Triple Equus Champion sprinter What A Winter has the rare distinction of having won at Gr1 level in all three of South Africa’s main racing centres, and he won the Gr1 Cape Flying Championship twice so the team that syndicated him for stud had little doubt that he would succeed as a stallion of note.
He was syndicated whilst still in training with the Bass Racing Stable and as luck would have it many of his new shareholders were on course on the 27th April to celebrate his facile victory in the Gr1 Computaform Sprint at Turffontein.
Fast forward to 2021 and What A Winter is now the sire of six Gr1 horses from his first four crops, including two-time Gr1 winner Clouds Unfold, Equus Champion Sprinter Russet Air, and Gr1 winner Warrior’s Rest. With 60% winners of 465 races from all of his crops to race his progeny have amassed over R45m in stakes.
What A Winter (Western Winter – Waseela) is a picture of health for the season ahead (Pic- Drakenstein Stud Farm)
The Drakenstein Stud team has prepared What A Winter for the busy months ahead as the breeding season is now well underway. They started at the beginning of July with their preparation, hand-walking him every day. Then in mid-July, the champion stallion went onto the horse walker with slow walking and trotting for 20 minutes a day.
“We gradually increase the time to 48 minutes per day, 3-4 days a week. He will continue with this fitness program throughout the season,” says stud manager Gavin Pickford. “He is in fantastic shape and is a picture of health. He has started the covering season full of energy and enthusiasm,” Gavin tells us about the dual Equus Champion Sprinter Award winner.
Drakenstein Stud’s sire What A Winter enjoyed another outstanding 2020-2021 season, with the former Equus Champion ending the term as South Africa’s Champion Sire of 2YOs.
Some of his stand-out two-year-old performers are East Cape Champion 2yo colt Whatever Next, Gr3 Kenilworth Fillies Nursery runner-up Winter Mosaic and Champion Juvenile Cup placed Safari Blue.
Last season What A Winter’s success was not restricted only to two-year-olds; his three-year-olds included the graded stakes-winning fillies Celestial Love and Winter Smoke.
Drakenstein Stud Farm sent 21 mares to What A Winter last season. A few of which include dual Gr1 winner Snowdance by Captain Al; Motelissima, Montjeu, who is dam of dual Gr1 winner Clouds Unfold by What A Winter and Dubai Destination mare Gulf Breeze, dam of dual stakes winner Fresnaye. Additionally, he covered two-time Gr1 winner Happy Archer by Dubawi and Biblical Susan by Bernadini, half-sister to Horse Of The Year Oh Susanna and dam of stakes performed High Hosana.
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For this season, Drakenstein Stud Farm are sending 28 mares to What A Winter. Montelissima will be sent to What A Winter for the second year in a row. In addition, the Gr1 winner Spiced Gold, dam of Gr1 winner Chimichuri Run; and Gr1 winner Chestnuts N Pearls by Horse Chestnut are booked to What A Winter. Peintre Celebre mare Aquatint dam of Equus Champion Sprinter Kasimir and Gr1 winner Afrikaburn; and Serruria by Galileo, dam of Gr3 winner Seville Orange are two more top mares going to What A Winter this season.
What A Winter colt out of Happy Archer (Dubawi) at Drakenstein Stud (Pic- Drakenstein Stud Farm)
“His breeding program is on a parabolic curve. He has covered better mares since stamping himself as Champion Freshman Sire Of 2YO’s in the 2020/2021 season. If you look at the trend of his progeny’s age in related stats to date, it shows that whatever they do as two-year-olds, they improve as three-year-olds,” says the stallion’s manager John Freeman. He adds that “What A Winter has also proven that he has no sex bias in his progeny: the mark of a good stallion, in fact his colts have won 14 stakes races and his fillies have won 14 stakes races to-date. He has 108 male winners and 95 female winners”.
With some exciting foals to touch down this year and plenty more in the mix for next season, there are some exciting times ahead for the outstanding stallion.
His stud fee for 2021 is R70 000. Nomination of R10 000 and the balance due at live foal.
Contact FreemanStallions for more information – [email protected]
