Equus Champion and triple Gr1 winner Soqrat made an outstanding impression when his first yearlings went through the ring at the National Yearling Sale earlier in 2023.
Soqrat had five yearlings on offer, with all five selling for an aggregate of R2,495 million. Riverton present a cracking 2yo by the Sandown-based sire at next weekend’s August 2yo Sale.
Soqrat stretches in his paddock (Pic – Romi Bettison)
Soqrat yearlings averaged a handsome R499 000 at the National Sale, giving their sire a higher average than such top-class stallions as Var, What A Winter, and Rafeef, as well as higher than such sought after sires as Danon Platina and Lancaster Bomber.
SRB Plattner Farming splashed out R700 000 to buy Soqrat filly Special Glamour at the National Sale, with four of Soqrat’s five lots on sale making upwards of R500 000.
From the same male line as Rafeef, Soqrat was an exceptional racehorse and Gr1 winner at both two and three. Winner of three of four starts at two, including the Gr1 Premiers Champion Stakes, Soqrat was South Africa’s Champion 2YO Colt of 2017-2018.
Gr1 star Soqrat (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
At three, Soqrat emulated outstanding sires Captain Al and Jet Master by landing the Gr1 Cape Guineas, before going on to win the Gr1 H F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes, where he beat, among others, dual Horse Of The Year Legal Eagle.
By the same sire as Gr1 winners Daumier and Red Lark, Soqrat, whose dam is a daughter of outstanding sire and broodmare sire Hussonet, hails from the same female line as Champion French Sire Linamix among many others.
Riverton Stud will be offering a very well bred colt by this exciting prospect at the upcoming August Two Year Old Sale.
A half-brother to a winner, this colt is out of Captain Al mare Capulette, a three time winning own-sister to Riverton Stud bred Listed Syringa Handicap winner Sweet Obsession.
The latter, a half-sister to the Riverton bred Gr2 Golden Slipper queen Princess Sassi, has proved an excellent producer as the dam of graded stakes winning own-brothers Bunker Hunt (Gr2 Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes) and Salvator Mundi (Gr2 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers) as well as Gr2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas runner up Silver Thursday.
Riverton also bred Listed Spook Express Handicap She’s A Cracker, whose dam Nutcracker Sweet is a half-sister to both Princess Sassi and Secret Obsession.
Capulette is also very closely related to Gr3 Man O’War Sprint winner Mana Mou (also by Captain Al), with the latter dam of Listed Storm Bird Stakes winner Flying Spirit and the speedy filly Vandah’s Spirit. In turn, Mana Mou was a half-sister to Equus Champion and multiple Gr1 winner Mythical Flight, winner of both the Gr1 Computaform Sprint and Gr1 Cape Flying Championship.
Further back, this is also the family of numerous high-class performers including Gr1 J&B Met winner Bunter Barlow.
Bunter Barlow beats stablemate Trademark to win the 2001 Met
Multiple champion sire Captain Al, broodmare sire of the colt on sale, is damsire of nearly 50 stakes winners headed by Gr1 Vodacom Durban July/G1 WSB Cape Town Met winner and new sire Kommetdieding.
Other Gr1 winners out of Captain Al mares include another new sire in the form of Eden Roc, and the likes of Gunner, Vernichey, and triple Gr1 winner Princess Calla. The 2023 G1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Champion Stakes/G2 Durban Golden Horseshoe winner Sandringham Summit is another top-class sort produced by a daughter of Captain Al.
Captain Al, South Africa’s Leading Broodmare Sire of 2022-2023, had a notable Gr1 double recently when Princess Calla and Sandringham Summit captured the Gr1 HKJC Champions Cup and World Pool Moment Of The Day Champion Stakes on the same day!
Riverton (who bred Captain Al’s outstanding son Captain Of All) are no strangers to producing high-class horses out of Captain Al mares – with the farm having bred Gr1 Gold Medallion winner Potent Power (out of the Captain Al mare Solar Galleon) and sold subsequent dual Gr1 winner Same Jurisdiction (out of the Captain Al mare Diana De Carlo) at the 2013 Suncoast KZN Yearling Sale.
Same Jurisdiction has gone on to enjoy success at stud overseas, with her two-year-old daughter Clifton Bay having recently made an impressive, winning debut at Newbury.
Find the handsome Soqrat colt (#133) in stable H36 at the TBA Complex next weekend.
