Royal Air Force : Jet Master x Regal Blue by Royal Prerogative
Joey Ramsden’s runaway Kenilworth maiden winner Chanel Five signalled a first winner for Jet Master stallion Royal Air Force on Easter Monday. Based at Terry and Annabel Andrews’ Sorrento Stud in Paarl, the stallion’s progeny have been turning heads in many quarters.
Chanel Five was bred by Terry Andrews and is out of the four time winning Centenary mare, Factor Five. She was sold for R60 000 on the CPYS Book 2 last year and races in the familiar black, green and yellow Jooste silks. She had recorded seconds at her first two outings, before scoring at her third start by 3,50 lengths over the 1400m after leading all the way.
Next to Summerhill Stud’s Ravishing, Royal Air Force is one of only two Jet Masters at Stud. He is an imposing fellow who has stamped his first few crops with his characteristic hallmarks of good looks and size.
Royal Air Force is out of the Royal Prerogative mare Regal Blue. She produced the Gr1 winners Imperious Sue (including the J&B Met) who was trained by David Payne and Imperious Star (including Gr1 Woolavington 2000), trained by Glen Kotzen.
Commanding Attention. Terry and Annabel Andrews (Hamish Niven Photography)
Standing at 17 hands and trained by Geoff Woodruff, Royal Air Force ran only fourteen times for four wins in the interests of the late Abe Swersky and Woodruff’s famous father in law, Terrance Millard.
His biggest win was registered in the 2007 Gr2 Astrapak 1900, when he stormed through late under Mark Khan to beat Fork Lightening in an eighteen horse field.
The stallion arrived half way through his first season in 2009, so produced a crop of only 10 foals in his freshman season. Three have run to date. The numbers have grown steadily since then and he is putting some magnificent foals on the ground
The arrival of Royal Air Force at Sorrento was thanks to a series of largely fortuitous events.
Annabel Andrews was sitting with fellow breeder Lindi Garlicki at the Natal sales. A Royal Air Force relative was led through the ring and Annabel remarked that after the death of Abe Swersky, she’d heard that Mr Millard was sending Royal Air Force to Namibia.
Lindi commented that he would make a great stallion. Annabel hadn’t realised he was still an entire, so rang up straight away and sealed the deal.
He is the only son of Jet Master standing in the Western Cape and shares were quickly snapped up by Glen Kotzen, Avontuur, Dr Ian Heyns, Terrance Millard, Alf Dickerson and Hassen Adams.
Royal Air Force stands for a fee of R10 000.
