While multiple champion South African sire Western Winter (Gone West) passed in 2013, his influence has been notable in recent local feature races.
Western Winter (Gone West – Chilly Hostess)
His top-class daughter Covenant is the dam of exciting young stallion prospect Erik The Red (Captain Al), who made it six wins from just nine starts when running out a smart winner of the recent Gr2 Cape Thoroughbred Cape Merchants.
Bred on the same Captain Al/Western Winter cross as five time Gr1 winning champion Carry On Alice, Erik The Red has now won five graded or listed races.
Winner of four graded races including the 2011 Gr1 Majorca Stakes, Covenant also ranks as the dam of exported Gr1 Gold Medallion runner up Varallo (Var) and the stakes placed Scandola.
Western Winter made his presence felt at Turffontein on Summer Cup day last weekend.
His four time Gr1 winning son What A Winter supplied Saturday’s Gr3 World Sports Betting Magnolia Handicap winner Winter Smoke, while a fellow Western Winter sired champion, Argonaut, is the broodmare sire of Saturday’s Gr2 Dingaans winner Catch Twentytwo (Elusive Fort).
What A Winter also sired the first 2yo winner of the term at Turffontein on Thursday when the Rex Stud-bred Cold Fact won for trainer Paul Peter.
What A Winter’s daughter Winter Smoke wins the Magnolia (Pic – JC Photos)
Elusive Fort’s Gr1 winning daughter Lauderdale is out of the Western Winter mare Tropicool.
The Western Winter sired Gr1 Mercury Sprint winner Red Ray could also add further gloss to his sire’s legacy, with Red Ray set to have his first runners this season.
Western Winter is broodmare sire of Gr1 SA Classic winner Lobo’s Legend (Trippi), who recently picked up his first success in Hong Kong. Winner of two of just six starts in South Africa -including the 2018 SA Classic, Lobo’s Legend is out of the Western Winter sired Ladies Mile winner Gone Wild.
Another high-class daughter of Western Winter, Gr1 Thekwini Stakes winner Roxanne, ranks as the granddam of this season’s talented four-year-old Silver Operator (Silvano), while the Western Winter daughter Tamora- a three-parts sister to Yard-Arm- is the dam of 2020 Sophomore Sprint winner Speed Machine (Legislate).
Champion sire in South Africa on three occasions and Leading Broodmare Sire of 2017-2018, Western Winter left behind 93 black type winners, while his 791 runners included an impressive 642 winners.
The son of Gone West was responsible for a total of nine Equus Champions, with his sons Winter Solstice and Yard-Arm both named Horse Of The Year in South Africa.
