WHAT A HORSE. What A Winter contests the Var Speed Series Third Leg
A notable highlight on Saturday’s Champions Season raceday at Clairwood is the running of the third and final leg of the fascinating and unique Var Speed Series. A watershed in South African horseracing as the first ever feature sponsorship by a stallion syndicate, the R150 000 Durban Dash has drawn a top-class field of nine speedsters headed by the brilliant Selangor Cup and Cape Flying Championship winner What A Winter. The quality of the field and the excitement generated by the series has put the cherry on top of an innovative and generous gesture by the Var Syndicate and sets a new standard for all the sport’s stakeholders.
Avontuur General Manager Pippa Mickleburgh is ‘over the moon’ with the quality of the field assembled for the final leg of the Series and says that the Var Syndicate’s expectations and dreams had been surpassed with the manner in which owners and trainers, and the racing operators, had warmed to a concept that was initially received with some trepidation.
” There were never any catches. The idea was simple. The Syndicate decided to reinvest something tangible back into the game, while raising the profile of a stallion that had been well received in this country. It was our show of faith in a wonderful sport and a brilliant horse. That’s why we get up before the sun rises and love this game and our horses with the passion we do,” said an animated and enthusiastic Pippa on the beautiful Avontuur Estate earlier this week.
SPLASH OF SPEED. Splash Gold wins the Series opener at Kenilworth
The Series launched on 22 January at Kenilworth with the running of the Need For Speed Sprint over 1000m. The smart Dean Kannemeyer-trained Splash Gold, who contests next week’s Post Merchants at Greyville, won the race easily beating Bon ‘N Weave going away.
The Gold Rush Sprint was the second leg, run on 5 March at Turffontein. Appropriately won by a son of Var in Timeofreckoning, trainer Charles Laird called it a ‘noble contribution and welcome option on the sprint programme’ and was lavish in his praise of the stallion.
Pippa Mickleburgh is determined to see the series project through to a fitting conclusion and explains that international racing protocols dictate that at least three years track record is required before considering the event for Group status. She says that the syndicate welcome the fact that titles have to be earned and not dished out and it is their aim to attract top horses and to ensure that prospective sponsors are ‘queing up in a few years’ .
“ We owe it to horseracing to aim high and maybe a marriage with a quality high profile ‘speed name ‘ like Porche, Ferrari or Mercedes, as just three examples, are possibilities,” she said. Plenty of work had gone into the planning and the Var Speed Series followed months of planning and consultation with stakeholders and particularly trainers as to their requirements.
Var is a son of Forest Wildcat and has made a huge impact on the South African horseracing and breeding scene since commencing his duties on the scenic rambling Avontuur Stud and Wine Estate, nestled at the foot of the Helderberg Mountain Range. His 2011 season scorecard to date makes for impressive reading. He is right up with the pace in second place on the two year old sire log, with fourteen winner, including two stakes winners.
The Joey Ramsden-trained Variety Club was the most recent big one, in last Sunday’s Gr3 Langerman run over 1500m at Kenilworth. Variometer won the Listed Ruffian Stakes, while Var’s brilliant sprinting daughter Val De Ra has set the world alight with two Gr1 wins this year – including a dazzling display when beating the best sprinting males in the Computaform Sprint at Turffontein. All of August Rush, Wishful Eye, Princess Of Light, Solarium and Lady Var are feature race placed over distances varying from 1000m to 2400m. The statistics thus send a clear message that Var produces high- quality horses of both sexes that run – and they sprint and stay.
Originally imported to this country by the late Avontuur supremo Tony Taberer, Var was introduced to raise the bar in terms of speed horses, but has shown his versatility by producing a diverse animal and his contribution to the future of the breed will be etched into the honour roles of a cross-section of races in the years ahead. The Var progeny are easy to train, have wonderful temperaments like their Dad and relish their racing. With the necessary care and patience, they train on even if starting their careers as precocious speed sorts.The Geoff Woodruff-trained Princess of Light’s great second to Triple Crown winner Igugu in the Oaks and Variety Show’s great fourth in the 2000m Listed East Cape Oaks proves that it makes a lot of sense sending him a staying type mare.
Described by Avontuur General Manager Pippa Mickleburgh as a ‘strong, loyal group of likeminded good racing people’, the Var Syndicate have turned a lot of heads with their generosity and forward thinking in a tangible show of faith, not only in their exciting stallion but also in the future of South African Horseracing. Their substantial investment in the series sponsorship has meant a personal sacrifice of dividends and short-term retuns, but the medium- term outlook makes great sense for all role-players.
In a tough economy with all sectors under severe pressure, the syndicate has made a business decision to maintain Var’s fee at R60 000, with beneficial payment terms. This will ensure that he will visit his ninety mares and also brings the dream of breeding a top horse that much more accessible to a wider cross-section of breeder pockets.
A commitment to the future of the sport and a wonderful show of faith in their stallion. Like the progeny of Var, the syndicate is leading the pack. Here’s a challenge to others to follow and start rebuilding the future today.
