Seldom does a weekend go by without former sprint champion What A Winter supplying his share of winners.
It was no different this past weekend, with the four time Gr1 winner supplying no fewer than four individual winners, in African Winter, Chilly Winter, Line Of Power, and Winter Flight respectively.
What A Winter at his magnificent home (Pic – Drakenstein Stud)
The champion son of multiple champion sire Western Winter also achieved a notable feat when his daughters Chilly Winter, Seeking Peace and Ma Black filled the first three placings in the fifth race at Kenilworth on Saturday.
The sire’s steady stream of winners this season has seen What A Winter rise to fifth place on the South African General Sires List, with, at the time of writing, his progeny having banked in excess of R3.561 million in stakes in 2021-2022.
What A Winter has proved consistently successful since he retired to Drakenstein Stud in 2013.
South Africa’s Leading First Season Sire of 2016-2017, and Leading Sire of 2YO’s last season, What A Winter’s first crop, of 75 registered foals, produced 66 runners – of which 44 won at least once.
This crop secured their sire’s popularity, with What A Winter’s first crop headed by Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint winner Warrior’s Rest and fellow graded stakes winners Dutch Philip and Magical Wonderland.
Subsequent crops have produced a flood of other stakes horses, notably dual Gr1 Majorca Stakes winner Clouds Unfold, Equus Champion Russet Air, and graded stakes winning two-year-olds Armando and Snow Report.
Tellingly, perhaps, What A Winter has worked with mares by a host of different stallions, with his Gr1 winners produced by daughters of Montjeu, Jallad and Badger Land thus far.
It is perhaps worth noting, however, that his top-class daughter Magical Wonderland is out of a daughter of Al Mufti, with Al Mufti sons Cataloochee and Captain Al broodmare sire of What A Winter stakes winners Winter Smoke (Gr3 Magnolia Handicap) and Whatever Next (Dahlia Plate, East Cape Nursery) respectively.
Gr3 Magnolia Handicap winner Winter Smoke (Pic – JC Photos)
What A Winter hails from a female line which continues to make waves across the world.
A half-brother to ill-fated KZN star What A Question (Qui Danzig), What A Winter’s Molecomb Stakes winning third dam Hayloft ranks as the ancestress of dual Gr1 winning sire Twilight Son (Kyllachy).
The latter made waves as a sire himself this past year, with the Gr1 winner’s flagbearers in 2021 including Gr3 Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project Cornwallis Stakes winner Twilight Jet.
What A Winter is directly descended in female line from the mighty mare Selene, dam of breed shaping stallions Hyperion, Pharamond II and Sickle. Selene also ranks as the eighth dam of 2021 Cartier Horse Of The Year, and this season’s dual French classic winner, St Mark’s Basilica (Siyouni).
Another descendant of Selene who continues to make his presence felt, this time in Australasia, is Sir Tristram –the male line ancestor of such current top stallions as Lonhro, Pierro and Savabeel.
With a large crop of well -bred two-year-olds representing him this season, What A Winter looks poised for more sustained success in the coming months.
