Maine Chance Farms, the breeders of 2017 G1 Sansui Summer Cup winner Liege, stand one of South Africa’s most exciting stallions in the form of G1 winner and champion Querari.
The latter gained yet another impressive boost to his stud career when his Botha family bred son Monks Hood downed some of the country’s top 3yos to win the delayed G2 Investec Dingaans at Turffontein on Sunday.
Making his Turffontein debut for trainer Alistair Gordon, Monks Hood picked up the first feature win of his career with a game head win under the urgings of Anthony Delpech.
In the process, Monks Hood, one of two winners for Querari on Sunday, accounted for all of G3 Graham Beck Stakes runner up Ideal Secret, the previously unbeaten 3yos Alshibaa and Pietro Mascagni, and Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup hero Big Bear.
An impressive seven and a half length winner on debut last season, Monks Hood, whose Dingaans win pushed his earnings to R439 625, has now won or placed in all of his six career outings.
The gelding, who placed in both the Listed Gatecrasher Stakes and G1 Premiers Champion Stakes last season, was a R375 000 purchase from the 2016 National Yearling Sale.
Monks Hood is one of four black type performers in Querari‘s current crop of 3yos thus far, with the sire also set to be represented by Rings And Things in Saturday’s G1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas. Other notable 3yos representing Querari this season including impressive recent G2 Joburg Spring Challenge winner Wonderwall, who has already banked more than R770 000 in prize money.
He is also responsible for Listed Darley Arabian winner Maximizer, who picked up his sixth win when successful over 1600m on Sunday, while Querari daughter Spring Wonder was a close up fourth in the same day’s G3 EFC Worldwide Magnolia Handicap over 1160 metres.
Querari, who shares his champion sprinter sire Oasis Dream with red hot young British sire Muhaarar, is also from a stellar female line.
A half-brother to Klipdrif’s new sire Quasillo and to 2017 G2 Canadian Stakes heroine Quidura, Querari is from the same family as this season’s talented Irish 2yo Giuseppe Garibaldi, who was second in the G3 Eyrefield Stakes at just his second racecourse appearance.