Drakenstein Stud’s exciting young stallion What A Winter has returned to the top of the First Crop Sires List following his son Fort Winter’s impressive victory in Friday’s Listed East Cape Nursery.
Fort Winter, a second stakes performer to have emerged his sire’s first crop, impressed with a three parts of a length win over the previously undefeated Sacred Oration, and in the process, he pushed What A Winter to the top of SA’s First Crop Sires List.
The triple Equus Champion, now sixth on the Leading Sires of 2YOs List, is currently ahead of the top class stallions Dynasty, Querari, Judpot, and Redoute’s Choice on South Africa’s 2yo Sires List.
With the likes of Fort Winter, debut winners Dutch Philip and Magical Wonderland, as well as the well bred What A Summer, who impressed on debut at Kenilworth on Saturday, What A Winter looks set for a bright future.
His progeny have already made their mark in the sales ring this year, with What A Winter yearlings fetching up to R2.8 million. At the 2017 Cape Premier Yearling Sale, What A Winter
The champion had nine lots sell at the Premier Sale for an aggregate of R7.875 million-with What A Winter averaging an impressive R875 000 at the 2017 Cape Premier Sale.
He has four lots on the upcoming Emperors Palace Select Yearling Sale –
Lot 3 –a half brother to 2 winners, including a G3 2yo, this colt is out of a daughter of champion sire Giant’s Causeway, and second dam is a half-sister to French G1 winner Mary Linoa
Lot 69 –a half-sister to a winner, this filly is out of a winning daughter of National Assembly and G1 performer Grey Angel and this is the family of US G1 winning 2yo and successful sire Well Decorated
Lot 143 –this colt is a half-brother to 3 winners, including G3 Man O’War Sprint winner Exquisite Touch, and is out of a four time winning Elliodor mare from the family of G1 winner and sire Crimson Waves
Lot 145 –a half-sister to G1 performer Elevated, this filly is out of a stakes placed six time winning three parts sister to G1 sprinter Intellectual
What A Winter also has 15 yearlings on the 2017 National Yearling Sale, with his lots including a ¾ brother to G1 winners Nania and Red Ray (Lot 68), a filly from the great Queen Of Light family whose relatives include star European filly Esoterique (Lot 167), a half-brother to recent winner Leopard Lily from the family of G1 winners Bold Thatch, Vega and Villandry (Lot 175), a three parts brother to five G1 winner and Horse Of The Year Yard-Arm (Lot 265), a half-brother to Fillies Guineas winner Maybe Yes and to Procal Harum –a good second on debut recently (Lot 388), and a filly bred on very similar terms to recent G3 King’s Cup winner Bulleting Home (Lot 447).