Baramul Stud owner Gerry Harvey bred a couple of potential Group 1 winners in Australia and South Africa on Saturday.
His homebred filly Kittens won the G3 SAJC Chairmans Stakes at Morphettville and is on course to beat the colts again in the upcoming GI SAJC Derby.
And at Turffontein, Delago Deluxe completed a hat-trick with an impressive victory in the G2 SA Nursery. The unbeaten colt will be favoured to win at Group 1 level when trainer Charles Laird takes him to Durban for the Kwa-Zulu winter carnival.
Kittens (3f Redoute’s Choice – St. Katherine by Barathea) was a Listed winner of the SAJC Hill Smith Stakes in the spring before finishing fourth Brazilian Pulse in the G1 VRC Oaks.
The Mark Kavanagh trained filly is a half-sister to G3 winner Saint Encosta and comes from the same family as Public Holiday (Choisir) who also won at Morphettville on Saturday. Their dam St. Katherine has a colt and a filly by Redoute’s Choice in the pipeline and she covered by Encosta De Lago late last year.
Kittens defeated Backgammon (Domesday) and Echoes Of Heaven (Encosta De Lago) in the Chairmans Stakes. The third placegetter is a half-sister to her sire Redoute’s Choice.
Arrowfield champion Redoute’s Choice leads the Australian sires’ premiership for stakes winners this season with 12 black-type winners. He will stand for a $132,500 fee in 2011.
Delago Deluxe maintained his unbeaten record with a fighting performance at Turffontein. He was headed by Midnight Serenade and they pulled well clear while duelling all the way to the line.
Delago Deluxe (2c Encosta de Lago – Succeeding by Flying Spur) pulled out something extra to forge ahead and it could well be the making of him. He had already hinted at champion potential when cruising home in his two previous starts and Saturday’s victory proved there are fighting qualities to go with his undoubted natural ability.
The Australian bred colt is trained by Laird for major stable clients Ingrid and Markus Jooste. He was one of the most admired lots at the 2010 Gold Coast Magic Millions and had a $550,000 price-tag to match his looks.
The Joostes had already enjoyed Group success with Coolmore sire Encosta De Lago. They raced Dan De Lago who was a G2 winner of the 2009 Gold Circle Derby at Turffontein.
Delago Deluxe’s dam Succeeding is one of five winners from outstanding broodmare Staging. She is also the dam of G1 winners Duporth (Red Ransom), Excites (Danewin) and G2 winner Tickets (Redoute’s Choice).
Succeeding has since foaled fillies by Hussonet and More Than Ready and was served by Encosta de Lago last year.