The Ridgemont team had plenty to cheer after Tuesday’s Hollywoodbets Kenilworth racemeeting, with a home-bred double and two smart winners for their Redoute’s Choice champion resident, Rafeef.
One of South Africa’s most versatile and consistent producers of dual sex winners from sprint to stamina contests, our champion freshman of 2020-2021 is enjoying a top season again with his progeny excelling both on the racecourse and carrying the flag in the sales ring.
Rafeef son Explosive Speed charges home under Craig Zackey (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
In the third race, the Cape Premier Yearling Sale R1 million ticket Explosive Speed, a Dean Kannmeyer-trained son of Rafeef, who races in the familiar yellow and black strip of Khaya Stables, exploded up the outside late under Craig Zackey to beat the pacy Connery going away.
The winner is out of the three-time winning Captain Al mare, Sitia.
The Khaya-Kannemeyer-Zackey-Rafeef combination were back in the winner’s box in the fourth race when the Ridgemont-bred Enchanting Choice, another progressive daughter of Rafeef – a R650 000 Cape Premier Yearling Sale buy – boldly took the fight to her opposition and scored a meritorious gun-top-tape victory in the Class 4 mile contest.
This was no mean achievement in a mixed age-group race, and was her second win, with 4 places, from 8 starts.
Rafeef’s flagbearers this season include graded stakes winners Mover And Shaker, Mrs Browning, and Gr1 star Thunderstruck, while Rafeef had yearlings sold up to R1,2 million at the 2024 Cape Racing Premier Yearling Sale. Rafeef was also responsible for the top priced filly sold at the same sale!
Rafeef is a member of the world-class Ridgemont stallion barn that includes proven international stakes producer Canford Cliffs, newly imported American Gr1 winning miler Hit The Road (More Than Ready), champion Captain Al’s 2021 SA Triple Crown winner Malmoos, Singspiel’s Gr1 winning son Potala Palace, and blue-blooded Snitzel speed demon, Real Gone Kid.
The meeting, held under sunny skies, opened with an eyecatching Ridgemont-bred winner.
Coming off a smart second to the promising Sahara Cat on debut, Tanneron went off at a prohibitive 1-5 as she strode out to a facile victory under Aldo Domeyer for Candice Bass-Robinson.
The daughter of Var (Forest Wildcat), who races for the ‘Badge Boys’ team of the Fullard and Drew families, is out of the thrice winning Count Dubois mare, Anime, and is a big strong girl who looks to have a genuine touch of class about her.
There are 21 Rafeef yearlings on the BSA National Yearling Sale, which will be held on 18 and 19 April.
See the catalogue here.
