Wilgerbosdrift’s five time G1 winning stallion Hawwaam looks to have come up with two more promising sorts in the form of Durban Diamond and El Zani.
Two-year-old Durban Diamond made the perfect start to her career when making a winning debut at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday.
The Dennis Bosch trained filly ran on strongly, under Craig Zackey, to claim the www.galloptv.co.za Maiden Juvenile Plate (Fillies) by half a length.
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, Durban Diamond is out of the Querari mare Mill Queen.
The daughter of Hawwaam was a R275 000 buy from the 2025 KZN Yearling Sale.
Zackey said after the win, “She gave me a really good feel going down. I really like these Hawwaams, they have beautiful actions.”
Just two days later, another Hawwaam filly made a positive impression when the lightly raced El Zani won the second race at the Vaal.
Trained by Tony Peter, three-year-old El Zani built on a promising debut effort when she ran out a convincing winner of Tuesday’s Classic Day 7 March Maiden Plate (1000m).
Under Gavin Lerena, the daughter of Hawwaam romped home to shed her maiden by nearly two and a half lengths, while making just her second start.
Bred by Blue Sky Thoroughbreds, El Zani had caught the eye when finishing second over 1000m on debut.
El Zani hails from the first crop of champion Hawwaam, with this crop having already yielded 20 winners from 42 runners. Highly regarded winners to have emerged from Hawwaam’s initial crop include impressive recent winner Behave Harris, the aforementioned El Zani, feature race contender Touched By Angels, and the highly rated Hah Lah Lah. Other winners from this crop include Babette’s Feast, Delta Pride, Diogenes, Perfect Miracle, Read All About It, Russian Nobility, and Take It As Red. Hawwaam’s first crop is currently yielding 48% winners to runners and has the potential to increase still further.
The promising Durban Diamond was just the second two-year-old runner for her sire this season with Hawwaam’s only previous juvenile runner in 2025-2026, Just Carter, having finished second in two of just three starts.
The brilliant Hawwaam, who shares his champion sire Silvano with champion sire Vercingetorix, hails from a very happening family.
Himself a half-brother to former Horse Of The Year Rainbow Bridge and dual G1 winner Golden Ducat, Hawwaam hails from the same female line as this season’s G1 World Pool Cape Flying Championship winner Kingdundee and G2 Western Cape Fillies Championship winner Princess Of Gaul.
