Ridgemont have announced a very exciting boost to their stallion band with the arrival this season of world-class miler and US Grade 1 winner Hit The Road (USA), a son of internationally acclaimed sire More Than Ready.
The top-class Hit The Road in action (Pic – Supplied)
Ridgemont’s Craig Kieswetter confirmed that the beautifully bred, tough and durable miler with the dazzling turn of foot has been purchased in partnership with fellow leading breeders, Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, and will stand at the family’s historic Robertson farm.
Hit The Road finds himself in illustrious company as he joins a Ridgemont stallion band that includes International stakes producing five time Group 1 winner Canford Cliffs, SA Triple Crown champion Malmoos, Singspiel’s Gr1 winner Potala Palace, former SA Champion Freshman Sire Rafeef, and the Snitzel speed demon, Real Gone Kid.
Described as ‘simply gorgeous’ by internationally respected bloodstock expert Shawn Dugan, Hit The Road has been the subject of glowing physical assessments.
“He’s everything I look for in a thoroughbred. Beautiful head and bold eye. Strong, correct, good walker. Stands over 16 hands, deep with a very powerful rear end. Fantastic temperament,” added Dugan.
The international Gr1 star, a multiple stakes winner, retired from racing in 2023 and counts the Gr1 Frank E Kilroe at Santa Anita amongst his six victories.
Prior to that big victory he won the Gr3 Thunder Road Stakes on the Santa Anita turf, and as a 2 year old, was victorious in two of his five starts, including the Listed Zuma Beach Stakes.
His durability and tough nature is demonstrated by the fact that he was a stakes winner at two at three, and a multiple stakes winner at four.
Out of the US Ranger mare Highway Mary, a three-parts sister to Gr1 winner and sire War Command, Hit The Road is certainly bred along a very powerful sire line.
From the female family of Roberto’s champion producing sire Silver Hawk and recently retired multiple Gr1 winner Charles Dickens, Hit The Road is bred on the very successful cross of More Than Ready over Danzig line mares – predominantly through Danehill – that has produced multiple stars.
“We are very delighted in this joint venture with Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein, and the move to acquire this well-performed high-quality bred athlete is an exciting one as it has already proven very successful in this country, as Hit The Road is by the same sire as South African Champion Sire Gimmethegreenlight.
All available shares were snapped up within hours and our thanks go, as always, to our fellow breeders who jumped in.
I must also thank Jehan Malherbe – who once again was at the very forefront of continuing to push our breeding industry to new levels.” concluded Kieswetter.
