Another raceday, another Rafeef winner! Clinton Binda travelled from Johannesburg and saddled the first winner at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Monday when the handsome Fish Eagle underscored his consistent Gauteng form with a fluent victory in the opener.
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein, the Hollywood Syndicate race Fish Eagle, who is out of the Canford Cliffs stakes winning mare, Fish River, who raced with such success under the Mike de Kock banner.
Chase Maujean guides Rafeef’s son Fish Eagle to an easy win at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Monday (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
The high-rolling Rafeef roadshow continued at Turffontein on Saturday when Ridgemont Highlands’ rampant Gr1-winning son of Redoute’s Choice celebrated his 11th stakes winner courtesy of the undefeated Leaving Las Vegas’ eyecatching score in the Gr3 Pretty Polly Stakes.
Rafeef daughter Leaving ;Las Vegas wins the Gr3 Pretty Polly Stakes on Saturday (Pic – JC Photos)
An impressive winner, Leaving Las Vegas showed terrific speed and displayed courage in the finish to hold the favourite Elegant Ice at bay with a measure of authority.
Bred on the same Rafeef-Trippi cross as the Ridgemont Highlands-bred Gr2 winning millionaire William Robertson, a candidate in this coming Saturday’s R1 million Gr1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes, Leaving Las Vegas joins Rafeef’s dazzling current 2yo crop, which includes unbeaten Bloodstock SA Sales Cup winner Outlaw King, and the recent impressive debut winner Midnight Fusion.
Rafeef wins the Gr1 Computaform Sprint
South Africa’s Champion First Season Sire of the 2020/21 season, Rafeef now boasts 11 stakes winners from his first three crops and has well and truly captured the imagination of industry stakeholders with his extraordinary ability to stamp his offspring of both sexes with a will to win, and the ability to match their heart.
Rafeef has certainly been a revelation in the breeding barn, his first-crop Gr1 winners from 1000m to 2450m and a host of winners stamping him as a blue-chip option for any breeder.
The Australian-bred star has 19 lots going through the ring at this year’s National Yearling Sale.
Craig Carey, from Ridgemont Highlands, is very excited with the progress of Rafeef and believes that he will go from strength to strength.
“It is so rewarding for the team that a beautifully-bred well-performed racehorse has made the seamless transition from the racetrack to the breeding barn. He is now undoubtedly one of South Africa’s most exciting stallions – and it is early days yet! We have two Rafeef offspring in our 2023 National draft. The lovely big strong colt (#335) is very much in the mould of his father, and his daughter (#133) is out of a stakes-winning daughter of VAR. She should fly! We are looking forward to the sale on 21 and 22 April.” said Carey.
