In an age where the dominance of large powerful stables and breeders has become the norm, the outcome of last weekend’s Gr1 SA Classic bucked the trend on all fronts.
Victory went to unfancied Red Saxon, who not only entered the classic under the radar, he was bred by a smaller stud and was sired by a low-profile stallion.
Red Ray (Julius Mariba) beats Safe Passage (Smanga Khumalo) in a thriller (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Notwithstanding the fact that the colt had run the race of his life to finish second in the Gr2 Dingaans straight out of the maidens, the pundits had somehow forgotten that effort by the time the Classic loomed.
Granted, he subsequently finished sixth in the Gauteng Guineas, but considering he was no more than three and a half lengths behind the winner Safe Passage, he had certainly not disgraced himself.
As the colt’s trainer Joe Soma, arguably one of the shrewdest and knowledgeable trainers around, wryly quipped after the Classic: “Listening to the panel in the week leading up to the race, I thought my horse had been scratched!”
For Red Saxon’s breeder John Everett, this was yet another triumph in a season which has seen his Narrow Creek Stud punching way above its weight.
Red Saxon’s Gr1 success came on the heels of fellow Narrow Creek-bred filly Sprinkles chasing home Rain In Holland in the Gr1 SA Fillies Classic.
Joey Soma gives Red Saxon a welcome (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
She has clearly gone from strength to strength since winning the Gr3 Three Troikas Stakes and also ran third in the Gr2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas. And let’s not forget the fellow Narrow Creek-bred stakes winners Bold Fortune, Big Burn and Freed From Desire.
The former, a daughter of Flower Alley, counts both the Gr2 Ipi Tombe Challenge and Gr3 Yellowwood Handicap amongst a hat-trick of wins.
Big Burn, an Elusive Fort own sister to multiple Gr1-placed Dingaans winner Catch Twenty Two, won the Gr2 Joburg Spring Challenge and most recently finished second, beaten a neck, by Freed From Desire in a one-two Narrow Creek finish to the Listed Swallow Stakes. Freed From Desire moved past MK’s Pride in the Gr2 Hawaii Stakes on Saturday and looked a winner until collared late by the progressive Al Muthana. A terrific run from the 3yo filly!
John Everett (photo: hamishNIVENPhotography)
John bred Red Saxon from the Casey Tibbs mare Rodeo Sioux, who like her son, was trained by Soma. She proved herself a fine stayer and counted a second in the Gr3 Racing Association Handicap and a third in the Gr2 Gold Bowl amongst a string of black type places.
“She’s a medium sized mare, with lots of substance,” John said. “I took her over from Joe at the time when her first foal, a Seventh Rock colt, had won. She needed speed, hence I sent her to Red Ray. Red Saxon is her second foal and was followed by a cracking Twice Over filly who is also with Joe. Rodeo Sioux has a weanling by Erupt and is in foal to Canford Cliffs.”
At historical Vogel Vlei Stud, young stud master Colin Birch likewise was over the moon and rightly so. He stands the newly-minted Gr1 winner’s sire.
Red Ray (credit: hamishNIVENPhotography)
Bred by Lammerskraal Stud, Red Ray mixed it up with the best in a career spanning four seasons and ran out a facile two-length winner of the Gr1 Mercury Sprint from Jet Dark’s ‘uncle’ Night Trip.
He is the latest son of champion Western Winter to taste Gr1 success as a stallion and for those not familiar with his pedigree, is one of six stakes winners out of the blue hen mare Nacarat, of which five were sired by the standout son of Gone West.
Red Ray: Western Winter x Nacarat (Pas De Quoi)
Red Ray arrived at the famed Dordrecht nursery in 2018 after standing just one season at Klawervlei.
Colin, who has great belief in the horse, has supported him strongly and remarked: “He ended up getting 40 mares last season, of which I sent him about 30 of my own.”
That’s a far cry from the three-figure books the top tier of stallions have access to. Now that he has reached the important landmark of a first Gr1 winner in his very first crop, Red Ray must surely be worthy of better support.
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