Highlands Stud, part of Ridgemont, stands the magnificent sire Dynasty, who was responsible for a juvenile G1 double at Greyville on Sunday.
Dynasty’s daughter Lady In Black stamped her Equus claims with a comprehensive success in the G1 Thekwini Stakes, and just minutes later, Dynasty’s imposing son Eyes Wide Open became his sire’s 13th G1 winner when landing the Premiers Champion Stakes over 1600m.
Bred by Willem Engelbrecht Jr, the Dennis Drier trained Lady In Black made it three wins from as many outings when landing the Thekwini Stakes and she now looks the leading contender for the title of Equus Champion 2YO Filly.
The versatile Lady In Black, who was a R1.1 million yearling buy from last year’s National Yearling Sale, showed her class in no uncertain terms when downing the promising pair of Rockin Russian and previously unbeaten Folk Dance by half a length and 1.5 lengths respectively in the R750 000 Thekwini Stakes.
Having won her debut on turf, Lady In Black made it two out of two when scoring impressively over 1400m on polytrack and the sky appears to be the limit for her.
A full brother to Lady In Black fetched R1.7 million at the 2017 National Sale.
Paternal half-brother Eyes Wide Open, trained by Glen Kotzen and bred by Highlands, made it two wins from just three outings when downing a top class field in the G1 Premiers Champion Stakes just after Lady In Black stamped her championship claims.
The colt, an R850 000 buy from last year’s Sibaya KZN Yearling Sale, is one of nine juvenile winners for Dynasty this season.
Eyes Wide Open, who is out of the Jallad mare Live Your Dreams, is bred on the same Dynasty/Jallad cross as G1 Investec Cape Derby winner It’s My Turn, G2 Betting World 1900 hero Solid Speed, G3 Jubilee Handicap winner Liege, and G1 Vodacom Durban July runner up Run For It.
Remarkably, Lady In Black and Eyes Wide Open are but two potential stars in Dynasty’s 2014 foal crop. Others include G3 Protea Stakes/Listed Storm Bird Stakes winner Barrack Street, and dazzling debut winner Noble Secret.
The son of Fort Wood went close to having three graded winners over the weekend, with his versatile daughter A Time To Dream narrowly beaten when runner up in the G3 Champagne Stakes over 1200m at Kenilworth on Saturday. Remarkably, the Normandy Stud bred filly has now been second in two graded Cape features in a week -with A Time To Dream having filled the runner up berth in the G3 Final Fling Stakes, over 1800m, just seven days earlier.
Dynasty’s progeny have won six G1 races during 2016-2017, including the Wooalvington 2000, Betting World Cape Fillies Guineas, Maine Chance Farms Paddock Stakes and Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes.
The former Horse Of The Year has four lots on offer at the upcoming National Two Year Old Sale.