 winners, has died at 21
Klawervlei stalwart National Emblem, sire of ten Gr1 winners, died on Wednesday at Klawervlei Stud at age 21.
Bred by the late Wilfred Koster, the imposing chesnut was by National Assembly out of the Welsh Harmony mare Title Page and traced in tail-female line to the breed-shaping foundation mare, Sister Sarah, through her daughter Sister Sublime (Dante), his third dam.
A Champion on the track, National Emblem won 14 races from ages two to five, recording signature career victories in the Gr1 Champion Stakes, Premier’s Cup and Turffontein Classic, in addition to which he was also second in the Gr1 SA Guineas and third in the Gr1 Durban July.
A successful stallion, National Emblem headed the juvenile sires list in 2003, and sired such Gr1 winners as Nhlavini, twice voted the country’s Champion Sprinter who landed two renewals of the Cape Flying Championship; Champion Sprinter Rebel King, an exciting young sire who also stands at Klawervlei; the outstanding sprinter/miler National Spirit, victorious in the Gr1 Gold Challenge and Golden Horse Casino and Computaform Sprint hero Shea Shea, who is set to make his bow at the Dubai Carnival. Other notable progeny include last year’s Gr1 Tsogo Sun Medallion winner Potent Power.
National Emblem is also an emerging broodmare sire,his daughters having produced Gr2 Southern Cross queen Oracle News, who also placed in the Gr1 Garden Province Stakes and Lady Magpie, who captured the Gr3 King’s Cup against males.
Click here to view the sire affinity table for National Emblem
