First Gr 1 winner for Paardeberg Stud

PUBLISHED: 28 July 2026

David Thiselton

On Sunday at Hollywoodbets Greyville Erik Dubois not only gave Louis Goosen a first Gr 1 victory in 35 years of training, but also gave Varsfontein-based sire Erik The Red a first Gr 1 winner and he gave Paardeberg Stud, who are the newest stud farm in the country, a first Gr 1 winner with their first crop to race.

The Laurence Wernars family-owned gelding is officially bred by the American racing man Dr Alan Miller.

However, Paardeberg stud manager Sally Bruss explained, “Erik Dubois’ mother Comtesse Dubois was Barry Irwin’s mare, but he gave her to Dr Alan Miller, who is a New York physician. When Barry’s mares moved to me in Tulbagh, Comtesse Dubois came along as well. Later she and Barry’s mares moved with me to Sorrento Stud and then from Sorrento to Paardeberg. However Dr. Alan Miller, having only one mare in South Africa, lost interest and asked me if I would like the mare. I said I would love the mare. She had been a disappointing mare until then and she had this foal at foot, but I took her. The foal at foot was Erik Dubois.”

Sally had made the decision to send Comtesse Du Bois to Erik The Red.

She continued, “We raised Erik Dubois and took him to the Sales (he fetched R375,000 at the 2025 March Yearling Sale). Comtesse Dubois has a United States foal going to the October Cape Sale and she has a very nice Expert Eye colt. Comtesse Dubois was actually a good race filly and should have been a better broodmare.”

Comtesse Dubois is by Count Dubois out of twice-winning Rakeen mare Katherine, who was a half-sister to the top class Count Dubois colt Biarritz. As a racehorse she won four times, including the Listed Laisserfaire Stakes over 1100m, and she had a Listed place and three Graded places from 1200m up to 1400m.

At stud she has to date had four winners from eight runners and Erik Dubois is her first black type progeny.

Erik Dubois was a November foal and Comtesse Dubois’ next two foals were also latecomers, but after a season’s break it would be no surprise to see Sally sending her back to Erik The Red.