The Millstream Farm based G1 winner Ato has made a bright start to his stud career, and the high class son of Royal Academy was at it again over the weekend, when Ato was responsible for a trio of winners, including a Zimbabwean feature race winner and a two-year-old first time winner.

Ato’s talented son Sygone will bid to give his sire a first crop Triple Crown winner when he lines up in the upcoming Zimbabwe Derby.
Sygone, bred, like his sire, by Maine Chance Farms, picked up his fourth victory when landing the Zimbabwe 2000 at Borrowdale on Sunday when downing the smart Action Jackson by three-parts of a length. It was another 5 lengths away to third place finisher Three To Tango.

Sygone has now won his last two on the bounce for trainer Bridge Stidolph, having romped to a facile 3.5 length win in the Zimbabwe Guineas last time out.

He was one of two Borrowdale winners for Ato on Sunday, with Ato’s two-year-old son Wantage winning first time out over 1200 metres, while beating older rivals!

The former G1 Krisflyer International Sprint winner also enjoyed success in South Africa this weekend, with Ato’s daughter Corazon, her sire’s only runner at Greyville on Sunday, saluted for trainer Michael Roberts.
The 3yo Corazon showed plenty of heart in staying on to shed her maiden over 1200 metres under jockey Jarred Samuel.

Ato, one of more than 160 stakes winners sired by Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Royal Academy, has had just a handful of runners thus far, but his small first crop includes not only Sygone but also the very smart Chijmes, who downed subsequent G1 Gbets Cape Derby winner Atyaab, when he won the Listed Sea Cottage Stakes at Turffontein.