With nine feature races on the card, Sun Met-day promises to be an interesting one for the progeny of several of South Africa’s top stallions and broodmares, writes Sarah Whitelaw.
Brutal Force holds off Zambezi River
Lammerskraal Stud’s broodmare Nacarat (Pas De Quoi) left a remarkable legacy, with five stakes winners to her credit.
She could be to the fore on Saturday, when her sons Brutal Force and Red Ray (both by Western Winter) contest the Gr1 Cape Flying Championship.
Both have run second in this race previously, Red Ray behind Via Africa (Var) in 2014, and Brutal Force being oh-so-narrowly denied victory last year.
Laptop Lady (Al Mufti) is best known as the dam of Equus Champion Jay Peg (Camden Park). She now has 2yo son Barrack Street (Dynasty), who will line up in the R1million Kuda Sprint, while year older daughter Epona (Silvano) takes her chances in the CTS Mile. Jay Peg himself will be represented in the Majorca Stakes by daughter Neala.
Laptop Lady’s daughter Epona
Last season’s Broodmare Of The Year Our Table Mountain (Fusaichi Pegasus) has Cloth Of Cloud (Captain Al) in the CTS Sprint. The filly was Equus Champion 2yo last season.
Her classic winning half-sister Silver Mountain (Silvano) should be a big runner in the Gr1 Majorca Stakes. Our Table Mountain’s frustratingly talented but temperamental son Helderberg Blue (Jet Master) is one of 13 to contest the Gr2 Cape Stayers.
The exciting William Longsword
Pagan Princess (Fort Wood) joined an elite band of mares to produce more than one Gr1 winner when her son William Longsword (Captain Al) landed this season’s Cape Guineas.
The colt must be a huge runner in the CTS Mile, while his Gr1 winning half-sister Real Princess (Trippi) goes beyond sprints for a change, in the Majorca Stakes.
Klawervlei’s champion sire Captain Al, who was all the rage at last weekend’s Cape sale, is on track for a memorable Met day.
The eight-times champion sire of 2yo’s will have some 26 runners on the card.
He is well represented in the Listed Summer Juvenile Stakes (four runners), a race his progeny captured twice before (Only Emily and Sergeant Hardy). The Captain has six runners in the CTS Sprint, four in the Gr1 Cape Flying Championship and is represented in all of the Kuda Sprint, CTS Mile, Gr1 Majorca Stakes, Gr1 Cape Derby, Gr1 Met and Gr2 Cape Stayers.
Silver Mountain
Another champion sire, Silvano (Lomitas), has four runners in the Gr1 Majorca Stakes, headed by likely race-favourite Silver Mountain. Silvano, whose full sister is the dam of leading Gr1 Cape Derby hope Horizon (Dynasty), has Ollivander in the same race. Silvano also is the sire of Met hope Marinaresco, and has Gothic and Zafira in the Gr2 Cape Stayers.
First crop sires
While proven stallions may dominate Saturday’s big day, first-crop sires are also represented.
Champion Sprinter What A Winter (Western Winter) is making a promising start to his stud career. The triple Equus Champion has a trio of runners, headed by impressive debut winner Dutch Philip in the Summer Juvenile Stakes. He has a pair of runners in the Kuda Sprint, with Snow Boarding and Warrior’s Rest.
Four-time Gr1 winner and European champion racehorse Twice Over (Observatory) has his daughter Lacerta in the Kuda Sprint.
Gr1 broodmares
Several Gr1 winning matriarchs have runners. They include Sparkling Gem (winner of the Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas), Zaitoon (SA Fillies Classic), Give Me Five (Allan Robertson Fillies Championship), Roxanne (Thekwini Stakes), Consensual (Golden Slipper), River Jetez (J&B Met), Soft Landing (Garden Province Stakes), Overarching (SA Fillies Sprint, Horse Chestnut Stakes), Final Claim (Garden Province Stakes), Macavelli Miss (Thorndon Mile), Republic Lass (Australian Oaks), Shadow Dancing (Cape Fillies Guineas), Imperious Sue (J&B Met), Battle Maiden (Garden Province Stakes), On Her Toes (Allan Robertson Fillies Championship) and Laisserfaire (Champion Sprinter).
Mac De Lago (out of Macavelli Miss) and The Conglomerate (out of Republic Lass) are the only runners in the 2017 Sun Met to have been produced by a Gr1 winner.
