Two Cape stallions are very strongly represented in Scottsville’s four Gr1 speed contests with Avontuur’s leading sire Var who has runners in each race – as does Captain Al.

Variety Club’s sire has no fewer than four fillies set to compete in the day’s first Gr1 feature, the Gr1 Allan Robertson Fillies Championship. In fact, Var is responsible for more than 25% of the 15 filly field in this juvenile championship (Garibony, Regal Rose, Saint Angelique, Sea Cat).
Var is yet to sire a winner of this race, but daughter Valeta did run third to Give Me Five back in 2009.

Captain Al, who recently dominated one of the Cape’s top juvenile fillies contests, has 2 daughters entered in the Allan Robertson – Summer Adieu and War Path respectively.

Race five is the R600 000, Gr1 Tsogo Sun Medallion, a race frequently won by the season’s top 2yo.
While Var has just a sole representative in the Medallion, it is the very exciting and top hopeful, Normanz. Captain Al, by contrast, has two runners –  the  unbeaten Captain’s Reserve and Captain Of All.

Normanz will be participating at Scottsville on the 25th of May.

Both Captain Al (Captain’s Gal) and Var (Val de Ra) have sired previous Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint winners.
Both sires, once again, will be strongly represented in this R600 000 contest, with Var’s fillies being Miss October, and the strongly fancied Via Africa.  Captain Al’s SA Fillies Sprint runners include champion All Is Secret, a top contender here, and recent stakes winner Victorian Secret.

The day’s showpiece comes up in race seven, the Gr1 R750 000 Golden Horse Sprint. Here Captain Al has 3 of the 16 runners (Cap Alright, Captain’s Secret and Barbosa), while Var will be represented by promising 3yo Contador.

In total, it is remarkable that two sires have a combined 18 runners in the four G1 features – which is truly superb achievement!

Story courtesy of Cape Breeder’s Club.

Trainer Stefano Botti rewrote the history of the Italian Derby when saddling the first three home in yesterday’s Classic at Capannelle, Biz The Nurse (Oratorio) outclassing the field to score by four lengths from Wish Come True (Aussie Rules) and Ancient King (Ramonti).

“I was pretty confident before the race that all my five horses were in perfect form but I rated Biz The Nurse the best of them,” said Botti, elder brother of Marco.

Biz The Nurse settled comfortably off the pace set by Best Tango and the British raider Boite. Jockey Andrea Atzeni asked Biz The Nurse to quicken 500m from home and the colt responded with a nice turn of foot. Entering the last 200m they went clear and kicked again, while Wish Come True finished well to beat the prominently- ridden Ancient King. Lodovico Il Moro finished fourth while Best Tango and Fairy Nayef, the first two in the Gr.3 Premio Parioli, failed to stay.

“I had a very good trip and was on a very good horse. He quickened well when I asked him and won with some gas left in the tank. I want to thank Stefano Botti who provided me this fantastic opportunity,” said the Italian- born Andrea Atzeni, who was winning his first Classic.

Military Attack wins the Gr 1 SAI Cup

With prize money of more than US$ 2.3 million and the fulfillment of a life long dream for trainer John Moore to add a Gr 1 on foreign soil to his record, this achievement was both a highlight for Oratorio fans and a heart-warming  event for a trainer who at 63, is nearing compulsary retirement in Hong Kong.  However, we look forward to many more exciting races from this champion colt with John thinking of sending him to Australia for the Gr 1 Cox Plate in October.

As if this was not enough for one day, late yesterday we heard that Biz the Nurse by Oratorio won the Gr 2 Italian Derby in Rome in fine style!

With Oratorio now introduced to the racing and breeding fraternity in SA after a successful launch at Avontuur Estate last Thursday, we believe that his career on South African soil will add immeasurably to our overall breeding success and these achievements on two continents will assist with cementing his already stellar reputation.

Restaurant guests are asked to arrive between 17h00 and 18h30 and to place their dinner orders by no later than 18h15.  The set menu of 2 courses for R135 and 3 courses @ R175 is great value for money and you can sit back and enjoy a cosy evening next to the fireplace with a nice glass of wine or two, in our highly regarded restaurant directly after work, thereby cutting out cooking yourself!

As this offer is very popular, it is  advisable to book at openhand@polka.co.za or +27 21 855-4296, although walk-ins are welcome.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Oratorio relaxing after the excitement of the parade

A cool autumn morning in the Boland turned out to be the perfect setting for a celebratory day consisting of gorgeous horses, great wine and a buffet spread aimed to please the most discerning palate.

After Michael Taberer welcomed the guests, it was the turn of Avontuur’s well-known champion sire VAR to take the “stage” and he was greeted with admiration by all attendees, most of whom by now knew him and his star progeny very well.  Then it was the turn of the “man of the day”, Oratorio who went through his paces like the pro he is, and coolly posed for the pics like a super model of note.

Guests then moved to the restaurant and winery for a relaxing afternoon with the Avontuur team.

All ended off well for a new addition to the SA racing and breeding scene and for which we have high hopes!

On Sunday, Sciolina, a 4 year old daughter of Oratorio won Premio Tadolina LR at Capannelle Italy and on Saturday two more made him very proud at Haydock Park and Nottingham.

1. Scream Blue Murder (IRE)  3f  out of Holly Blue (GB) (Bluebird (USA))

Won E.B.F. Weatherbys Hamilton Insurance Kilvington Fillies’ Stakes (LR), 1200mT, Nottingham

(runs in the colours of Mrs Rupert)

2. Eton Forever (IRE) 6g  out of True Joy (IRE) (Zilzal (USA))

Won Pertemps Network Spring Trophy Stakes (LR), 1400T, Haydock (GB)

Avontuur’s Minelli Pinot Noir Reserve 2010 and Luna de Miel Chardonnay Reserve 2010 will be two of the stars of the show at a Burgundian themed food & wine evening on Friday, 17 May from 19h00 at neighbouring Helderberg winery, Longridge.

 Longridge Restaurant Chef Bruce von Pressentin has put together a menu showcasing Burgundian cuisine with a SA twist. The wines for each courses will be presented by the relevant winemakers, and comments and questions will be expected!

 Welcome:  Snails wrapped in tatsoi with mustard cream in a hyllo pastry basket & Luna de Miel

Starter:  Warm Chevre salad with honey vinaigrette & Vriesenhof Chardonnay and Longridge Pinot Noir

Main: Boeuf Bourguignon with wild mushrooms and potato  & Vriesenhof & Avontuur Pinot Noir. 

Dessert: Quince and chocolate torte with hazelnut ice cream & Longridge Chardonnay.

Coffee

Cost: R250 pp.  Reservations essential at restaurant@longridge.co.za or +27 21 855-4082

All the wines will be for sale on the night with a special price on a promotional  mixed 6-pack. 

Caption:  Some of the incredible wines which will be presented on “Burgundy Night”!

The filly has won twice over 6f and was racing beyond that trip for the first time in the 7f contest which makes owner Sheila Lavery very proud.

Trainer Eddie Lynam said “we came to find out if she would stay, would she settle and was she worth her place in the Irish Guineas on May 26 and all the answers to these questions are yes so we will be able to dream for another 20 days”.

Only R20 pp for the tasting.

Deceased champion sire Jet Master topped the sires list for the last time with an aggregate of R16 140 000 for 24 yearlings, with Dynasty totalling R15 370 000 for 29 yearlings.  Varsfontein Stud headed the vendors list with R8 540 000 for 24 yearlings, with Drakenstein Stud close behind with R8 515 000 for 11 yearlings.

Form Bloodstock spent R11.125 million for 18 yearlings to top the buyers list, with Mayfair Speculators spending R9.020 million on 9 yearlings and Singapore trainer Patrick Shaw spending R7.580 million on 13 yearlings.  The sales topper was lot 263, a Dynasty colt, knocked down for R3.6 million to Mayfair Speculators, just shy of the South African record price of R4 million. While the top price for a filly was R1.6 million paid for Lot 330, an Encosta De Lago(AUS) filly.

Bloodstock South Africa CEO Tom Callaghan was very pleased with the final results, commenting that the sale showcased the strength of South African racing. “We also look forward to the export ban being lifted shortly so that our horses can compete fairly on the international stage”, he added.

Lot 330 an Encosta De Lago filly out of the unraced Danehill(USA) mare Catching Moonbeams(IRE) travelled all the way from Australia to grace a South African sales ring. Consigned by Summerhill Stud, the hammer fell to Mary Slack’s Wilgerbosdrift Stud at R1.6 million, the top price paid for a filly. With Prix de l’Abbaye winner Imperial Beauty(USA) as second dam, the filly certainly has great paddock value.

“I love the looks of this horse, she has lovely extra long ears and I just loved her pedigree. I think if I bought her in Australia she would have made a very similar price.  I am very much looking forward to her joining the broodmare band eventually, as she has very good broodmare potential”, said Slack.

Right at the end of the sale, after a trying day for the vendors, Dean Kannemeyer, locally known as the Master of the Guineas, made his presence felt when he went to R3 million, in a spirited bidding war, for Lot 503, a flaxen mane chestnut colt from Avontuur Stud.  By Trippi(USA) out of the American Chance(USA) mare La Normandie (ARG), the colt is a half brother to Normanz (Var), winner of the Grade 3 Godolphin Barb Stakes at his third start. Normanz has been one of the outstanding two-year-olds of the season, having won his second start by three lengths and then running away with the Godolphin by 4.25 lengths.

Kannemeyer was very pleased to have secured the flashy colt.  “He is a quality colt with a lot of class and I am very fortunate to be training him. He should make a Classic horse and hopefully he will be my Guineas contender one day.  We are really excited about buying him as he is a lovely colt, but as my dad use to say, they always look better when they stand in the winner’s box!”

The sale concluded with 411 lots sold out of the 493 lots on offer.

by Liesl King

Tripandie