Highlands Farms Stud’s exciting young sire Pathfork had a notable double this weekend, with his offspring scoring all over the country.
First of the Pathfork runners to win this past weekend was Direct Route, who justified 6-10 favouritism when successful over 1200m at just the second time of asking.
The lightly raced filly (inbred to Danzig) is the 25th first crop winner for former Irish champion Pathfork and is out of the National Assembly mare Capitol Steps.
The smart looking Bonnie Prince provided Pathfork with his second winner of the weekend when scoring for owners Antony and Angela Beck at Turffontein on Saturday.
Bred by Highlands, the 3yo Bonnie Prince made it two wins from just four outings when scoring for inform trainer Mike Azzie and rider Lyle Hewitson over 1400m.
Sire of impressive recent Listed East Cape Fillies Nursery winner Precious Pansy, Pathfork has now been represented by black type winners in both of his first crops to race –his first crop’s stars including 6.25 length G3 Godolphin Barb Stakes winner Red Chesnut Road.
The son of Champion US Sire Distorted Humor has five yearlings on this month’s Emperors Palace Select Yearling Sale –including a filly (bred on the same cross as Red Chesnut Road) out of a Fort Wood ¾ sister to Horse Of The Year Celtic Grove and the dam of champion Marinaresco (Lot 8), a half-sister to 4 winners including G3 winner Fair Rosalind (Lot 111) and a filly out of a six time stakes winning daughter of the late, great Danehill Dancer (Lot 126).
Former G1 winning 2yo Pathfork also has seven yearlings on next month’s National Yearling Sale, including a half-brother to Derby third Three Balloons (Lot 187), a colt from the family of G1 winners Nania and Red Ray (Lot 241), and a filly out of stakes winning 2yo Belle Of Choice (Lot 308).