Drakenstein Stud - a year of excellence

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.

- DAVID THISELTON

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 surpassed.

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.

Eight On Eighteen

They bred the Equus Horse Of The Year Eight On Eighteen, 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.

King Pelles

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.