Varsfontein Stud’s successful resident sire Judpot has enjoyed another memorable season, and the regally bred son of A P Indy was at it again at Greyville on Friday evening.
This time it was Judpot’s Birch Bros bred son Sniper Shot who stole the show, when downing a high-class field to win the G2 Post Merchants over 1200m going away!
The Paul Lafferty trained Sniper Shot, runner up in both the G2 Daisy Guineas and G3 Byerley Turk earlier in the season, stormed up late to down older favourite, Black Cat Back, by half a length –and earn the first graded victory of his career in the process.
His beaten rivals included six feature race winners, notably G1 Computaform Sprint winner Attenborough and former Horse Of Year and four time G1 winner Legislate.
It was an impressive win from the 3yo, whose prep had been interrupted by a pulled muscle.
Sniper Shot, now a winner of four races, took his earnings to R879 625 with Friday’s G2 win.
Bred on the same Judpot/Rich Man’s Gold cross as 2018 G1 Premier’s Champions Challenge winner Coral Fever, Sniper Shot was produced by the stakes placed Rich Man’s Gold mare Seven Veils.
The 3yo gelding was a R140 000 buy from the 2016 KZN Yearling Sale –and his sire Judpot is once again represented at this year’s KZN Sale. His trio of yearlings include a filly out of a G3 placed granddaughter of Judpot’s half-brother Kingmambo (Lot 139) and a filly from the same family as G1 Nunthorpe Stakes winning and outstanding sire Pivotal (Lot 233).
Not only has Judpot been represented by the likes of Coral Fever and Sniper Shot this season, but the half-brother to outstanding sire and broodmare sire Kingmambo is from a red-hot family with his relatives having won several major classics recently.
The 2018 G1 Prix du Jockey Club winner Study Of Man (Deep Impact) was produced by Judpot’s half-sister Second Happiness, while 2018 G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Alpha Centauri (Mastercraftsman) was produced by a daughter of Judpot’s dual French classic winning half-sister East Of The Moon.
Alpha Centauri is a potential runner in Friday’s G1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and also holds entries in both the G1 Darley Irish Oaks and G1 QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes.