Drakenstein Stud’s four time Gr1 winning stallion What A Winter has made a blistering start to the 2019-2020 season, and the triple Equus Champion was at it again over the weekend with three winners on Saturday.
Under red-hot rider Warren Kennedy, the Narrow Creek Stud bred gelding romped home to a facile two and a half length win over 1000m, with Ring Of Fire winning easing up – another son of What A Winter, Tripod, finished third to Ring Of Fire.
What A Winter (Western Winter – Waseela)
Fourth in the Gr3 Protea Stakes last season, Ring Of Fire has now won or placed in six of only nine starts and he looks capable of building on this win.
His paternal half-sister Sarah showed her class, when that daughter of What A Winter won a pinnacle stakes for fillies and mares over 1000m in convincing fashion.
The Peter de Beyer bred 3yo stayed on smartly to post a 1.75 length win over a field which included last season’s Gr2 Post Merchants winner La Bella Mia, and Sarah has now won four of only eight starts. She also ran fourth to the talented gelding African Warrior in last season’s G2 Haval Motors South Africa Umkhomazi Stakes.
What A Winter also had success at Durbanville on Saturday, when his daughter Celestial Storm accounted for fellow What A Winter filly Hildegarde by nearly half a length to land a conditions plate (for fillies and mares) over 1000 metres.
In the process, the Favour Stud bred four-year-old accounted for such smart sorts as Lesedi La Rona, Mushi Sterek and G3 Champagne Stakes winner Nastergal.
Trained by Glen Puller, Celestial Storm has now won five times, having scored from 1000 -1250 metres.
What A Winter stands for a fee of R75 000.
