“For once I’m finding it difficult to choose a favourite as this group of seven colts and five fillies set for the Cape Town Convention Centre on 23 January next year, cover such a wide spectrum of quality bloodlines, champion sires, excellent brood mares and superb early promise,” says Avontuur GM Pippa Mickleburgh when asked to discuss the crop.
“If I have to choose I’d probably say Delta Queen out of one of SA’s top race mares of all time, River Jetez and our own champion sire Var, is my favourite. This is a powerhouse of a filly and as she is a full sister to current track stunner Rivarine. I have high hopes for her. A close second is Voyeur out of Peep Show also by Var. He is a first foal from a tough strong mare and he is running to form by being strong and powerful himself. He definitely looks like he will be performing well over longer distances too.”
Pippa’s last choice amongst the list is another colt called Tempting Fate by Master of my Fate out of Miss October. “This sire is an exciting addition to the breeding scene and his early offspring are doing well already. This is an imposing lovely horse and I expect him to go far!” she says.
Two of our country’s champion sires are represented in Legitimate by Dynasty and Zanetto by Silvano. “The Dynasty yearlings are becoming so rare now and this very attractive colt out of Gr 1 winning mare Bambina Stripes should get the buyers excited. Zanetto is one of those horses with the X-factor and with a dam like Muamba from a highly rated imported bloodline you can’t really expect anything else but this tall strong filly – and that’s what you get!”
Pray for Rain out of the Var mare Kitco and from the first crop of Soft Falling Rain, is a robust strong colt and a great ambassador for his sire who sadly passed away this year. Camps Bay is a full brother to Montego Bay, shows his Var ancestry very clearly and looks set to become a typical speed machine. Bequest is the only Oratorio in the line-up out of multiple race winner A Daughter’s Legacy. She is a refined and elegant filly and as a full sister to Ancestry, we can expect great things from her.
Spree will attract a lot of attention and not only for her outstanding looks! She’s a beautiful grey filly by Philantropist out of Valeta and being a full sister to She’s a Giver, seems to be made in the mould of that outstanding Avontuur mare, Sarabande who has over the years given us many excellent race horses like the currently hot Mardi Gras.
Two exciting new sires are What a Winter and Flower Alley who sired Storm Chaser and Southern Charm respectively. Southern Charm is from Flower Alley’s second crop and she’s a really good advert for her sire whilst Storm Chaser out of Sea of Calm is a big tough horse – a real “boy”!
Avenir is from the first crop of new sire Futura and with the Var mare Varsity Queen as a dam, this colt should do well.
To arrange a private viewing at the Estate, contact Pippa at stud@avontuurestate.co.za and to find out more about the yearlings and their pedigrees visit our sales page http://www.avontuurestate.co.za/stud/sales2019/
