Mauritzfontein & Wilgerbosdrift in partnership have dominated the season with their two brilliant multiple Gr1 winners this season, the older Rainbow Bridge (Ideal World) and Hawwaam (Silvano).

The mother-daughter combination of Jessica Jell and Mary Slack respectively saw them produce an incredible 16 Black Type wins this season, with an outstanding over 50% winners to runners achieved. Incredibly their AEPR is a staggering R117,315, with 213 wins from 254 runners and 599 places! Their combined progeny farmed in Piketberg and Kimberley respectively, earned R29,797,900 for the season. Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein had three horses lined up in the final field of the Vodacom Durban July, with Hawwaam, Barahin and Rainbow Bridge.

Both farms will be looking forward to their first breeding seasons with respective sires Fire Away (War Front) at Wilgerbosdrift, and the Japanese grey Gr1 winning son of Deep Impact, Danon Platina (Mauritzfontein).

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There is little doubt that at the upcoming Equus Awards, Wilgerbosdrift resident broodmare Halfway To Heaven should take home the Broodmare Of The Year Award. She has assisted her own Jet Master, to Champion Broodmare Sire status this season, with Mauritzfontein’s Fort Wood lying in 2nd position for the season over all.

Jet Master had 23 Black Type wins for the 2018 / 2019 season, with over R30,264,963 earned in stakes, a winners to runners percentage of 43,4% and 182 wins for the season!

Champion Sire status was no surprise and Maine Chance Stud enjoyed a double (and almost a triple!) with Silvano taking Champion Sire for the season, whilst Querari has been crowned Champion 2YO Sire.

Vercingetorix fought it closely and just lost out to Captain Of All, who looks to be a very worthy predecessor to his outstanding sire Captain Al at Klawervlei. These two first season sires were a huge feather in the cap for Riverton Stud, who bred Captain Of All and pinhooked Vercingetorix as a weanling for their grooms co-op.

Sean Tarry was once again crowned Champion Trainer, almost R2-million in stakes ahead of Justin Snaith with R26,087,700 earned for the season! Sean had 165 wins for the season and 588 places for the season.

A huge investor in South African racing and breeding, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum leads as winning owner for the 2018 / 2019 season, enjoying tremendous success with #SAFbreds Hawwaam and Barahin amongst them.

The top three leading horses in South Africa are no surprise, headed by Hawwaam (R5,628,125 in earnings), Do It Again (R5,102,500 in earnings) and Rainbow Bridge (R4,895,000 in earnings). All three are graduates of Bloodstock South Africa’s April National Yearling Sale, with Do It Again and Rainbow Bridge each from the 2016 draft.

Congratulations to the winners this year and we look forward to a tremendous season to come!

Images: Candiese Marnewick