RENOUNCE (SAF) 1961, a chestnut filly by ARCTIC FLOWER (GB) out of CLEANSE (SAF) by MARCIUS (FR), was bred by Mr. J.C. van der Walt and Mr. M. Prussoff at Gelykfontein Stud situated in Venterstad. She sold on the 1963 RAND YEARLING SALES to Mr. P. Dolt for R3465.
Her sire, ARCTIC FLOWER (GB) 1954, was imported in 1958 by a syndicate comprising Mr. J.C. van der Walt, Mr. M. Prussoff and Mr. J.G.H. (Hendrik) Swanepoel of Colga Stud in Colesberg. He sadly only managed to do three seasons at stud in South Africa before he died. From his first crop in 1959 he got the 11 time winner ARCTIC LIGHT, ARCTIC SWEEP (the full sister to RENOUNCE) 9 wins including the 1962 Garden Province Stakes, ARCTOTSIS 7 wins. His second crop in 1960 produced the colt ARCTIC WASH (full brother to ARCTIC SWEEP & RENOUNCE) 7 wins including 2 listed features as well as a 3rd in the 1962 Cape of Good Hope Nursery Futurity, FLOWER POND 5 wins and WATCHIT 4 wins. His final crop in 1961 he got APPLE CIDER 5 wins, ARCTIC LILY 4 wins, including the 1964 Diana Stakes, BLEU FLEUR 10 wins, EARLY FROST 4 wins (went on to be a very decent broodmare at Colga Stud), ICE CAP 6 wins, LINE DRIVE 10 wins, OUR JOCK 10 wins, WARDIA 11 wins and RENOUNCE 10 wins, including the 1963 JWS Langerman Handicap, 1964 Cape Of Good Hope Paddock Stakes, 1964 Cape Guineas, 1965 Cape Met, 1965 Cape Of Good Hope Paddock Stakes and the 1965 Garden Province Stakes (her full track record is attached).
RENOUNCE’s dam CLEANSE (SAF) 1953 was by the imported French stallion MARCIUS (FR) 1934 (a ¾ brother to DJEBEL (FR) 1937), both stallions bred by the great French breeder, Marcel Boussac, a man who was to become well known to the South African Thoroughbred breeding fraternity through other imports bred by / associated with him i.e. ASBESTOS II, KIPLING, DJASK and VELLADA (the dam of NOBLE CHIEFTAIN).
As a 2yo RENOUNCE developed a very bad and “mysterious” throat infection which caused a substantial swelling that nearly resulted in the insertion of a tube to assist her with her breathing. Thankfully her condition improved after being put on a liquid diet of milk and raw eggs (Dick Stent, a co-author of PILLAR TO POST elaborates in a bit more detail on Pages 100 & 101 – relevant text is attached for ease of reference).
Schalk van der Walt from Gelykfontein Stud certainly summed up RENOUNCE perfectly in saying “she was a superstar”, a true legend of the South African turf and the only filly to have beaten Sea Cottage!
She returned to Gelykfontein Stud for her breeding career after Mr. J.C. van der Walt bought a ½ share back in her in from Mr. P. Dolt. From 1968 to 1974 all foals out of RENOUNCE were bred in partnership by Mr. J.C. van der Walt & Mr. P. Dolt:- 1968 slipped foal to WILWYN, 1969 a filly by WILWYN called REDEEM who won 3 races, 1970 slipped twins to REUBENS, 1971 a filly called REPOISE by AMBIOPOISE unraced, 1972 a filly called NADEZHDA by REUBENS unraced, 1973 no return to RIBOFILIO, 1974 slipped twins to RAGTIME.
In 1974 Mr. van der Walt and Mr. Dolt decided to sell RENOUNCE to Mr. Herman Kock of Verborgenfontein Stud. In 1975 RENOUNCE had a colt foal by PEACEABLE KINGDOM called GO IN PEACE who died as a yearling. Herman Kock then had difficulty trying to get her in foal again and eventually gave up on her and she was sent back to Gelykfontein Stud to retire (given to Schalk van der Walt who loved and adored her). She lived happily in retirement until around 1982 when problems associated with age left no option but to do the only humane thing and put her to sleep in the kindest possible way.
People are quick to suggest that RENOUNCE was a failure at stud, but that seems very unfair as things certainly did not go her way and circumstances sadly conspired against her a lot of the time.
Her full sister ARCTIC SWEEP produced HIGH FREQUENCY in 1965 by MASHAM, a 9 time winner including the 1967 Smirnoff Plate (Gold Medallion), 1967 Natal Free Handicap and the 1970 Durban Merchants Handicap (Arctic Sweep had won a free service to a stallion in Natal after winning the 1962 Garden Province Stakes and Mr. J.C van der Walt chose MASHAM) (Sire). ARCTIC SWEEP also produced ARCTIC COVE by JUNGLE COVE (USA) in 1978, 7 wins including the 1981 Cape Derby, 1982 Cape Met and the 1983 Champion Stakes.
