Varsfontein Stud’s well established sire Judpot made news at Turffontein on Saturday when his remarkable son Coral Fever won the R1 000 000 G2 Peermont Emperors Palace Charity Mile in game fashion.
Defying top weight of 61kgs, the durable chestnut gelding dug deep to prevail by a short head in a thrilling finish to the 1600m contest.
Coral Fever, who is trained by Robbie Sage, was ridden to victory by regular rider Muzi Yeni. Now a seven time winner, Coral Fever has now amassed over R4.1 million in prize money, with his previous successes including the 2018 Premier’s Champions Challenge, 2018 G2 Colorado King Stakes and the 2017 G3 Jubilee Handicap.
He appears likely to next run in the 2018 G1 G-Bets Gauteng Summer Cup, due to take place at Turffontein on December 1st.
The gelding was named Highveld’s Horse Of The Season, Champion Older Horse and Champion Middle Distance Horse at the 2018 Racing Association Awards ceremony in Gauteng.
Out of the Rich Man’s Gold mare Coral Tree, the Ascot Stud bred Coral Fever was a R130 000 buy from the 2014 Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale.
His sire Judpot, a son of champions A P Indy and Miesque, is from one of the hottest families in the stud book.
Not only do the chestnut’s relatives include 2018 classic winners Study Of Man (French Derby) and Alpha Centauri (Irish 1000 Guineas), but Judpot is from the same family as Yucatan –the reigning favourite for Tuesday’s G1 Lexus Melbourne Cup.
He will be represented by Ostinato in Saturday’s Listed Laisserfaire Stakes.