The Fred Crabbia owned Zodiac Ruler stamped himself a two-year-old to watch with a breathtaking, off the pace victory in the recent G2 Durban Golden Horseshoe on Vodacom Durban July.

The Australian bred colt will bid to land the title of Equus Champion Two-Year-Old when he lines up in the G1 Premier’s Champion Stakes at Greyville come the end of the month.
Currently unbeaten in two outings to date, Zodiac Ruler is one of two South African juvenile winners (the other being Soweto Moon) this season for Coolmore’s hugely exciting sire Zoffany, who has truly made a sensational start to his stud career.

A son of former champion sire Dansili (whose full sister Banks Hill is dam of exciting young local sire Ideal World) and the Machiavellian mare Tyranny, Zoffany was a top class racehorse, who reeled off five wins from his first seven outings at two (he also ran third to promising South African sire Pathfork in the G1 Vincent O’Brien National Stakes), with his victories including the G1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes. Despite never winning as a 3yo, Zoffany showed his best effort at that age, when running the unbeaten legend (and current sire sensation) Frankel to three parts of a length in the G1 St James’s Palace Stakes and was also second in the G1 Prix Jean Prat.

Since retiring to stud, Zoffany has made a considerable impression and his stud fee has risen to €45 000. His first Northern Hemisphere crop of foals (now three-year-olds) include 9 individual stakes winners –of which five are group winners. This tally includes German 2000 Guineas hero Knife Edge and last year’s G2 Royal Lodge Stakes winner Foundation. Another talented member of this crop is the filly Architecture –runner up in both the G1 Investec Oaks and G1 Darley Irish Oaks this year. Zodiac Ruler could well yet add further gloss to the record of this potentially huge young stallion! - SAHorseracing.COM