Despite his untimely passing in 2011, the ill-fated champion regained the crown he relinquished to Silvano in 2012-13 and such has been his dominance at the top of the sires log, he had wrapped up his seventh sires title in eight years half-way through the season. Acknowledged as the most successful South African-bred stallion of all time, he will finish the season with earnings close on R20-million, more than R4-million clear of runner-up Dynasty. He would arguably have broken the existing stakes record of just under R21-million set by Silvano were it not for the misfortune of losing top prospects Yorker (exported), Master Of My Fate and Jet Explorer (both injured) during the second half of the season.
On Saturday, Jet Master capped a memorable season when two daughters Jet Belle and Jet Aglow fought out the finish to the Gr 2 Golden Bracelet at Greyville. The pair features amongst a splendid haul of 16 individual stakes winners this past season for their late sire, the standouts amongst which are Gr 1 winners Yorker, In The Fast Lane and Fly By Night, who between them, accounted for six top level victories.
Yorker stamped himself a genuine candidate for Horse of the Year honours with a Gr 1 treble in the Sansui Summer Cup, Champions Challenge and H F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes, in addition to which he was runner-up in the Gr 1 J&B Met and in his final South African start, ran third in the Gr 1 Gold Challenge.
In The Fast Lane looks a shoo in for the champion three-year-old filly of the Year award, having garnered a Gr 1 double in the Gr 1 Cape Fillies Guineas and Woolavington 2000, prior to finishing a creditable fifth in the Vodacom Durban July.
The year-older Fly By Night improved dramatically in the latter part of the season when she put up two stellar performances during the KZN winter season. The Mike Bass-trained miss came within a shorthead of handing likely sprint champion Via Africa a rare defeat in the Gr 1 SA Fillies Sprint at Scottsville and proved that was no fluke when she flew to victory in the Gr 1 Mercury Sprint at Clairwood. On that occasion, she defeated veteran Copper Parade, who had previously lowered the colours of Via Africa in Turffontein’s Gr 1 Computaform Sprint.
Judging by Saturdays’ Gold Cup meeting, Jet Master should continue to cast a long shadow over the South African racing industry.
Juvenile sons Jayyed and Mljet did their sire proud when involved in a blanket finish to the Gr 1 Premiers Champion Stakes. The former, still a maiden, went down by a shorthead, while a wide draw arguably cost the hitherto unbeaten MLJet a chance at victory, having to come from virtually last at the top of the straight to deadheat for third, just a head behind the first two. Both colts look set to make their presence felt at three.
Likewise, the filly Jet Set Go, also a member of her sire’s final crop, rates a fine classic prospect after showing her male rivals a clean pair of heels in the recent Gr 3 Champion Juvenile Cup in just her second start.
Amongst the older brigade, Jet Belle is rumoured to stay in training, as will this season’s Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 third Touching Sky. Add to that Gr 2 winner Master Sabina, stakes winning miler Lockheed Jetstar, the stayer Storm Warning and exciting sand prospect Jet Jamboree, all of whom will continue to keep their late sire’s name in the limelight.