Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm’s triple Gr1 winning sire Oratorio had another productive weekend, with the son of Danehill represented by three winners in South Africa this past week.
Oratorio’s top class 3yo son Van Halen picked up another decent prize, when the gelding sophomore captured the Durban Dash, run over 1100m at Greyville on Saturday.
Van Halen (Corne Orffer) beats Basilius (Muzi Yeni) as the Spies runners slug it out (Pic – Candiese Marnewick)
Bred by Limpo Retail, the Tobie Spies trained Van Halen showed his class with a courageous head win over talented stable mate Basilius.
In the process, the Oratorio gelding took his tally of wins to five, with the multiple graded stakes winner having now banked in excess of R900 000.
One of the best two-year-olds of last season, Van Halen picked up the biggest win of his career when victorious in the 2018 Gr1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion and earlier this season added to that graded win when landing the Gr3 Man O’War Sprint.
His sire Oratorio also enjoyed success this past weekend when his 3yo filly Always Dancing shed her maiden at Fairview on Friday, with another Oratorio daughter, Hurricane Silva picking her second career win when victorious over 1200m at Kenilworth on Saturday.
The former dual champion sire in Italy is also making a name for himself as a broodmare sire, and Oratorio once again made news as a damsire over the past weekend.
His dual Italian classic winning daughter Cherry Collect is the dam of promising Japanese two-year-old colt Wakea (by Heart’s Cry). The latter made a big impression when romping home on debut by 2.5 lengths, when triumphant over 1800m at Tokyo on Sunday.
Oratorio has two lots on offer at the upcoming KZN Yearling Sale.
