Bold Eagle circles over Turffontein
GAVIN van Zyl described his Listed Storm Bird Stakes winner Bold Eagle as having a wonderful temperament and is now aiming him at the Grade 1 SA Nursery over 1160m at Turffontein on May 5 and at the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion over 1200m at Scottsville on May 26. “Nothing phases him,” said Van Zyl. It looked that way on Saturday as Bold Eagle travelled comfortably up with the lead and then showed a fine turn of foot to win easing up by 3,5 lengths under Anthony Delpech.
His time for the 1000m of 58,4 seconds was not only 0,84 seconds quicker than the two-year-old fillies in the Listed Ruffian Stakes, but also 0,3 seconds quicker than the older females in the Listed Bauhinia Handicap.
He provided a first South African stakes winner for his sire Bold Silvano, whom he resembles closely.
Bold Eagle
Gill Thompson bred Bold Eagle and Ashley Parker of Port Elizabeth’s Ascot Stud sold him on her behalf to Van Zyl at the National yearling Sales for R210,000.
The exciting news is he has a yearling full-sister on the ground, the last foal his dam Inflorescence produced. Thompson owned Bold Silvano outright until selling a share in him to Sheik Mohammend Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum shortly before his famous Vodacom Durban July victory for the Mike de Kock yard in 2010.
It was the only July ever run on the last Saturday of July as opposed to the first as it had to fit in with the World Cup football program, so the build-up that year was particularly intriguing as horses had a month extra to qualify.
Parker said Bold Silvano was not getting as much support as he originally did as Ascot Stud's new sire Global View had been sent 105 and 134 mares respectively in his first two seasons. However, he said he was still popular. He said, “They like him as he produces smart horses, and his two-year-olds this year have been especially good. Breeders find out which mares suit stallions so their success rate gets better all the time.”
Bold Silvano’s sire Silvano is known for producing horses who get better and better with age.
However, he himself was quite precocious, winning on debut in the March of his two-year-old year over 1 100m and later winning the Grade 3 Champion Juvenile Cup over 1 400m.
He looks to be imparting speed and some precociousness to his progeny too.
Inflorescence
Bold Eagle’s dam Inflorescence is by Western Winter and won second time out as a two-year-old over 1 200m and followed up by finishing second in the Listed Lady’s Slipper Stakes over 1 400m, so she also had speed and precocity.
Her only subsequent place was over 1 800m, so Bold Eagle should go further in time and is an exciting prospect. The handsome bay is owned by Nick Kokkoris.