THE PERFECT START!
31 May 2009

A couple of weeks ago we made a comment on Var, a son of Forest Wildcat, who retired to stud in South Africa and was making a big impact with his first crop of runners this year at two in that country.

Well this weekend he had the best result possible with a gr. I winner in his first crop! Villandry, a gelding out of the Complete Warrior mare Amazon Lily, burnt the rest of his rivals off with blistering speed to win the Gold Reef Resorts Medallion (gr. I) over 6 furlongs at Scottsville in a swift 1:08.44.

After his success in the Listed Summer Juvenile S. at Kenilworth Jan. 31, Villandry followed up in the Apr. 1 G3 Godolphin Barb S. at Clairwood, but came unstuck when only fourth in the G2 Umkhomazi S. over this track and trip last time May 3. Disputing the early lead with Exclaim ‘n’ Exclude (a son of Australian stallion Exceed and Excel) and the favorite Vacherin (another son of Var), the bay cut loose passing the furlong marker, and ran away to win by a handy two lengths.

Var has now sired 13 winners in his first South African crop and has just passed Captain Al, a son of Al Mufti, as the leading 2yo sire of South Africa on prizemoney.Congrats to agent Robin Bruss who bought Var for Avontuur Stud and the team at Avontuur - a perfect start!

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VAR SIRES HIS FIRST GROUP 1 WINNER
31 May 2009

It was celebration time all around for the Avontuur team at Scottsville yesterday when son of VAR, Villandry silenced all his detractors with a stunning win over 1200 metres in the Gr 1 Gold Reef Resorts Medallion.  The two year old gelding by VAR out of Amazon Lily was ridden by Felix Coetzee and trained by Vaughan Marshall. 

The celebrations continued when Avontuur-sponsored champion jockey, Greg Cheyne in his new Avontuur-branded gear, streaked across  the line on Lady Windermere in the Gr 1 SA Fillies Sprint over 1200 m.

“We’ve had a wonderful day’s racing, with three reasons to celebrate” said Avontuur GM Pippa Mickleburgh.  “ The Villandry win ensures VAR’s place as the leading first season sire  and he’s now won 4 out of 6 starts which is fantastic news!  Another Avontuur-bred VAR filly, Valeta,  ran a great race to end up third in a toughly contested Gr 1 Allan Robertson Fillies Championship over 1200 m – and to crown it all - Greg Cheyne showed off our brand in a fantastic race on Lady Windermere earlier today.  This is going to be hard to top!”

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A FISH FINDS WATER
May 17, 2009

Forest Wildcat Sprinter Var, was certainly a horse that found success where it could be least expected. A $120,000 yearling purchase by Richard O’Gorman at the Keeneland September Sales, Var initially raced in North America but was later moved from there to compete in France, where he was a top class sprinter in 2004 with a win in the Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp (gr. I) for trainer Clive Brittain the highlight of his career.

However, as good as he was as a racehorse, he looked like a fish out of water as far as a stallion prospect is concerned. A grass sprinter by an American bred son of Storm Cat wasn’t exactly what they generally look for in stallion prospects in Europe and while he was out of a mare by Zilzal, his pedigree was really better placed in North America where ironically, his turf performance (or moderate performance on dirt) precluded commercial respect in that market.

It took some vision to work out where to stand Var as a stallion prospect. He was a superior racehorse with an interesting pedigree and deserved his chance but he suited no market particularly well. In stepped Robin Bruss of Northfields Bloodstock who purchased Var to stand at Avontuur Stud, Cape Town, South Africa. Robin has always placed race performance high on his criteria on indicators of potential stallion success and with a Timeform rating of 124, Var was certainly that. It also helped that he was a smashing individual to look at.

With his first two-year-olds on the track in South Africa this season, Var is now proving himself a revelation at stud in South Africa!

Speaking to Robin, he relayed “He is a very good stallion Byron, and has been sensationally received. I have a lifetime service right for buying the horse for Avontuur and have a 2yo colt of my own which I bred and which is with Michael Azzie, who thinks he may be as good if not better than Vacherin. He is differently bred as his dam is a daughter of Horse of the Year, July & Gold Cup (3200m) winner Devon Air and he looks like he will be a router - big, scopy horse with great action. I’m hoping he is right! The horse is named August Rush.”

Avontuur Stud was owned by the late Tony Taberer, a very wealthy man, and thankfully for all concerned his children are carrying on his stud and wine estate. Robin relayed that Var was by far his favorite horse to the extent that the horse was even brought to the church for his funeral last year. All of this sadly before the merit of Var was known.

Var has sired two stakes winners to date in the shape of Vacherin and Villandry. Vacherin is out of the Golden Thatch mare Golden Treat (an inbreeding to the Thong family) and is starting to make good on his promise of being one of the top speedsters of his generation.  Bred by Avontuur’s Pippa Mickleburgh and trained by Mike Azzie he won his first race by 10 lengths in 56 sec (New Course Record) and then won South African Nursery Plate (gr. II) in a canter. Villandry, out of a mare by Complete Warrior, is also a very speedy customer who won the Kenilworth Summer Juvenile Stakes (L) and then the Clairwood Godolphin Barb S (gr. III) both over short distances.

Avontuur General Manager Pippa Mickleburgh has a lot to look forward to with Var, who has a lock on the first season sires Championship for South Africa and looks to challenge for the two-year-old title also. Var is leading the freshman sires table with 13 individual winners and is chasing the current champion sire of two year olds, Captain Al for this year’s championship

A fish out of water has certainly found a worthy home.


ANOTHER GROUP WINNER FOR VAR!
27 April 2009

Vacherin by VAR out of Golden Treat is starting to make good on his promise of being one of the top speedsters of his generation with another win in The Nursery Group 2 over 1160 m at Turffontein on Saturday.

Bred by Avontuur’s Pippa Mickleburgh, trained by Mike Azzie and ridden by Anton Marcus, he is unbeaten and adds to the hype surrounding VAR’s first crop which now has had 3 feature winners.  VAR is leading the freshman sires table with 13 individual winners and is chasing the current champion sire of two year olds, Captain Al for this year’s championship. 

“Other exciting news from Turffontein on the same day is that Esterel ran a good fourth in the fillies equivalent The Nursery 1160m.  We’re now looking forward to early May where two VAR’s, the top two year old Villandry and the talented Valiant – both bred at Avontuur -  will participate in the Umkhomazi Stakes Group 3 over 1200m at Scottsville race course.  On the same day in The Debutante Stakes over 1200, VAR has three exciting fillies, Enchanted, Bedouin and Lamorna in the running, for whom we will be cheering,” says Avontuur GM Pippa Mickleburgh.

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AVONTUUR HOLDS ITS OWN AT TOUGH SALE
7 April 2009

Avontuur Estate held its own at a very tough 2009 Yearling Sale in Johannesburg with 20 yearlings sold from 21 brought up to the Rand from the Western-cape based Stud.  “Sales were down 21% but South Africa didn’t do too badly compared with other sales globally. However, it was a tough one and I can only thank everyone who supported us so generously,”  says Avontuur GM, Pippa Mickleburgh.

Mike Azzie, Berthwell Arosi and Pippa Mickleburgh, with top-selling colt, Wilberforce at the 2009 TBA Yearling sales in Johannesburg.

Avontuur’s top selling yearling was Wilberforce, which went to Mike Azzie for an Avontuur record of R1,6 million.   The VAR’s also did extremely well, once again confirming his standing as one of the most exciting stallions operating in South Africa at the moment.  Pippa was happy to report that Valmorne, a VAR colt and one of her favourites went for the great price of R1,3 million, the top price for a VAR. “We had sales ranging from R75 000 to R1,6 million from many of the country’s top sires, so we could offer something for everyone,” she said. Buyers ranged from well-known trainers like Mike Azzie, Basil Marcus, Charles Laird, Mike Bass, Dom Zaki, Dennis Drier, Gavin Smith, Yvette Bremner, Barend Botes, Gary Alexander, Vaughn Marshall and Joey Ramsden to owners like Marcus Jooste, Graham Beck, Alf Dickenson and Colin Bird. “Demand for VAR’s progeny is increasing all the time with his book already full for 2009 and a waiting list building up.  His service fee will be decided later, but in this tough economic time with a serious global financial crisis facing us all, the support is heartening and we can only be grateful,” Pippa said.

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VAR PROGENY NOTCHES UP ANOTHER WIN
3 April 2009

A spectacular victory of more than 10 lengths in the Racing Express Juvenile Plate over 1000 m at the Vaal on 2 April for another one of Avontuur champion Sire VAR’s progeny Vacherin, was the cherry on top for a very proud Avontuur team at the Yearling Sales in Johannesburg.

“I managed to slip away for a few hours  to attend the event at the Vaal race track.  He ran an absolutely stunning race and did it in only 56 seconds!  This is a tribute to my late friend and mentor, Tony Taberer’s foresight as he made the decision to purchase VAR and breed speed champions in South Africa.” says GM Pippa Mickleburgh

Pippa welcomes visitors and interested buyers to the Avontuur pavilion at the TBA venue in Gosforth Park and has 8 VAR-sired yearlings available for viewing as well as 16 other equally exciting yearlings from the Estate in the Western Cape.

“After this fantastic week on the tracks, we can’t wait for the Sale to start tonight and look forward  to a profitable and successful weekend,” she says.

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SON OF VAR ONCE AGAIN PROVES HIS WORTH
1 April 2009

Villandry, the already black type listed son of VAR, once again proved his worth at Clairwood on Wednesday, 1 April by romping home in the Godolphin Barb Stakes Gr 3 over 1000 m against a stiff field.

“It was an exciting and nail-biting race to watch but as he extended towards the finish, smashing the opposition whilst carrying a burden of 58 kg’s, I knew we had a winner on hand!  This win once again shows his mettle, and that of other VAR progeny like Lochlorien, who won earlier this week at the Vaal,” say Avontuur GM, Pippa Mickleburgh.

Commentators have heaped praise on this sprinter who, after 4 starts and 3 wins,  is already called the foremost juvenile of his year.

Pippa and her team are currently at the Avontuur pavilion at the national yearling sales with twenty-one magnificent yearlings, of which eight are by champion sire VAR.

“Today, we’re cheering on another VAR juvenile, Vacharin, who is the favourite to win at the Vaal.  And then it’s back to the Sale, for the last few days.  We would like to invite all interested buyers to visit us to view the fantastic group of VAR – and other – yearlings on offer,” Pippa says.

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AVONTUUR’S VAR TOP SIRE AT GRANDWEST SALE
17 February 2009

The recent yearling sales at Grandwest in Cape Town was a tour de force for Avontuur Estate’s stallion VAR, when sales of his progeny ensured the farm ended up 2nd on the vendor’s list with him the top sire on aggregate for the two day event.

GM Pippa Mickleburgh said that his yearlings were well received, in part due to the excellent results now being produced by some of last year’s crop.  “One of the stars in this regard is  Villandry who won two races in a row at Kenilworth in January and there’s more good news happening every week on race tracks around the country.  VAR ended up leading the sire’s list with his second crop on sale at public auction with Eversoeasy going to Zaki Racing Stable for R425 000 and Variety Show being sold for  R225 000. Avontuur Thoroughbred farm has a great group of yearlings on their way soon to the National Sale in Johannesburg and Pippa would like to invite all interested parties to visit the Avontuur pavilion at C Block to view these from 20 March onwards.  For more information, have a look at the website at www.avontuurestate.co.za from 10 March, where the yearlings for the National Sale will be on display.

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VAR COLT LANDS FIRST JUVENILE FEATURE OF THE SEASON
31 January 2009

Villandry, by VAR(USA) out of Amazon Lily, ridden by Felix Coetzee and trained by Vaughan Marshall made it a double on Saturday, 31 January by winning the R125 000 Lexus Summer Juvenile Stakes over 1000 m at Kenilworth in Cape Town.

The colt also won the Betting World Maiden Juvenile Plate at the same course last Saturday.

Commented Avontuur Estate GM, Pippa Mickleburgh, where he was born in 2006;  “He ran beautifully and won easily and this win surely puts VAR in front of the first season sire’s list!  We are very proud to see this result and look forward to many more of VAR’s progeny making waves on the world’s race tracks in future.”

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ANOTHER WIN FOR VAR PROGENY
26 January 2009

Vilandry by VAR (USA) out of Amazon Lily, ridden by Felix Coetzee, trained by Vaughn Marshall, won by six lengths in the Betting World Maiden Juvenile Plate at Kenilworth on Saturday, 24 January.  The colt was born at Avontuur Estate in 2006 from resident stallion, VAR.

Avontuur Estate GM, Pippa Mickleburgh, said that this was part of a positive pattern of results starting to emerge from races where VAR’s first progeny are participating.  “We have 3 VAR yearlings  on sale at Grandwest on 8 February 2009 with more earmarked for the national sales in April and we invite all interested buyers and trainers to pop in for a look,” she said.

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