That the partnership of Cape owners Mike Fullard and James Drew has stood the test of time was underlined at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday, when their homebred Resonate carried their distinctive white, gold, and blue silks to victory in the Listed Southeaster Sprint.
“It’s been a lucky partnership,” mused Mike Fullard. “We’ve enjoyed more than 415 winners at last count.”
The four-year-old is also the latest in a string of stakes winners campaigned over three decades, of which some names are instantly recognizable.
Kapil (Weichong Marwing) won in Dubai with Mike De Kock. He is led in by part-owners James Drew and Mike Fullard. (Andrew Watkins)
Think of the champion juvenile filly Paraca, KZN Guineas winner and multiple Gr1-placed performer Kapil, the fine Argentinian-bred galloper Pablo Zeta, and the grand stayer Red Badge, who also ran third twice in the Durban July.
Resonate storms home under Aldo Domeyer to win the Listed Southeaster Sprint (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
It all started in 1989, when the partners enjoyed their first success with the Elevation gelding Peaceful Paradise.
Bred by Maine Chance Farms, he was produced from the Plum Bold mare Star Affair, whose grandam, the Durban July winner Diza was a granddaughter of the wonderful Birch taproot mare Drohsky.
Peaceful Paradise would go on to score eight times and prove his prowess as a sprinter. Although stakes success eluded him, he was twice Gr2-placed when third in both the Computaform Stakes and Gilbeys Trial.
Significantly Peaceful Paradise was just the forerunner of the future success the partners would enjoy with this family.
Fast forward to 2004, when the Fine Edge mare Late Night Live gave birth to a filly by Doowaley at the now defunct Odessa Stud. The mare just happened to be a daughter of Stay The Night, a half-sister to Peaceful Paradise.
Mike and James acquired the diminutive Doowaley filly as a yearling, named her Rei Rei and sent her to Stan Elley, who also trained Kapil and Red Badge
A precocious juvenile, Rei Rei won two of her first three starts, was beaten a whisker in the Gr3 Kenilworth Fillies Nursery and came into her own at three when she captured the Gr2 KZN Fillies Guineas at Hollywoodbets Greyville. Ridden by Karl Neisius, she took command fully 300m out and strode to a commanding victory over Sahara (who was to become dam of Gr1-placed, dual stakes winner Matador Man).
Exactly a year later to the day, Rei Rei returned for a second Graded stakes success, this time at the now defunct Clairwood. She again put a quality field to the sword to land the Gr3 Poinsettia Stakes by the best part of three lengths, with favourite and Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas winner Sparkling Gem featuring amongst the vanquished.
History will show that as a broodmare, Rei Rei has provided the partners with a steady stream of success, the latest of which being Resonate. He is one seven winners from the mare’s first nine foals, which also include the Laisserfaire Stakes winner Anime.
Anime (Sean Veale) wins the Listed Laisserfaire
“We have raced all Rei Rei’s progeny,” Mike adds proudly. “She is at Ridgemont Highlands and has returned to Twice Over, the sire of Resonate. Her most recent foal is a yearling Potala Palace filly we have named Lhasa.”
Meanwhile, this successful partnership has moved into the second generation as owner/breeders, as Anime has joined her dam at the Robertson farm. Mike Fullard elaborates: “Her first foal is a magnificent filly, a grey, just like her sire Danon Platina. She is named Devilishlygorgeous, and we have sent her to Brett Crawford. Anime’s second foal is a Var yearling, also a filly, and is called Tanneron.”
Resonate’s Southeaster win is his second at stakes level. He joined the black type ranks in February when defeating champion Good Traveller in the Listed Ibhayi Stakes at Fairview.
Having regained the winning thread, it’s hopefully onwards and upwards for the bonny chestnut, who has now won five times.
“We will discuss future plans, but for now, we will keep racing him over sprints, I think,” Mike added. “His last run over 1400m in the Matchem Stakes was a bit too far.”
That brings into the equation races like the Gr2 Cape Merchants and Gr2 Diadem Stakes and the ultimate prize, the Gr1 Cape Flying Championship. There’s much to look forward to!
