Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm’s prominent stallion Var was represented by his second G2 SA Nursery winner when his progressive son William The Silent captured the G2 SA Nursery at Champions Day at Turffontein on Saturday.

One of two feature race winners on the day for trainer Robbie Sage, the Drakenstein Stud bred William The Silent showed tremendous courage to account for Protea Stakes second Cirillo in a thrilling finish to the 1160m contest.

In landing the 2018 R1 000 000 SA Nursery, William The Silent took his tally to two wins from just three starts, and pushed his earnings to R693 750. The colt was a R600 000 buy from the 2017 National Yearling Sale.

It was a good day for Var, whose R5 000 000 daughter Ghaalla ran second in the G2 SA Fillies Nursery run just before the Nursery itself and another son, Speedpoint, finishing third in the G1 Computaform Sprint.

Var, who was South Africa’s Champion Sire of 2YOs last season, is also responsible for 2009 Nursery winner Vacherin.

Other notable two-year-old winners representing Var include G1 Gold Reef Resorts Medallion winner Villandry, G2 Golden Horseshoe hero Purple Diamond,  G2 Umkhomazi Stakes winner Harry Lime, G2 The Debutante winner A Womens Way, G3 Strelitzia Stakes heroine Valdivia, Godolphin Barb Stakes winners Normanz and Twitter, and Gold Medallion second Varallo.

Var has been enjoying another fine season, and is also the sire of recent G3 Poinsettia Stakes winner Sommerlied and Listed Lady’s Pendant winner Star Burst Galaxy.