Varsfontein Stud’s beautifully-bred son of Captain Al with an equally beautiful temperament, Erik The Red, launched his stallion career on the weekend with a debut winner on Saturday at Turffontein, followed up with a filly winning on Sunday at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.
Out of Covenant by Western Winter, Erik The Red’s first winner was Varsfontein Stud-bred Tenjiku, for the stable of Alec Laird. Tenjiku is out of Master Of My Fate mare Kawakami, and has a full sister on offer at the upcoming BSA Cape Yearling Sale as Lot 43 consigned by Varsfontein.
Tenjiku. Image: JC Photos
It is an interesting pedigree as Erik The Red, a Varsfontein-bred himself, is related to Master Of My Fate through his second dam Secret Pact. It is a famed South African family, that has produced the likes of London News, Malmoos, Hashtagyolo, American sire Pluck, Hack Green, Lady Brompton, Eton Square and Ecstatic Green.
Polar Light won on Sunday for the stable of Paul Lafferty under apprentice Jacey Botes. Out of Gimmethegreenlight mare Different Light, it is another prominent family of Varsfontein that has produced Kiss Again, Kilindini, Kiss Again, Black Thorn, Second Base and Top Jet.
Both horses, Tenjiku and Polar Light were consigned and sold at the 2024 Cape Yearling Sale and both horses earned their connections the BSA Maiden Juvenile Series Bonus of R100 000 each.
Polar Light. Image: Candiese Lenferna
Erik The Red won six times over 900m-1400m, including the Gr2 Merchants and Gr2 Umkhomazi Stakes and placed in the Gr1 Golden Horse Medallion. Voted Cape Champion 2YO Colt, he won the Gr3 Cape of Good Hope Nursery, Listed Somerset 1200 and Listed Summer Juvenile Stakes. He also placed in the Gr2 Golden Horseshoe.
Amongst the horses Erik The Red accounted for on the track were the likes of export Garrulous, Nourbese, Rascallion and Gr1 winners Rio Querari, MK’s Pride and Tempting Fate.
His top sales price to date was at the 2024 National Yearling Sale, where a filly named Blue Lagoon sold for R1-million to Sabine Plattner Racing.
Erik The Red stood for a fee of R15 000 last season.
