BIG WEEKEND FOR THE UNITED STATES 27 Feb 2023 09:09
Moutonshoek’s red
hot resident sire The United States enjoyed a quick feature race double over
the weekend, with the sire’s son Khaya’s Hope claiming Friday’s Listed Ibhayi
Stakes and daughter The Charleston taking out Saturday’s Bloodstock SA Sales
Cup (Fillies) (1200m) the following day.
An impressive winner over 1000m last time out, the Candice Bass-Robinson
trained The Charleston caught the eye with a smashing performance in Saturday’s
Kenilworth feature.
Dropped out to the back of the field by jockey Grant Van Niekerk, The
Charleston came with a strong late rattle to get up close home and snare the
first prize of R250 000 by a length and a half.
Bred by the Boland Stud, The Charleston has now won twice from just four starts
and is yet to finish out of the first four.
The Charleston, who is out of the Oratorio mare Swift Dancer, was a R140 000
buy from the 2022 Cape Yearling Sale.
She is the first winner to have emerged from her G1 Ranvet Stakes winning
sire’s third crop, with The United States’ first crop headed by speedy G2
4Racing SA Nursery winner Sheela
The United States has also made a fine impression with his second crop
including not only the aforementioned Khaya’s Hope, but also G3 Sea Cottage
Stakes winner Billy Bowlegs, G3 Tab4Racing Victory Moon Stakes runner up East
Coast and the classy Without Question. The latter went close to providing his
sire with yet more feature race success when he finished third in the G1
Splashout Cape Derby on Saturday.
Both Billy Bowlegs and East Coast have been entered for the R1 500 000 G1 WSB
Classic.
The United States’ great run continued on Sunday when his Wilgerbosdrift
consigned son Palancar (Lot 97) was knocked down to Form Bloodstock for R850
000 to top the 2023 Cape Yearling Sale.