Ridgemont Highlands’ Gr1 winning Redoute’s Choice stallion Rafeef has maintained his magic momentum in his second season and is well on his way to establishing himself in the exclusive upper echelons of South Africa’s most sought after sires.
The rising star has 19 lots on the BSA National Yearling Sale this week.
And with over 60 wins on the board this season so far, including his ultra-consistent daughter Shantastic, who showed her customary turn of foot earlier this month to leave her highly vaunted opposition for dead in the R200 000 Gr3 Umzimkhulu Stakes at Hollywoodbets Greyville!
In the process the smashing 3yo became her super sire’s 12th stakes winner – that from just two crops on the track!
Rafeef daughter Shantastic skates to victory in the Gr3 Umzimkhulu Stakes (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Just 24 hours earlier at Turffontein that early April weekend, the top-class sire enjoyed a double courtesy of his Gr1 Computaform Sprint winner Master Archie and the consistent four-time winner, Whafeef.
On Monday at Fairview, Rafeef’s 3yo son Equestrian Affair made it two victories in his last three starts when slamming his opponents with a resounding flourish to win the last race on the all-weather. That makes him a winner on both surfaces in the Eastern Cape.
Rafeef’s latest winner – Equestrian Affair wins the last at Fairview (Pic – Pauline Herman)
South Africa’s talking stallion of the moment, Rafeef was always set for great things.
After all, he had the athlete good looks, the blood and racetrack performance blocks ticked when he arrived at Ridgemont Highlands from champion trainer Mike de Kock’s Johannesburg base in 2017.
Rafeef on his arrival in 2017
After covering 170 and 150 mares respectively in the last two breeding seasons, and with Gr1 winners from 1000m to 2450m, the demand for the son of Redoute’s Choice has not unexpectedly risen exponentially.
This year his mare book is nearly full, according to Ridgemont’s veteran manager, Craig Carey.
“We are in a very fortunate position. But it’s not coincidental – the market loves Rafeef. And so they should! He has come out of the blocks and started his stud career in fantastic style. Any trip, any level, any sex. He gets real racehorses! There is also no compartmentalising his virtues. Simply, Rafeef adds value and upgrades any mare. He really is a dream stallion in every respect,” Carey told the Sporting Post on a recent excursion to the beautiful Robertson estate.
On the national sire log, with six black-type winners, Rafeef is positioned behind the likes of past champion sire Gimmethegreenlight (9), and Vercingetorix and the long established star Trippi, with seven black type winners apiece. Looking at the 3yo Sires log, Gimmethegreenlight has five black-type winners, with Rafeef on three.
A past Highveld Champion, Rafeef is out of SA Horse Of The Year National Colour, who won 8 races from 1000m to 1200m in SA, UAE & UK. He was purchased by Shadwell Australia for A$800 000 at the 2014 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
Today Rafeef the proud stallion has a presence and clearly knows he is the man as Carey proudly shows our team the majestic athlete.
The handsome Rafeef (Pic – Jeremy Nelson)
A winner of the Gr1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m and the Gr2 Hawaii Stakes over 1400m, the lightly campaigned star won 6 races from 1000m to 1400m at 3 to 4, and achieved a highest official rating of 116.
“He is a supremely fertile young stallion, and if he was full of nonsense and a bit arrogant we’d absolutely understand. But he has a relaxed nature – a true professional, and he really loves his job! He is a pleasure to work with and that biological and emotional package transfers to his foals. They are athletic and have a wonderful temperament. He would be welcome at any stallion station on earth,” enthuses Carey.
It’s the time of the year when stallion owners are reviewing service fees. Rafeef has stood unchanged from his first season fee of R50 000 and a review of this fast ascending star prospect looks overdue. But Carey wouldn’t be drawn on any specifics at this stage of play.
“The product is proven quality. The Rafeefs are in demand in the breeding barn and the sales ring. I’m just stating the realities. It’s not my call on his service fee as that decision rests with the Rafeef Syndicate. Let’s not forget, and I’m not oversimplifying things, but breeding and racing thoroughbreds is a long game. It’s about weighting factors in your favour and eliminating the controllable risks. That’s why, considering all the metrics, you’d want Rafeef on your team. He has graduated in double quick time to genuine top league and one knows what one is getting!”
- Originally published in the Sprint on 12 April 2023
