Drakenstein Stud’s consistently successful resident sire What A Winter came up with his 17th stakes winner when his three-year-old son Safari Blue landed Friday’s Listed East Cape Guineas (1600m) at Fairview.
Trained by Gavin Smith, the gelded Safari Blue had finished third in the Listed Ibhayi Stakes last time out, and had filled the same placing in last season’s Listed Champion Juvenile Cup.
Under a great ride from Warren Kennedy, Safari Blue turned Friday’s Listed feature, and second leg of the EC Sophomore Challenge, into a one horse route, with the What A Winter son drawing clear in the closing stages to win by a comprehensive two and a half lengths.
The 2022 East Cape Guineas was a total triumph for What A Winter, who is not only sire of the victorious Safari Blue but also of the third home, You Know Who.
Out of the National Emblem mare Ladysingstheblues, the Terry Andrews bred Safari Blue has now won four of 11 starts.
The gelding was a R180 000 buy from the 2020 National Yearling Sale.
Safari Blue was the second winner on Friday’s card for What A Winter, with that multiple Equus Champion also responsible for Glacier Gold -who beat fellow What A Winter daughter Winter Furi when successful in the fifth race on the Fairview card.
South Africa’s Leading Sire of 2YOs in 2020-2021, What A Winter has some exceptionally well bred yearlings on offer at the 2022 National Yearling Sale, including a half-sister (Lot 20) to Singapore champion Lizarre, a half-sister (Lot 34) to this season’s top-class three-year-old Trip Of Fortune, and a filly (Lot 408) out of fellow Equus Champion Hammie’s Hooker.
Original article written by Cape Breeders Club