Intentar ORO - Gratis

A plan that came together

The Mercury

|

December 03, 2025

THE package of mares bought into South Africa by Cape Thoroughbred Sales just over ten years ago included Fastnet Rock mare Little Fastnet. who was in foal to Frankel and the resultant filly was Frankly, dam of Saturday's Gr 2 Jackpot City Dingaans winner, the Heavenly Blue colt Trust. The mares were looked after by Klawervlei Stud, who took the progeny to the Sales too.

- DAVID THISELTON

Frankly fetched R4 million at the Premier Yearling Sale, purchased by an agent who must have been acting on behalf of owners Larry Nestadt, Gary Barber and the late Chris Gerber.

The small filly only won one race, but did display a nice turn of foot.

However, the purchase is now paying dividends, because Frankly is turning out to be a fine broodmare.

Larry Nestadt ended up owning Frankly on his own because Gary Barber pulled out of South African racing and Chris Gerber passed away.

However, he then brought Gary Player and Lindsay Ralphs into the partnership.

Frankly now stands at Ascot Stud in the East Cape, which is where the sire that Larry Nestadt has shares in, Heavenly Blue, stands. Frankly's first foal was Courageous by Canford Cliffs and she had one win and 19 places in 34 runs.

Larry raced the Australian-bred Heavenly Blue with Mike de Kock and he won the Gr 1 SA Classic over 1800m among other good performances.

It made sense from a cost point of view for him to send Frankly to Heavenly Blue and the results have been explosive.

Frankly's second foal, the first produced by Heavenly Blue, was the colt Truth.

He has tremendous pace and has the capacity to stay further, but tends to take a bit of a hold.

He won his first two starts over 1160m and 1400m respectively by 4,25 lengths and 7,25 lengths respectively.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE The Mercury

The Mercury

FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

A civil court action, involving a complaint by ‘one Bologna against one Wiener, elicited this from the judge: “I never sausage a case.”

time to read

1 mins

January 08, 2026

The Mercury

The appointment of Andy Mothibi as NDPP is welcomed

THE Inkatha Freedom Party welcomes the appointment of Advocate Andy Mothibi as the new National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP).

time to read

1 mins

January 08, 2026

The Mercury

Court says workplace rules must be consistent

WORKPLACE rules must be clear and consistently applied and not only exist on paper; the Labour Court has ruled in upholding a CCMA ruling that the dismissal of an employee for using a vehicle without permission is substantively unfair.

time to read

2 mins

January 08, 2026

The Mercury

Families speak as 14 South Africans detained in Thailand face deportation

FOURTEEN South Africans who were detained in Thailand are expected to be deported back to South Africa in the coming days after allegedly being recruited for overseas jobs that did not materialise as promised.

time to read

1 mins

January 08, 2026

The Mercury

Trump is ushering in a new world order

Trump has done it again! The leader of the Free World has flexed his muscles through the unprecedented capturing of a true dictator - Nicolas Maduro, leader of the United Socialist Party and president of Venezuela.Critics of Trump wasted no time accusing him of war crimes, and all sorts of unwarranted speculations have now surfaced.

time to read

1 mins

January 08, 2026

The Mercury

The Mercury

Challenging NDPP appointment process sought to strengthen fairness, credibility

ON DECEMBER 29, B Xulu and Partners Incorporated (BXI) filed urgent papers in the Pretoria High Court seeking an interim interdict to restrain the President from appointing a new National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) pending a review of the Advisory Panel's recommendation report of December 12, 2025 and a full record of the NDPP selection process is produced.

time to read

3 mins

January 08, 2026

The Mercury

Two men arrested for brutal tavern assault in Pietermaritzburg

TWO men have been arrested and charged with assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm following a severe attack on a woman at a Pietermaritzburg tavern, which was captured on CCTV footage and widely shared on social media.

time to read

1 mins

January 08, 2026

The Mercury

The Mercury

New vehicle sales surge past pre-pandemic levels in 2025

According to the Naamsa aggregate new vehicles sales rose to 597 000 units in 2025

time to read

3 mins

January 08, 2026

The Mercury

Arsenal must win trophies to leave a legacy, says Arteta

ARSENAL manager Mikel Arteta said the Premier League leaders must win trophies if they are to be remembered like the \"Invincibles\" side that last won the title for the Gunners in 2004.

time to read

2 mins

January 08, 2026

The Mercury

Captain Ruan Nortje stands by Willie le Roux as Felix Jones joins Bulls training

WILLIE le Roux has always been a player that the fans tend to either love or hate, and it was the former emotion that pervaded Bulls supporters at the conclusion of last week’s enthralling north-south derby in Cape Town.

time to read

2 mins

January 08, 2026

Listen

Translate

Share

-
+

Change font size