Carpocrates
The American-bred son of Storm Cat, Carpocrates has his first crop of two year olds racing this season and he broke the ice with his first winner at Scottsville on Saturday 14 April.
Following in his well-bred Dad’s footsteps, the Pat Lunn-trained Night Club won the Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1000m in a time of 57,42 seconds. This is the same course and distance where Carpocrates shed his own maiden certificate in November 2006 on soft going.
Night Club was having only his second career start after running a smart third on debut. Bred by Bush Hill Stud on behalf of Pat Lunn, who owns the mare, he is out of Goldmark’s daughter Social Club. He was knocked down for R25 000 at the National Two Year Old Sale.
Carpocrates had his first three runs in the United Kingdom before having his first South African start for Mike De Kock at the end of October 2006. He won his maiden over 1000m in a time of 57,9 seconds at Scottsville a fortnight later and went on to win another two races over 1200m from his subsequent ten career starts. He had his last race in January 2008, before retiring to stud.
Carpocrates may not have set the world alight on the racecourse, but he certainly ranks amongst the best bred sires to stand in South Africa. His sire, Storm Cat, was ranked the world’s number 1 sire and was a dual champion sire in the USA, as well as a seven time champion producer of two year olds. He stood for a fee of $500,000.
Storm Cat’s successful sire sons include the prolific influences of Giant’s Causeway, Hennessy, Tale of The Cat and Stormy Atlantic. Sons and grandsons of this prolific sire at stud in SA include Black Minnaloushe, Var, Tiger Ridge and Mogok.
Carpocrates is out of the brilliant racemare, Spain. She is by champion sire Thunder Gulch and was at one instance, the all- time leading female money earner in the USA. She was rated joint second on the International 3 year old filly classification and her nine wins with stake earnings of over $3 million, included a victory in the Gr1 Breeders Cup Distaff. She has produced two stakes winners, including Carpocrates’ full brother Plan.
Carpocrates second dam Drina was an eleven time winner herself and produced three stakes winners.
Now aged eight, Carpocrates stands at Rob and Michelle Pickering’s Middlefield Stud in Mooi River KwaZulu-Natal. His published live foal fee is R5000.
