Avontuur’s outstanding stallion Var enjoyed great success this past weekend. The former champion sprinter had three eye catching individual winners in the form of Mastermind, Dollar Dazzler and Winter Passion.
The latter became the fourth daughter of Var to win the Listed Bauhinia Handicap, when scoring in the R150 000 contest on Saturday.
Winner of three races on the trot, the 3yo Winter Passion was a R375 000 buy at the 2011 Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale.
Bred by Johan Beukman, Winter Passion is owned by Messrs J & L Wernars in partnership with H Willson.
She is out of the winning Western Winter mare Winter Parade, and is a full-sister to former high-class juvenile, Le Var.
Var, whose offspring include dual South African Horse Of The Year Variety Club and 13 other Grade One performers, has enjoyed an excellent season once again in 2013-2014. His current representatives include Gr1 winner Via Africa, as well as recent Gr3 Tommy Hotspur Handicap winner Miss October.
He is well represented on the 2014 Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale with a cracking draft of 29 choicely bred yearlings:
Lot 34 is a full-sister to the smart, stakes placed juvenile Varuna. Her dam, by world leading broodmare sire Quiet American, is out of top-class G2 winning 2yo Ocean Ridge, and this filly is closely inbred to world leading sire Storm Bird.
Lot 67 is a half-sister to smart current filly Princess ofthe Sky. Her dam, by champion sprinter Goldmark, was Gr1 placed, and this filly’s second dam won the G2 SA Oaks.
Lot 94 is a colt whose dam is a full-sister to Gr1 sprinter Lightning Lecture and this is the immediate family of smart 3yo Fort Bellini as well as Gold Cup winner, Colonial Girl.
Lot 109 is a half-sister to a winner. She is out of a high-class racemare, whose four victories included the Gr3 Strelitzia Stakes, and this filly’s dam is also a half-sister to talented sprinter Muscatt.
Lot 111 is a half-brother to 4 winners including this season’s Gr3 winner Tippuana Moon. This is the family of high-class performers Hundred Acre Wood, Syon and Noblewood.
Lot 118 is a filly out of the high-class stakes winner Treaj Pots – a half-sister to G2 Oaks winner Sweetie Pie. This exceptionally well bred filly also hails from the same family as US Champion filly Riboletta.
Lot 127 is a filly bred to be extremely quick. She is a half-sister to 3 winners including brilliant Gr2 Sceptre Stakes winner Reflective Image, and is out of a daughter of top sprint influence Goldkeeper.
Lot 140 is a filly out of a high class stakes winning daughter of Jet Master. >From an outstanding US family, this filly’s relatives include outstanding US Gr1 winning filly, Citronnade.
Lot 153 is a filly out of the top-class mare A Daughter’s Legacy, whose five wins included the Gr3 Victress Stakes.
Lot 159 is a filly out of a stakes winner of seven races. Her third dam is the top-class mare Frisky – a daughter of breed shaping stallion, Sir Tristram.
Lot 162 is a colt, whose winning dam is a half-sister to Gr1 winning sprinter O Caesour. This colt is really bred to fly – as his other relatives include sprint champions Harry’s Charm, Enchantress and National Currency.
Lot 179 is a filly whose dam is a half-sister to top filly Real Red. This is the family of G1 winners Shoe Express, Al Nitak, The Sheik and Top Seller.
Lot 181 is a half-sister to 3 winners. Her dam is a three parts sister to top sprinter Rodoille and a half-sister to classy sprinter, and sire, Blue Tiger. >From the family of one of South Africa’s top fillies – Wainui.
Lot 203 is a colt out of three time winning daughter of leading sire Candy Stripes (also damsire of outstanding sire Candy Ride). He is a descendant of multiple G1 winner Taisez Vous.
Lot 242 is a half-brother to 4 winners – including the Gr1 filly Counter Ridge. This speedily bred colt hails from the same family as champion sprinter National Bay.
Lot 249 is a half-sister to 5 winners, including G2 winner Sportscuddle and smart miler Glorious Jet, runner up in the Gr2 Charity Mile. This filly is bred on the same Var/Elliodor cross as champion filly Val De Ra.
Lot 263 is a filly out of a Fort Wood half-sister to Gr3 winner Amur Affair (like the filly on sale a descendant of Storm Cat). The Var/Fort Wood cross has also produced G1 winning sprinter Contador.
Lot 282 is a colt whose dam is a seven time winning half-sister to record breaking sprinter Hear The Drums. A horse really bred to fly!
Lot 303 is a half-sister to 2 winners, including smart stakes filly Fly By Night. She is from the same family as top sprinter The Eliminator.
Lot 330 is a filly bred to be a world class sprinter. She is out of a stakes placed half-sister to one of South Africa’s greatest sprinters – J J The Jet Plane.
Lot 341 is a half-brother to 2 winners. He is out of the G1 placed mare Hello Margarita - a daughter of red-hot broodmare sire Sportsworld.
Lot 353 is a colt bred on the increasingly successful Var/Western Winter cross. His dam is a sister to 3 stakes horses, and second dam is champion racemare, Icy Air.
Lot 369 is a half-brother to a promising filly, and he is out of a Jet Master half-sister to July runner up Super Wood. This is the legendary Soho Secret responsible for champions Promisefrommyheart, London News, and Kings Gambit – among others.
Lot 370 is a half-brother to two winners. His dam is a half-sister to New Zealand G1 winner Dane Julia, and his second dam is by legendary sire Danehill.
Lot 440 is a colt who could be anything. A full brother to great champion Val De Ra, this beautifully bred colt also numbers the Gr2 Merchants winner Tevez as a half-brother.
Lot 445 is a colt whose dam is a half-sister to a high-class winner in Argentina. He is from the same family as champion Curioso Slam.
Lot 470 is a colt bred on the same Var/Western Winter cross as stakes winners Le Var and Winter Passion. His dam is a full-sister to a Gr3 winner, and a half-sister to champion Laverna. His second dam is champion sprinter Enchantress, and this colt truly has a champion sprinter’s pedigree.
Lot 489 is a colt whose dam is a half-sister to 3 stakes winners, including Gr1 winner Flying Duel, as well as the dam of G1 Gold Cup winner Thundering Star. Second dam is the great champion Olympic Duel, and this is also the family of recent Listed Aquanaut Handicap winner Storm Warning.
Lot 493 is a colt whose winning dam is a half-sister to a six times stakes winner. This is the family of such champion sprinters as Harry’s Charm, Enchantress and National Currency.