Varsfontein Stud’s top-class sire Master Of My Fate came up with his 35^th stakes winner on Saturday.
Master Of My Fate gelding Okavango showed his class when he made all to win the G2 Anthonij Rupert Premier Trophy at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.

In the process, Okavango emulated his sire, with Master Of My Fate victorious in the 2013 G2 Premier Trophy.
One of six winners on the day for trainer Justin Snaith, four-year-old Okavango was given a superb ride by champion jockey Oisin Murphy in Saturday’s R500 000 contest.
Murphy quickly took his mount to the front and there they stayed, with Okavango powering home to score impressively by two lengths.

One of two runners in the race for his sire, Okavango (third in last season’s G1 Daily News 2000) took his tally of wins to four from 12 starts.

Bred by Michael de Broglio, Okavango races for Nick Jonsson.
The gelding, who is out of the Sportsworld mare Sabina Park and is a three-parts brother to dual G1 Summer Cup winner Master Sabina, was a R420 000 buy from the 2023 August Two Year Old Sale.

His inform sire Master Of My Fate is enjoying another fine season in 2025-2026, with his flagbearers including G1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas winner Jan Van Goyen and G2 Allied Steelrode -Onamission Charity Mile winner Atticus Finch.

Moutonshoek’s inform stallion The United States enjoyed his first G1 winner on Saturday when his speedy son Kingdundee won the G1 World Pool Cape Flying Championship (1000m) at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.

Bred and owned by Clive Murphy,  the four-year-old provided trainer Dean Smith with his biggest win to date with his front running win in Saturday’s R1 500 000.
Kingdundee also gained a Win And You re In berth to the 2026 G1 Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

Under a great ride from Calvin Habib, Kingdundee was quickly sent to the front and he kept galloping resolutely out in front.
The son of The United States kept going gamely and stayed on to claim the biggest win of his career by three-parts of a length.

Kingdundee, who is out of the Duke Of Marmalade mare Miss Marmalade, has won eight of 11 starts, with the gelding having won his last four starts.

His G1 Ranvet Stakes winning sire The United States, a son of Galileo who hails from one of the best families in the stud book, is having a wonderful season in 2025-2026.
Not only is The United States sire of Kingdundee, he is also responsible for such stakes winners this season as Rodeo Drive (G2 Mike De Kock Ipi Tombe Challenge), Tin Pan Alley (G2 Betway Joburg Spring Challenge, G3 Graham Beck Stakes), and The US Of A (Southeaster Sprint).

Cheveley Stud’s homebred champion Legislate enjoyed more big race success at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.
His three-year-old daughter Wish List became her sire’s second G1 winner when she won the G1 Cartier Paddock Stakes (1800m) for Justin Snaith and Andrew Fortune.

The lightly raced Wish List picked up the biggest win of her career when she downed a high-class field in Saturday’s R1 000 000 contest.
Under an inspired Andrew Fortune ride, the sophomore burst through down the inside of the track and kept going gamely to hold off a wall of challenges and win the Paddock Stakes by half a length.

Bred by Maine Chance Farms, Wish List, third in the recent G1 World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas, races for Jonathan Bloch and Nancy Hossack.

The filly, winner of two of seven starts, is out of the Silvano mare Wind Chill. The progressive Wish List was a R700 000 purchase from the 2024 National Yearling Sale and her Paddock Stakes win ensured the filly a berth in the 2026 G1 Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

South Africa’s Horse Of The Year in 2014-2015, Legislate went close to having a graded stakes double on Saturday with his G3 Ownpay Peninsula Handicap winning son Regulation finishing third in Saturday’s G2 Anthonij Rupert Premier Trophy. Legislate is also the sire of smart filly Lowveld Lily, who ran third in Saturday’s G2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes.

Multiple champion sire Gimmethegreenlight came up with his 81^st stakes winner when his daughter Gimme What I Want won the G2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes (1200m) at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.
Trained, like her sire, by Justin Snaith, the three-year-old was given a fine ride by Andrew Fortune.
The latter bought Gimme What I Want with a strong, sustained late run, and the pair got up to claim the R400 000 contest by a neck.

Bred and owned by Varsfontein Stud, the 2026 Sceptre Stakes winner has won three of six starts. One of two runners in the Sceptre Stakes for her champion sire, Gimme What I Want has finished unplaced just once in her career thus far.

Gimme What I Want, who is out of the Captain Al mare Secret Obsession, is bred on the same Gimmethegreenlight/Captain Al cross as champions Proceed and Sandringham Summit.

She follows Gimme Dat (2012) as the second Cartier Sceptre Stakes winner for  Gimmethegreenlight.

Black Swan Stud’s triple G1 winning stallion Elusive Fort looks to have come up with a very smart filly in the form of Littlemissmillion.
The latter made it three wins from four starts when she won at the Vaal on Thursday.

Trained by Tyrone Zackey, three-year-old Littlemissmillion was given a fine ride by Philasande Mxoli in Thursday’s Play Soccer 6,10 And 13 FM 100 Divided Handicap (1600m).
Mxoli kept his mount towards the back of the field early on, before bringing Littlemissmillion with a strong run to get up in the shadow of the post and win by half a length.

Bred by Neil Croft and Helene Taylor, Littlemissmillion races for Kevin and Nadine Backos.

Littlemissmillion, who is out of the Kahal mare Brigtnumberfive, is bred on the same Elusive Fort/Kahal cross as G1 Gauteng Summer Cup runner up Fort Ember.

Her sire Elusive Fort has been enjoying a fine run of success of late, with his runners including recent Racing240 Sun Chariot Handicap winner Royal Invitation.
The champion son of Fort Wood is best known as the sire of G1 winners Siren’s Call, Lauderdale, Out Of Your League and Kommetdieding, with the latter represented by his first yearlings this season.

Hawwaam half-brother wins again
Wilgerbosdrift’s homebred champion Hawwaam had a further boost to his pedigree page on Sunday.
Not only did Hawwaam’s half-brother Foudre make it back to back wins when scoring at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, but Hawwaam’s three-parts brother  Ferryman made a highly encouraging debut when finishing second in the first race.

The progressive Foudre made it back to back wins when he ran out a convincing winner of Sunday’s Live It. Love It. Own It. Class 4 (1600m).
Unbeaten since relocating to the Eric Sands yard, the gelded five-year-old  kept finding more in the closing stages to score by a neck.
Lightly raced, Foudre has won two of just seven starts.

A son of Fire Away, Foudre, who races for Khaya Stables, was bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein.

Hawwaam’s outstanding dam Halfway To Heaven looks poised to be represented by her seventh winner soon if Ferryman builds on his smart debut effort.
Sired by Vercingetorix (whose sire Silvano is also the sire of Hawwaam), three-year-old Ferryman was slow away in Sunday’s Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Welcomes You Open Maiden.
Under Keagan De Melo, the Andre Nel trained colt ran on strongly, after the race was over, to get up late and finish second.

The regally bred Ferryman was a R2 800 000 buy from the 2024 National Yearling Sale.

Five time G1 winner, and Equus Champion, Hawwaam, has made a pleasing start to his stud career, with his early runners including the likes of Perfect Miracle, Touched By Angels, Hah Lah Lah, and Delta Pride.

Ridgemont’s top-class sire Rafeef has made a blistering start to 2026 and had a further three winners at Turffontein on Saturday.

Remarkably, Rafeef had five runners on Saturday for three winners, with his other two runners finishing second in their respective contests.
Rafeef sired runners won the first three races at Turffontein on Saturday, with Rafeef colt Chapbook victorious in the first race, and Rafeef fillies Gulf Of America and Lovable landing the two subsequent contests.

Trained by Clinton Binda, Chapbook caused a 25-2 surprise when he won the 4Racing Welcomes You Graduation Plate (1000m).
Under the inform Rachel Venniker, the three-year-old ran on strongly to account for fellow Rafeef son African Pride by three-parts of a length.

Chapbook, who was bred by Ridgemont Highlands, has won two of seven starts and looks progressive.
The colt, who is out of the Poet’s Voice mare Leaves Of Grass, is owned by Hollywood Racing.

Trainer Sean Tarry sent out Rafeef fillies Gulf Of America and Lovable to win Saturday’s Racing Today Maiden Plate (1160m) and For Hospitality Bookings Call 011 681 1796 Maiden Plate (1160m). Both were partnered to victory by Keagan De Melo.

Bred by Ndoro Stud, Gulf Of America kicked on nicely to beat runner up Fiery Frolic by half a length, with her Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein bred stablemate Lovable in turn shedding her maiden by nearly the same margin.

The lightly raced Lovable, who was making just her second racecourse appearance on Saturday, races for Messrs D Chinsammy, A Lahoud, Jarryd Lahoud, TKP Racing (Nom: Trevelen Pillay) & Wernars Family, while Dayalan Chinsammy and the Wernars Family also own Gulf Of America.

The inform Rafeef could be set for more success at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth this Saturday. Rafeef is set to be represented by his high-class daughter Reet Petite in Saturday’s G1 Cartier Paddock Stakes and his multiple graded stakes winning son Outlaw King in the same day’s G1 World Pool Cape Flying Championship.

Japanese champion, and superstar sire, Deep Impact, may have died in 2019, but the son of Sunday Silence remains a potent factor in pedigrees today.
Champion Sire in Japan for 11 consecutive years, Deep Impact’s final tally of stakes winners stood at 208.
His 59 individual G1 winners include such champions as Gentildonna, Contrail, Gran Alegria and Fierce Impact, as well as such European classic winners as Auguste Rodin, Beauty Parlour, Fancy Blue Saxon Warrior, Snowfall, and Study Of Man. Deep Impact is also the sire of Loves Only You, winner of the 2021 G1 Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

Deep Impact’s sire sons are enjoying increasing success at stud. His champion son Kizuna was recently crowned Japan’s Champion Sire for 2025, with the Japanese classic winner having also led the Japanese Sires premiership in 2024. Kizuna, who has sired 45 stakes winners to date, was also Japan’s Leading Sire of 3YOs in 2025.

Deep Impact’s Japanese Triple Crown winning son Contrail made a very pleasing start with his first two-year-olds last year, with Contrail crowned Japan’s Leading First Season Sire for 2025. At the time of writing, Contrail had been responsible for 19 individual first crop winners, with his tally including three horses who either won or were placed in black type races.

Deep Impact’s success as a sire of sires, however, is not limited to Japan. His G1 Dubai Turf winning son Real Steel is responsible for 2025 G1 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic/G1 Saudi Cup winner Forever Young, while Real Steel’s French classic winning very close relation Study Of Man is the sire of dual G1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes heroine Kalpana.

Deep Impact horse Satono Aladdin was New Zealand’s Leading Sire of 2YOs in 2022-2023 , while other sons of Deep Impact to sire G1 winners include Saxon Warrior, Real Impact, Staphanos, and World Premiere. The latter made an exciting start to his stud career, with World Premiere’s first 11 runners headed by G1 Hopeful Stakes winner Lovcen.

Another son of Deep Impact, the six time G1 winner and dual Derby hero, Auguste Rodin begun his stud career in 2025, and he looks to be another potential star sire son of Deep Impact.

South Africa’s blessed to stand a champion son of this extraordinary stallion in the form of Danon Platina.
Japan’s Champion 2YO Colt of 2014, and winner of the 2014 G1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes, Danon Platina has sired high-class performers in each of his first three crops to race.

Danon Platina’s first crop was headed by G2 Mike De Kock Ipi Tombe Challenge winner and millionaire White Pearl, Listed Lady’s Pendant winner Gocekwithlove, and Cape Racing Gold Rush winner Rapidash. The latter has earned more than R5.448 million in stakes.

Danon Platina’s second crop contains high-class G3 Cape Classic winner Great Plains, who looks destined for more feature race glory this season, and this season’s Listed Settlers Trophy winner Landoftherisingsun, while his current crop of three-year-olds include G3 Langerman winner Absolutely Yes and the smart filly Tina Lovelace.

The latter ran second, to champion Golden Palm, in last season’s G1 Douglas Whyte Thekwini Stakes.

Multiple Champion Sire Gimmethegreenlight began 2026 on a high note when he supplied a trio of winners at Turffontein on Thursday.
It was a 100% strike rate for the Varsfontein Stud resident, with all three of Gimmethegreenlight’s runners winning at Turffontein.

Gimmethegreenlight’s first success on New Year’s Day came when his daughter Merryweather narrowly prevailed in the For Hospitality Bookings Call 011 681 1796 Novice Handicap (1600m).
Under Keagan De Melo, the Johan Janse Van Vuuren trained three-year-old put her head down where it mattered most to score by a short-head.

Bred by Varsfontein Stud, Merryweather, who races for the Wernars Family and Mukund Gujadhur, is out of the Judpot mare Maleficent.

Gimmethegreenlight is also the sire of Surprise Party, who caught the eye when she won Thursday’s #Youcanbetonus!FM 74 Divided Handicap (1800m). The Paul Matchett trained three-year-old was given a good ride by Philasande Mxoli to win by nearly a length and a quarter.  A blinker strike appeared to help Surprise Party in Thursday’s race.

Bred by Varsfontein Stud, Surprise Party, winner of two of six starts,  races for Henning Pretorius.
The filly, who is out of the Philanthropist mare Party Crasher, was a R700 000buy from the 2024 August Two Year Old Sale.

Gimmethegreenlight also looks to have a promising sort to his name in the form of Al Greenga.
The latter made it two wins from three starts with an impressive win in the ninth and final race on Thursday.
Under Craig Zackey, the Lucky Houdalakis trained three-year-old stormed home to win the Next Turffontein Racemeeting Saturday 3 January FM 80 Handicap (1400m) by more than five and a half lengths.

Bred and owned by David Shawe, Al Greenga had finished fourth on debut before breaking her maiden next time out.
Out of the Captain Al mare Al Danza, the filly is bred on the same Gimmethegreenlight/Captain Al cross as champions Proceed and Sandringham Summit.

Maine Chance Farms’ inform stallion Querari had a day to remember on Tuesday.
Querari came up with three eye catching winners at Turffontein on Tuesday despite the son of Oasis Dream only having four runners on the card.

Querari came up with his fourth two-year-old winner, from eight juvenile starters, this season when his son Turn It Up romped home on Tuesday.
The Sean Tarry trained two-year-old, and half-brother to champion Proceed, had finished second on debut but made no mistakes when he won the first race at Turffontein.
Under Keagan De Melo, the Laurence Wernars bred Turn It Up pulled clear to win the 4Racing Welcomes You Maiden Juvenile Plate (1000m) by more than five and a quarter lengths.

Owned by the Wernars Family in partnership with Mukund Gujadhur, Turn It Up is out of the Captain Al mare Xplosive Kiss and is bred on the same Querari/Captain Al cross as graded stakes winners Head Honcho, Kampala Campari and Questioning.

Querari struck again in Tuesday’s fifth race when his lightly raced son Trombolines justified favouritism to take the TAB 4Racing App Maiden Plate (1400m).
Hailing from the Mike and Mathew De Kock stable, three-year-old Trombolines had finished second on his only start prior to Tuesday’s race.

The Querari colt was always travelling well, under Callan Murray, and Trombolines kept galloping strongly to shed his maiden by just over a length and a quarter.
Bred by Cheveley Stud, Trombolines races for Hollywood Racing. The son of Querari, who is out of the Mambo In Seattle mare Spring In Seattle, was a R600 000 buy from the 2024 National Yearling Sale.

Querari is also the sire of the smart Solar Sail, who caught the eye when he won Tuesday’s Racing240 Graduation Plate (1600m). It was a fine return from the gelding, who had had a nasty fall when contesting the G1 Betway Summer Cup.
Under Callan Murray, the four-year-old jumped out quickly and went out to make the running. Solar Sail kept galloping strongly and went away to score by more than two and a quarter lengths.
Bred by Ben Botha (Pty) Ltd,  the Mark Khan trained Solar Sail, like Tromolines, is out of a daughter of Mambo In Seattle in the form Fly Rebecca Fly.

Owned by Messrs J A Maroun, D Anthony, V J Backos, A A Dormehl, D A Simpson, D Palmer & D Erasmus, Solar Sail had shown smart form at three when he finished third in the G1 TAB SA Derby.