Following another excellent season this year, Varsfontein Stud’s champion sire Gimmethegreenlight looks on course to be crowned champion sire again this season, and the G1 winning son of More Than Ready had more success when his three-year-old son Laguna Verde won the delayed Egoli Mile run at Turffontein on Wednesday night.
Under a great ride from Denis Schwarz, the Lucky Houdalakis trained Laguna Verde prevailed in a thrilling finish to the 2023 Egoli Mile, after the gelding fought out a protracted battle with eventual runner up Silver Hills.
In a ding-dong finish, Laguna Verde prevailed by a neck, while taking his tally of wins to two from nine starts.
Fourth in both the G2 Durban Golden Horseshoe and G2 Heineken SA Nursery last season, Laguna Verde was bred by Clifton Stud.
A R600 000 buy from the 2021 National Yearling Sale, Laguna Verde is out of the Captain Al mare Copiapo, and is thus bred on the same Gimmethegreenlight/Captain Al cross as G1 Premiers Champion Stakes winner Gunner.
The Egoli Mile was a fine result for Gimmethegreenlight, who is also sire of third place finisher Captainofthegreen.
Laguna Verde was one of two winners at Turffontein on Wednesday for his sire, with Gimmethegreenlight’s classy son Johnny Hero capturing the eighth race on the card. Winner of the 2021 G3 Jubilee Handicap, the Varsfontein Stud bred Johnny Hero was now won seven races in total for earnings of more than R730 000.
His champion sire Gimmethegreenlight, who currently heads South Africa’s General Sires List, has already been responsible for five black type winners in South Africa this season including G1 Pongracz Cape Flying Championship winner Gimme A Prince.
Gimmethegreenlight has three lots on offer at Sunday’s Cape Yearling Sale.