The Leading Man. Caesour keeps churning out the winners
Four proud decades of producing fine racehorses didn’t stop Carl De Vos from cracking open a bottle of bubbly on Sunday evening to celebrate seven Varsfontein Stud bred or raised winners this past weekend.
The rampant Varsfontein winning streak included a terrific Caesour sired exacta in Saturday’s feature at Kenilworth, where A Boy Named Sue clung on doggedly to beat River Crossing in the R200 000 Gr3 Lektron Chairman’s Cup run over 3200m.
The evergreen Caesour is 23 years old, but showed he still has the magic touch.
He stands alongside two exciting relative youngsters in A.P. Indy’s son Judpot, who has made such a sensational start in his first season and the Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate winner Gimmethegreenlight, in the lush paddocks near the historic Boland town of Paarl.
The Varsfontein winners this past weekend spanned the length and breadth of South Africa.
The roll started at Arlington on Friday when Drumminor (Western Winter / 1800m) won for Alan Greeff.
Group Race Glory. Carl de Vos, Candice Robinson, Susan Rowett (nee Kalmanson) and Carol Bass
Justin Snaith trained a double on the balance of the PE card when Drill Sargeant (Dynasty / 2400m) and Skippyjon Jones (Black Minnaloushe/1600m) won.
Then to Turffontein on Saturday where Piere Strydom steered the Dominic Zaki trained Storm Warning (Jet Master / 2600m) home by an astonishing 11,7 lengths
Down at Kenilworth on Saturday, Justin Snaith produced True Master (Jet Master /1600m) in fine fettle to win a tight finish under Sean Cormack.
Joey Ramsden trained the 3200m Gr3 Lektron Chairman’s Handicap winner A Boy Named Sue, who got the better of Mike Bass’ River Crossing.
The Alyson Wright trained Infinite Wisdom (Black Minnaloushe/ 1400m) rounded off the Greyville card on Sunday with a resounding .
It has been quite a year for Varsfontein with their G1 bred or raised winners for 2012 including Royal Bencher, Master Plan and War Horse, who is a serious contender in Saturday’s Gr2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas at Turffontein.
The Founder. The late Tony Kalmanson, who started the farm in 1974
Varsfontein Stud was started by Anthony Kalmanson in 1974.
An enthusiastic owner and amateur rider, Tony rode in races in England, South Africa and Rhodesia, and he won the first South African Steeplechase on Thunder Peal in 1969.
A leading buyer at the National Yearling Sales his top racehorses included Attila, Top Brass and the fillies Indira (Paddock Stakes), Kendal Green (Fillies Guineas) and Singing Winds (Clairwood Free Handicap). With his top fillies retiring to stud, Tony bought Varsfontein – a wine farm near Paarl, and his friend and riding adversary Hennie de Jager became the manager.
The farm still sends grapes to the nearby Perdeberg Winery but horses are the primary concern.
The very first yearling sold by Varsfontein was Kings Rhapsody, a son of Singing Winds who won ten races for Laurie and Jean Jaffee including the Smirnoff.
Other Grade 1 winners produced by the stud include Jumpup and Kissme, Enchanting (also the dam of Champion Harry’s Charm), This England, Marie Galante and Tickets and Tax. Champions born and raised at Varsfontein include Young Rake and Spook Express.
Mexico II (GB) was the first stallion to make Varsfontein his home. He was Champion Sire of 2 year olds in 1979/80 and 1980/81.
As the sire of Champion Sire Harry Hotspur and a leading broodmare sire, he made a huge impact on the breed in South Africa. Fair Season (GB), imported by Sir Mordaunt Milner in 1982 was a very well-supported stallion. He produced Jungle Warrior, Tickets and Tax, La Mancha (who raced in the Shirtliff silks two decades back), Turbo Star and London Season, amongst other good performers.
Green Green Grass of Home. The beauty of Varsfontein Stud
Caesour (USA), selected for Varsfontein by Alexandra Scrope, arrived in 1996 and his first crop made an exciting debut on the tracks in 1999/2000. That first crop included Classic winner Caughtintheslips and graded stakes placed runners Diplomat and Caesars Warrior, as well as Hail Caesour and Emperors Dance.
Tony Kalmanson died in 1979 and Hennie de Jager retired in 1988.
Varsfontein Stud is now managed by Carl de Vos and his wife Amanda, and is owned by Mette (Tony’s widow) and her three children John, Susan and Monique.
Varsfontein have a bumper crop of 33 yearlings for the 2013 National Yearling Sale, including 5 from the final crop of 6 times Champion Sire Jet Master.
