For a second year running, Drakenstein Stud (Pty) Ltd enjoyed magnificent success at the Equus Awards ceremony.
Held at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Thursday evening, the Equus Awards for 2023-2024 honoured both the human and equine stars of last season.
Not only was Drakenstein Stud named Equus Champion Owner and Outstanding Breeder for the past season, but two of their resident sires also picked up Equus Awards on Thursday night.
Drakenstein had another wonderful season, with the farm responsible for breeding no fewer than 21 individual stakes winners (of 31 black-type races) last season. The farm bred and owned four Grade One winners of five Grade One races in 2023-2024, namely Beach Bomb, Charles Dickens, Silver Sanctuary and Snow Pilot. Beach Bomb and Snow Pilot were both sired by Drakenstein’s much missed Lancaster Bomber, while the now-retired Charles Dickens was sired by Drakenstein’s former champion sire Trippi, and Silver Sanctuary by the late, great Silvano.
The farm’s red-hot young stallion One World, South Africa’s Leading First Season Sire of 2023-2024, was named South Africa’s Outstanding Stallion following a remarkable season with his first runners.
Not only did One World set a new record for two-year-old winners by a South African first-season sire in a single season, but he ended the season as South Africa’s second Leading Sire of 2YOs for 2023-2024.
The champion son of Captain Al was responsible for 30 two-year-old winners, who won 40 races, in 2023-2024, with One World’s first juveniles including G3 City Of Cape Town Cape Of Good Hope Nursery/G3 Winter Nursery winner One Stripe, G1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Premiers Champion Stakes third Grand Crescendo, and the Listed Somerset 1200 1-2 finishers Lion Rampart and Miss World.
Himself Equus Champion Older Male of 2019-2020, One World, who is fully booked for the upcoming season, has 12 lots on offer at the upcoming August Two Year Old Sale.
The Drakenstein Stud bred Charles Dickens, who is fully booked for his first season at stud this year, was crowned Equus Champion Miler of 2023-2024. The blue-blooded son of Trippi was picking up his third Equus Award, with Charles Dickens having been crowned Equus Champion 3YO Colt and Equus Champion Miler in 2022-2023.
Charles Dickens, who retired having won ten of 13 starts, won twice from just three starts in 2023-2024 and made a big impression when running out a facile winner of the 2024 G1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate.
Original article written by Cape Breeders Club