The champagne corks were popping down in the beautiful Robertson valley on Friday with the Ridgemont team celebrating another sparkling performance by their stallions in two provinces, with their red-hot five-time Grade 1 winner Canford Cliffs the star of the show.
The local SA double-header commenced with a Fairview turf meeting, and after Canford Cliff’s midweek 1250m and 1800m double at Hollywoodbets Durbanville, the Royal Ascot star marked another versatility stamped two-timer.
First up it was the Ridgemont bred and raced Executor who grabbed her fourth career victory in the fifth, an MR 82 Handicap over the 1000m turf.
Ridden by Ridgemont retained jockey Richard Fourie, the 5yo Executor beat a mixed sex field with a hint of authority and has been a consistent earner. She is out of the prolific winner producing National Assembly seven-time winning Antonia’s Law, a class Ridgemont family!
A celebrated champion miler of his time and a five-time Gr1 winner, Canford Cliffs again demonstrated his versatility when his son Bournemouth recorded his eighth career success in the final event, a 2700m Pinnacle Stakes.
Out of the thrice-winning British-bred Galileo mare Serruria, Bournemouth is owned by Ridgemont and leased to Messrs D Cicognini, L Grammer, John Lamb, and Mr & Mrs Alan Greeff, who have enjoyed great fun with the gelding who has earned at 15 of his 24 starts, winning from a mile to 2700m!
Up on the East Coast, the Hollywoodbets Greyville day-night racemeeting produced more success for the Ridgemont stallion band!
After his outstanding feature double at Classic Day at Turffontein last Saturday, Rafeef (Redoute’s Choice) son Nelson Bay delivered a gutsy front-running performance to become former champion Andrew Fortune’s first winner in KZN in 8 years since coming in from the cold.
Now a four-time winner, Nelson Bay stayed on powerfully to win the 1400m B Stakes, and looks to have more to come.
Earlier in the evening it was Ridgemont’s Gr1 winning Singspiel stallion Potala Palace’s time to shine when the 3yo Serpentine Fire cracked his maiden in progressive fashion at his third start. Out of the eight-time winning Spectrum daughter Weekend Special, Serpentine Fire has improved in leaps and bounds since his January debut and looks one to follow.
Looking ahead to the sales, Canford Cliffs, a former Irish 2000 Guineas winner has a single lot on offer at the Premier Yearling Sale, and likewise a single lot on the National Yearling Sale.
Rafeef has 16 lots going through the ring at the CRS Premier Yearling Sale at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth this coming week, and a further 34 lots on the BSA National Yearling Sale in April.