Klawervlei’s beautifully bred young sire Curved Ball got off the mark at the Vaal on Thursday afternoon, producing an eyecatching first winner.
Curved Ball in action
The former Gr2 Dingaans winner’s maiden success as a sire came in the form of the Devin Little trained Fast And Rocking, who cruised home to land a juvenile plate over 1200m by an emphatic three and a half lengths.
She had the smart-looking debut winner Kahula well beaten in third.
Bred by Cathy and Jonathan Martin of Hadlow Stud, the filly Fast And Rocking, who was making just her second racecourse appearance, is owned by Miss M Van Wyk and is a R30 000 Emperors Palace National 2yo Sale purchase.
Fast And Rocking’s sire Curved Ball was a top class racehorse, who won both the Gr2 Dingaans (over Gr1 standouts Galileo’s Galaxy, Exhilaration, Smanjemanje and Bulsara), and the Listed Sea Cottage Stakes in a brief racing career.
His sire Fastnet Rock, one of Danehill’s finest sire sons, was a former Australian champion sprinter and is a multiple champion sire, whose 20 plus G1 winners include the likes of Atlantic Jewel, Amicus, Diamondsandrubies, Fascinating Rock, First Seal, Wanted, and G1 Investec Oaks winner Qualify.
Curved Ball (Aus) by Fastnet Rock – Curvaceous (Zabeel)
Fastnet Rock is also looking like becoming a top class sire of sires, with his young sires Hinchinbrook and Stryker both having already sired Gr1 winners.
Curved Ball, whose dam is by multiple champion sire Zabeel, is from the same family as Gr1 Golden Slipper winner and champion sire Marscay.
This promising young sire, who stands for an R8000 fee at Bush Hill Stud in KZN, is well represented at next month’s Emperors Palace Select Yearling Sale.
Curved Ball’s five lots destined for the Johannesburg Sale include:
Lot 26 – a half brother 2 to stakes placed winners, this colt is out of a Goldkeeper daughter from the family of G1 winning sprinter Shoe Shac- who, like the colt on offer, is by a Danzig line horse. Also the family of Mauritian star World Focus and this season’s millionaire 3yo Victorious Jay
Lot 37 – a half brother to 6 winners, this colt is out of a five time winning Badger Land half sister to two top class graded 2yos. The family of champion, July winner and G1 sire and broodmare sire Bush Telegraph
Lot 135 – bred on the successful Fastnet Rock/Sadler’s Wells cross, this filly is out of a seven time and feature race winning daughter of international champion and outstanding sire Singspiel. This well bred filly’s second dam is a Gone West half sister to dual G1 Pacific Classic winner Tinners Way
Lot 142 – a half sister to a winner, this filly (inbred to the great Danzig), is out of a stakes placed daughter of champion sire Captain Al, while her second dam is a G1 2yo, who is by emerging broodmare sire National Emblem
Lot 174 – out of a G3 three parts sister to feature race winner King Neptune (and bred on the potent Danzig/Roberto cross), this filly is from the same family as the G1 winning siblings Stellite and Zirconeum
