Highveld trainer Robbie Sage has nurtured the famous white racehorse, Gran Blanco, to a point where he might soon race.
A file pic of Gran Blanco and connections
Meanwhile, the Coastal Horse Care Unit, who have played an important role in Gran Blanco’s life, deservedly won the “Organisation Of The Year Award” at the last KZN Sports awards.
Gran Blanco attracted worldwide interest in 2011 when becoming the first ever white thoroughbred foal born in South Africa.
Read a previous report on him.
Most laymen would be surprised to learn this, because there are many thoroughbreds who appear white. However these horses are officially grey. Greys are born with a base colour, usually bay, chestnut or black, but an inherited gene slowly removes pigment from the coat and they might eventually appear to be white.
Robbie Sage – getting Gran Blanco ready
Actual white colouring in horses is caused by areas of skin that lack pigment cells, but it is usually only found near the feet and on the nose.
The cells are known as “depigmentation phenotypes”, and most of the genetics behind it is still unknown.
The world’s first ever white thoroughbred registered was a filly born in 1963 in Kentucky called White Beauty. She was a genetic mutation. By the end of 2005, only 48 white thoroughbreds had been registered in history, but 28 of these occurred between 2001 and 2005 as a result of the American Paint Horse Association, which specifically breeds unusually coloured thoroughbreds and quarter horses.
The Rathmor Stud-bred Gran Blanco, who is by Kahal out of Rakeen mare Perakeen, was knocked down at the National Yearling Sales in 2013 for R220,000.
However, the purchasers later fell on hard times and the Coastal Horse Care Unit were granted a court order to monitor the situation. Through the help of the latter organisation, aided by a concerned Rathmor Stud, Gran Blanco eventually found himself in the good hands of Sage.
The latter has deliberately allowed Gran Blanco to remain an entire in order to strengthen him up. The process of nurturing him back to full health and then conditioning him into racing shape has required a lot of kindness and horse care skills as well as a lot of patience and understanding from the current owner.
However, Gran Blanco was recently gelded, a sign his first start could be around the corner.
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