Famous faces: Mike and Norma Rattray will not be lost to racing
One of South Africa’s leading stud farms has changed hands in a deal that will fortunately see the owner’s silks continue to win races across the country.
The famous red and white Lammerskraal silks have been at the forefront of South African racing for decades and are as recognisable to established racegoers as the Beck and Jaffee flags, as well as the likes of the more recent Fieldspring Racing and Jooste colours.
In an announcement yesterday, Mike Rattray clarified rumours that he had disposed of the famous farm that, in a relatively short history, produced champions and stood one of our greatest sires of modern times in Western Winter.
The son of Gone West retired to stud in 1997 and was sent to South Africa where he began stud duty the same year. He died last year.
Iconic sire – Western Winter
Western Winter has sired 77 stakes winners, including 21 group I winners. He was the leading sire in South Africa in 2003, 2005, and 2006.
Among Western Winter’s best runners are champions Ice Cube, Yard-Arm, Winter Solstice, Bad Girl Runs, Fearless, Argonaut, Lady Windermere, and What a Winter and in recent times Joey Ramsden’s exciting 3yo, Cold As Ice.
Rattray will continue to race his present stock and has interests in two year olds and yearlings that will continue to board at the famous farm.
Izora – one of Lammerskraal’s many winners
Sally Jourdan, one of South Africa’ s leading Stud Managers will retain her position on the farm.
New man at the helm Pieter Graaff is a vastly experienced agricultural man and, while new in the game, Rattray suggested that he would prove a ‘great asset to the industry’.
Lammerskraal was originally an old wheat farm and was purchased in 1983 with the help of John Kramer and developed into a powerful force in the SA breeding industry.
The emphasis from day one was always on developing very good irrigated mixed pasture and practical infrastructure.
Top racehorses that were bred and raised at Lammerskraal and some of whom carried the silks in years gone by include Yard Arm, Jagged Ice, Fair Maiden, Celtic Grove, Citius, Donya, Hinterland, Ice Cube, Kale,Set Afire, Surveyor, Drift Ice, Fair Maiden, Like It Hot, Lion Tamer, Braggadacio, Nania, Buran, Carry On Katie, Rudra, Nevvay and Senor Versace.
