The Sean Tarry-trained Big Bear emphasised what a big loss his ill-fated Summerhill-based sire Await The Dawn has been when romping home in the Emperor’s Palace Ready to Run Cup over 1400m at Turffontein on Saturday under S’Manga Khumalo.

Big Bear is a big and strong, resolute galloper with a deceptively good turn of foot.

He was up with the pace on Saturday from a good draw and then kicked away from his stablemate, the Grade 2 Joburg Spring Challenge winner Wonderwall.

Big Bear then repelled the challenge of the Grade 1-winning filly Brave Mary and beat her by 2,5 lengths.

Big Bear has had the field spread out like the washing in his last two starts and this is always a sign of a good horse.

Await The Dawn succumbed to a freak accident while covering a mare in 2014.

He was a stoutly-bred horse being by five-times Group 1-winning miler-to-middle distance horse Giant’s Causeway out of Dixieland Band mare Valentine Band (Shirley Heights) who won over a middle distance and was also Listed placed in two middle distance races.

Big Bear’s dam Gamalakhe is by Northern Guest and was unplaced but is a full-sister to Mercury Rising who won three times from 1200-1400m and is Listed placed. Gamalakhe’s female line is generally quite speedy and her three winners to date have won up to 1450m. However, there is also stamina in the family, including Gold Bowl winner Winning Leap.

Await The Dawn will also impart some staying power and Big Bear’s running style suggests he will get a mile and more.

This big, well-named horse has an exciting three-year-old season ahead of him and is definitely one to follow.

Big Bear was bought at the CTS Johannesburg Ready To Run Sale for R240,000 and is owned by Chris van Niekerk in partnership with the underbidder Bruce Gardner.

At the BSA National Two-year-old Sale this August, Dean Kannemeyer bought the half-brother to Big Bear by Visionaire, named The Solution, for R85,000.

The Solution could prove to be a bargain buy as Visionaire was so popular the owners moved him from Summerhill down to Lammerskraal Stud in the Cape, where he would get better opportunities.

In Saturday’s race the Paul Matchett-trained Brave Mary and the Mike de Kock-trained Takingthepeace made it a one-two-three for horses bred at Summerhill Stud. The Grade 1 Allan Robertson Championship winner Brave Mary proved she could be effective over trips further than sprints and moved up smartly. She had no answer to Big Bear’s response, but had some good horses behind her. She is the second Grade 1-winning progeny of Brave Tin Soldier to finish runner up in this race, following the feat of Rabada in 2015.

Takingthepeace by Visionaire was doing her best work late and pipped Querari colt Wonderwall for third. She will be a big player in the fillies classics this season.

Fifth-placed Surcharge, by Gimmethegreenlight, had to overcome a wide draw and as one who has impressed before shouldn’t be written off in forthcoming features.

By David Thiselton