A leading owner and breeder, Laurence Wernars enjoyed a stellar weekend as both an owner and breeder, producing four feature winners over the weekend, incredibly with three on Saturday at Turffontein.
Closing off the Gauteng season in style, the day began with promising colt Proceed, a son of Gimmethegreenlight out of Captain Al mare Xplosive Kiss – and what became a day to remember for the combination of Sean Tarry and Richard Fourie. Proceed won the TAB PROTEA STAKES (Grade 3) from Winds Of Change. This is the immediate family of Second Base, South African bred and Hong Kong winner Kilindini and Harry Hotspur, and Proceed became a 2-time winner.
Next to follow was Mrs Browning, the impeccably pedigreed filly bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein. Not only is she out of a Galileo mare from the family of legends of the past Flaming Rock and Averof, but she is also a full sister to Gr1 winner Aragosta (both by Rafeef). She collected her 6th career victory and collected her second Graded Stakes win to date, this time upgrading it to a Gr2 in the TAB CAMELLIA STAKES. She is owned by the Wernars family in partnership with Harry Willson.
Cymric. Image: Candiese Lenferna
The third win of the day came in the form of Hollywoodbets Durban July hopeful Pure Predator, another New Predator proving the sad loss of his former Ridgemont based sire. Trained by Fanie Bronkhorst of Running Brave fame, it was another win for Richard Fourie, owned by Laurence and his wife and son in partnership and bred by Laurence. Leaving several good horses in his wake to win the TAB COLORADO KING STAKES (Grade 2), they included the likes of Aragosta, Safe Passage, Gold Cup winner Future Pearl and Turffontein specialist Peurto Marzano (ARG). Out of Little Sparrow by Var, the second dam is Gr1 SA Fillies Classic winner, Bambino Stripes.
As the KZN season begins to warm up, Hollywoodbets Scottsville held four features and completed the quartet for Laurence, as the handsome and beautifully bred Cymric, by Vercingetorix out of the once record holding sales filly Savannah Cat, mowed down the opposition to win the TABGOLD GODOLPHIN BARB STAKES (Grade 3), this time with Gavin Lerena in the saddle. Justifying his R1,2-million National Yearling Sale price tag with his good looks, Cymric descends from the family of former champion sire Western Winter. He is also a half brother to recent US export, Egyptian Mau. It was another feature win for breeders Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein.
Laurence Wernars in his personal capacity as a breeder is enjoying a phenomenal season with 42.9% winners to runners percentage. Congratulations and looking forward to following these horses for the KZN season.
