Susan Rowett and John Kalmanson’s Varsfontein Stud dominated the Gr3 TOTE Oaks at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Saturday, with five of the eight-horse field bred by the Paarl-based champion breeders — including the first two past the post, led by She’s A Bomber.
A farm renowned for its outstanding broodmare band, brimming with Black Type pedigrees, Varsfontein has seen the strength of these bloodlines materialise in remarkable success. Colts born and raised on the farm have returned as stallions to their magnificent stallion barn — among them Erik The Red, Master Of My Fate, and Sandringham Summit — under the expert management of Carl De Vos.
Varsfontein Stud owned three of the Oaks runners — My Soul Mate, who helped deliver an exacta result for the farm, as well as Key Worker and Give Me Everything. Earlier in the day, the excitement began when Gimmie Rules — the Khaya Stables-bred full brother to July entry The Real Prince and star sprinter Gimme A Prince — won on debut for trainer Dean Kannemeyer.
Extraordinary broodmare Real Princess, who must surely be in line for an Equus Award, resides at Varsfontein Stud for owner Lady Laidlaw.
The Alyson Wright-trained She’s A Bomber, a daughter of the ill-fated and much-missed Lancaster Bomber, out of Judpot mare Head Of State, overcame a wide draw in gate five under Athandiwe Mgudlwa to win by 0.30 lengths over the 2400m trip. She was a R150,000 purchase off the BSA Cape Yearling Sale, signed for by Reynolds Chung and owned in partnership with Rikesh Sewgoolam. Originally named Lancaster House, her pedigree includes the likes of Silvano’s Jet, Baratheon, Priceless Asset, Bilateral and Little Miss Magic, among many other stakes winners too numerous to mention!
Varsfontein Stud currently sits third on the National Breeders Log with an impressive 47% winners-to-runners ratio and 20 Black Type wins this season. Their horses are producing an AEPR of R121,490 each. Saturday’s success marked the fourth career win for She’s A Bomber to date.
Congratulations to all concerned.
Text and images: Candiese Lenferna
Watch the race:
20250614 Hollywoodbets Scottsville Race 6 won by SHE’S A BOMBER
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