“The opportunity to acquire a substantial stake in VISIONAIRE (USA) South Africa’s Champion Freshman Sire 2015, was something we could not overlook” says Lammerskraal Stud’s owner Pieter Graaff.
Visionaire – a top racehorse
“He was an outstanding racehorse in USA, a Group 1 winner at Saratoga, and is already a proven sire, who has commenced his career in a style of brilliance which promises to blossom into something special.”
The same might be said of Pieter Graaff’s entry into breeding since acquiring the famed Ceres nursery of Lammerskraal Stud in 2015.
Go Deputy (Deputy Minister – Partygoer) – Triple Crown sire in waiting has a new neighbour
The farm has ridden on the crest of the breeding wave in 2016 as breeders of the best young horse in the land, Abashiri, winner of the first two legs of the Triple Crown and poised to join the giants of the turf as favourite to win the South African Derby Gr1 and to become only the third horse in history to sweep the series.
It would be a landmark achievement and round off a remarkable week, in which a proven first crop champion stallion, is added to resident stallion barn which currently houses Abashiri’s sire Go Deputy (USA) and the retired Parade Leader (USA).
Lammerskraal – a bird’s eye view (photo: hamishNIVENPhotography)
“What made Visionaire so attractive”, says longstanding farm manager Sally Jourdan, “is that he is a grandson of Gone West, who was the sire of our foundation sire Western Winter, who served our farm through 4 Championship Sire titles, and whose last crop is on sale this year. It is a bloodline I know so well and trust implicitly. Visionaire, with his size, quality, correctness and speed, will suit the families we have on the farm and the new young stakes winning mares which Pieter and Jolanda Graaff have been acquiring”.
Sally Jourdan (photo: hamishNIVENPhotography)
Visionaire’s transfer from the base of Champion Breeders Summerhill Stud to the Western Cape, is tinged with some sadness for the transfer of the successful stallion, who sired 2016 Gauteng Fillies Guineas winner Heaps of Fun as a member of his first crop.
It is no secret that Mick Goss was reluctant to part with his shareholding and it was weight of money that told in the end.
“I keep the bulk of my mares in the Western Cape,” says co-owner Barry Irwin. I am grateful for everything that Summerhill did for Visionaire, which Team Valor raced and supported throughout his career. My first responsibility is to do what’s best for the horse and my syndicate, and Mick has long been aware that I felt that the bigger breeding province of the Western Cape with its numerical depth and quality of mares, would do justice for the horse.
Barry Irwin
“Since we commenced in South Africa, we have steadfastly developed our band of 25 mares, mostly Graded Stakes Winners and they are located in the Cape in order to access the array of the most proven sires. I brought Visionaire to South Africa to consistently imprint the strength and substance of American speed and ensure delivery of correctness to my produce”.
“The move is sad for Mick, but not an unusual phenomenon – we saw a similar move in South Africa with Champion Sire Jungle Cove to the Cape, and Foveros from the Cape to KZN. In America, Mr Prospector moved from Florida to Kentucky in order to expand his opportunity.”
“I am pleased that we reached a gentleman’s accommodation which allowed Mick to continue with an interest in the horse and I am delighted to meet and work with Pieter Graaff and his professional team at Lammerskraal.”
The 2016 Stud fee has yet to be set, but there is little doubt that it will be higher than in 2015.
