David Thiselton
Drakenstein Stud are the champion breeders for the second time and did it with record earnings and they were the most prominent entity at the Equus Awards, which took place at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Thursday evening.
The progeny bred by Drakenstein Stud earned R40,073,561 last season if restricted races stakes are included and it is believed this is the first time the R40 million mark has been supassed.
Drakenstein also equalled their own South African record of 21 stakes winners in a season.
Drakenstein were officially acknowledged as champion breeders at the Equus Awards.
However, they were on stage for a number of other awards too.
They bred the Equus Horse Of The Year Eight On Eigteen, who is by their late resident sire Lancaster Bomber.
The Justin Snaith-trained colt runs in the colours of Nick Jonsson and also walked away with the Equus Three-year-old Champion Colt award and the Equus Champion Middle Distance Horse award.
Furthermore, Eight On Eighteen is part-owned by Drakenstein owner Gaynor Rupert’s husband Johann Rupert.
Drakenstein also bred Eight On Eighteen’s chief rival for the Horse Of The Year award, the Vaughan Marshall-trained One World colt One Stripe, who is now in the USA with trainer Graham Motion. One Stripe, who is by Drakenstein’s resident sire One World, was named Equus Champion Miler.
Drakenstein also bred the Equus Champion Stayer, the Gareth van Zyl-trained King Pelles, who is by the stud’s late resident sire Duke Of Marmalade.
Drakenstein are also part-owners of the Equus Champion Older female, the Varsfontein Stud-bred Vercingetorix filly Double Grand Slam.
Varsfontein Stud also bred the Equus Champion two-year-old filly, the Alan Greeff-trained Golden Palm.
It was a full circle moment when Golden Palm and Jan Van Goyen were named Champion Two-year-olds because the owner of Golden Palm is former Zimbabwean Peter Moor, who bred the great Mike De Kock-trained Ipi Tombe, while one of the part-owners of the Mike and Mathew De Kock-trained Equus Champion Two-year-old Colt Jan van Goyen is Henk Leyenaar, who was a part-owner of Ipi Tombe.
Maine Chance Farms-based stallion Vercingetorix was Champion Sire, and a record-breaking one at that, and he and Varsontein’s resident stallion Master Of My Fate were the only stallions to have two Equus Award winners.
Master Of My Fate is not only sire of Golden Palm, but also of Jan Van Goyen.
Vercingetorix is not only sire of Double Grand Slam, but also of the Equus Champion Older Male, the Stuart Ferrie-trained gelding Gladatorian.
Gladatorian just edged out Gimme A Prince for that award and another closely contested award was for Equus Champion Three-year-old filly, which was captured by the Brett and James Crawford-trained Laurence Wernars-bred New Predator filly Fatal Flaw.
Gimmethegreenlight, sire of Equus Champion Sprinter, the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Khaya Stables homebred gelding Gimme A Prince, is also a Varsfontein Stud-based stallion.
Khaya Stables also walked away with the Champion Broodmare award with Real Princess, dam of Gimme A Prince and of Hollywoodbets Durban July winner The Real Prince and of another stakes winner in Gimmie’s Countess, all trained by Kannemeyer.
Justin Snaith was the only trainer to have more than one Equus Award winner, Eight On Eighteen and Double Grand Slam.
Snaith was named Equus Champion trainer for thhe sixth time and it was the seventh time he had been trainer of an Equus Horse Of The Year.
It was the second time Nick Jonsson had been part-owner of an Equus Horse Of The Year.
The jockeys often receive the loudest cheers and all of Gavin Lerena, Champion Jockey for the second time, Brevan Plaaitjies, Champion Apprentice, and the legendary Piere Strydon, who recieved an Equus special achievement award, were well received.
Alan Greeff also got rousing applause when recieving a special achievement award for his phenomenal season.
Hollywood Racing also received a big cheer as Champion Owners for the first time and were thanked by all award winners for all they do for horseracing in the country.
It was a memorable evening for Philip Thengeza, groom of Eight On Eigteen.
The Media awards went to Gary Lemke (Print Media), Emma Finney (Broadcast) and Candiese Lenferna landed the Still Photography Award for the third time.
However, Drakenstein were the leading light of the evening.
Jonathan Snaith’s opinion on Drakenstein’s excellence summed it up well, “Drakenstein start with the finest – and finish with the winners. Excellence in, Champions out.”
Indeed, Gaynor Rupert has gone to great lengths to bring top quality bloodstock on to her farm and South Africa racing are gratefully reaping the rewards.
