Drakenstein Stud’s outstanding achievement as breeders of a record 18 individual stakes winners last season continued at Fairview on Friday when the champion Cape nursery bred the winner of the R175 000 Listed Memorial Mile – only the second feature of the new term.
The Drakenstein achievement put the previous benchmark of 12 individual stakes winners, jointly held by Wilgerbosdrift/Mauritzfontein and Summerhill Stud to bed last term, and the blue and white team will be thrilled to have watched the Philanthropist gelding Grazinginthegrass score his maiden stakes success.
Grazinginthegrass (Smanga Khumalo) charges clear of Nexus (Piere Strydom) in an exciting finish to the Listed Memorial Mile (Pic – Pauline Herman)
The 5yo gelding was overdue after a string of placed efforts, and he finished with a powerful burst under Smanga Khumalo to beat the record-chasing Piere Strydom on his old pal Nexus (2-1) by a length going away in a time of 99,29 secs.
Cape raider My Bestie (7-2) was back in third a quarter length away, with the winner’s Greeff stablemate Marmara Sea (12-1) coming from a hopeless position, to run a commendable fourth.
A former Mike de Kock resident, Grazinginthegrass has blossomed in the Eastern Cape, where he has shown versatility with cracking showings on both surfaces.
He is raced in a partnership of the ASSM Racing Syndicate (Nom: Mr Arun Chadha), Mike de Kock and Mrs Noelene Malherbe.
By former Drakenstein Kris S sire Philanthropist, he is out of the five-time winning Singspiel mare, Candy Singer.
A R300 000 buy on the National Yearling Sale, the Alan Greeff-trained Grazinginthegrass has won 7 races with 10 places from 28 starts for stakes of R503 500.
