Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm’s promising young sire Oratorio was represented by a tenth winner to have emerged from his first local crop of runners when daughter Opera overcame greenness in running to score at the Vaal on Thursday.

Trained by Roy Magner, the Wicklow Stud bred Opera (a 7-2 shot for Thursday’s 1000m contest) ran on strongly, on just her third outing, to record a 1.25 length win going away. It was another four lengths back to third place finisher Flying Falcon.
Her triple G1 winning sire Oratorio has made a most encouraging start with his first South African born crop of two-year-olds this season, with his other notable early winners including stakes performer Sacred Oration, debut winner Mrs O, feature race winner Arianos Bagofgold, and G2 Golden Horseshoe runner up Ancestry.
Oratorio will be represented by two runners in next weekend’s G1 Premier’s Champion Stakes, where his sons Ancestry and Chantyman have both accepted to run.
A former European champion, and sire of more than 40 stakes winners worldwide, Oratorio will be represented by six lots at next month’s National Two Year Old Sale in Germiston.