Scott Bros’ Giant’s Causeway stallion Eightfold Path produced his first winner at Turffontein on Saturday when the Roy Magner trained Brigtnumberten got off the mark at his sixth career start.
Eightfold Path (Giant’s Causeway – Divine Proportions)
Ridden by Gavin Lerena, Brigtnumberten showed his characteristic speed before holding on to beat the highly regarded Hampton Court by just under two lengths in a time of 58.41 secs for the 1000m.
The winner, who had run decent places at his two previous runs, is raced by Hartley SA (Pty) Ltd and was bred by BIT Thoroughbreds out of the two-time winning Joshua Dancer mare, Summer Dew.
The icebreaker was overdue for the handsome stallion who won from 1200m to a mile. From his eight runners this season, four have placed. Last term, nine of his ten runners placed.
Eightfold Path wins the Grand Handicap at Deauville
The only son of Storm Cat stallion Giant’s Causeway at stud in South Africa, Eightfold Path is a French Gr3 (Prix Eclipse) and Listed winner and is impeccably-bred out of the 5-time Gr1 winner Divine Proportions. The latter hails from a sire producing female line, the likes of Shirley Heights and Pentire Champion Sires in their own right – with Konigstiger and Whipper also featuring prominently in sires lists in Europe.
Racing in the famous Niarchos colours, Eightfold Path was one of trainer Pascal Bary’s leading hopes for the 2010 Classic season, but was injured during the build up to the French 2000 Guineas.
Eightfold Path’s top priced yearling to date sold for R325 000 at the National Yearling Sale.
He stands at Scott Bro’s for a fee of R10 000 this season.
