Avontuur’s hot sire Var, last season’s Champion Sire of 2YOS, has made a very bright start to the 2017-2018 season and the son of Forest Wildcat had another four winners over the past weekend.

Var got off to the perfect start on Friday at Fairview where his son Arctic Blast proved too speedy for his rivals over 1200m when recording his third career victory. Bred by Dr Ian Heyns, Arctic Blast is now unbeaten in two starts since relocating to the Eastern Cape.  Out of the unraced Western Winter mare Icy Chariot, he is bred on the same Var/Western Winter cross as last season’s G1 Gold Medallion runner up Varallo and the stakes winners Le Var and Winter Passion.

Friday saw another son of Var, the useful Vous Et Var, run a close second, beaten half a length, in the Speedsters Stakes over 1000 metres.

Var has some cracking three-year-olds representing him this season, and his 3yo daughter Casual Diamond showed her class when making it three wins on the bounce when successful over 1000m at Kenilworth on Saturday.
Trained by Justin Snaith, and bred by Eclipse Racing &Breeding, the filly has now won or placed in five of her six outings and she looks a good sort in the making.

Other potentially exciting sophomores for Var this season include the above mentioned Varallo, G3 Avontuur Umkhomazi Stakes second So Var and G2 Golden Horseshoe winner Purple Diamond.

Var enjoyed a Saturday double with his son Polar  Ice successful at Turffontein, while his four-timer was completed when his very speedy son Isca, winner of the Listed Storm Bird Stakes as a juvenile, got up to win a thrilling race over 1000m at Scottsville on Sunday.

Broodmare sire of impressive recent winner Miss Frankel, Var has certainly enjoyed a memorable year in 2017, with his progeny also faring well in the sales ring, notably daughter Goddess Var who fetched R5 000 000 at the 2017 National Yearling Sale.