Two Snaith champions who were once arch-rivals for the SA Horse Of The Year crown are in the family way with Hopes And Dreams Stud’s proud owner Suzette Viljoen announcing on Thursday that their star Captain’s Ransom has been tested in foal to champion Jet Dark.
Suzette and Basie Viljoen recently opened shop at their Hopes And Dreams Stud on the old Arc En Ciel property and have gone from strength to strength in short time.
Captain’s Ransom – Mom to be! (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Hailed by the Sporting Post just months ago as a ‘marriage made in heaven’, the mating of the dazzling duo produces some interesting in-breeding.
Roberto is on the top line of both Captain Ransom’s sire Captain Al and her dam Cinnas Ransom.
Roberto’s full-sister Glorious Spring is the dam of Rollins, the damsire of Jet Master, who is damsire of Jet Dark.
Captain’s Ransom was a winner of six Gr1 races from 1200m to 1800m in a distinguished career that saw her register 13 wins and 5 places from just 19 starts which earned R3,5m in stakes.
Her dam, Cinnas Ransom by Red Ransom and out of a Seattle Slew mare, is a half sister to French Gr3 winner Black Rock Desert, and this is the family of sire Slew City Slew.
What a beauty she is! (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Bred by Moutonshoek, Captain’s Ransom sold at the 2019 National Yearling Sale for R225 000.
In addition to nine wins from his nineteen career starts, the Drakenstein-bred Jet Dark boasts the distinction of being named 2020/21 Equus Champion three-year-old colt, 2020/21 and 2021/22 Equus Champion Miler, 2021/22 Equus Champion Older Male and 2021/22 Equus Champion Middle Distance Horse.
A group winner at two, three, four and five, the son of Trippi accumulated no fewer than five Gr1 wins, beating 2021 Horse Of The Year Rainbow Bridge in the 2021 Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and Gr1 Champions Cup.
He repeated the feat in 2022, beating Kommetdieding in both the 2022 Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and Gr1 Champions Cup and put the final seal on his glittering career with victory in the 2023 Gr1 WSB Cape Met.
He enjoys the unique distinction of being the only two time L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate-winning colt since his maternal grand sire Jet Master, in 1999 & 2000.
Former SA Champion Owner, Suzette Viljoen said recently that Hopes and Dreams Stud represents what its name says.
“We hope and we dream of breeding a champion. My lifelong dream has been to have a wine farm with horses, and now I am living my dream.”
They certainly have plenty to look forward to!
