Mauritzfontein’s well performed sire Byword had an eye catching debut winner at Greyville on Sunday when two-year-old Crown And Country won first time out.

Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, Crown And Country was always travelling smoothly in the maiden juvenile plate, and quickened up nicely when asked the question by jockey Sean Veale. The flashy chestnut stayed on to record a half- length over the 1000m trip at the expense of tote favourite Play Another Tune.

Out of the Horse Chestnut mare Crown Office, Crown And Country was a R300 000 purchase from the 2017 National Yearling Sale.

Interestingly enough, Byword and Horse Chestnut are both members of the same family with both horses descended in female line from the mare Sun Helmet.

Crown And Country is the second starter from Byword’s second crop of runners.

The colt was one of two Sunday winners for Byword, whose daughter Byline justified favouritism with a fluent win over 1400m for owner breeder Graham Elliot.

A top class performer, Byword won seven races including the G1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes and ran second to champion Goldikova in the 2010 G1 Prix d’Ispahan.

The handsome chestnut, whose yearlings have sold up to R2 000 000, is a half-brother to multiple G1 winner Proviso and to 2017 G2 Prix Eugene Adam winner Finche.