Val De Ra, Frankel foal is on the way

CHAMPION sprinter Val De Ra is due to foal to the mighty Frankel later this month but will give birth at the Drakenstein Stud’s quarantine facility rather than at Avontuur, which owns and bred her.

Avontuur general manager Pippa Mickleburgh explained: “She is due on October 26 and has to stay at Drakenstein, and foal there – that’s the quarantine law. She then has to have swabs and tests done before she is allowed back where she will be covered our stallion, Oratorio.”

This will be Val De Ra’s second foal. She already has a filly by top British sire Oasis Dream and this one was last week entered for next January’s Cape Premier Yearling Sale.

Mickleburgh said: “I don’t know whether she will go to the sale as a lot depends on whether the Frankel foal is a colt or a filly. If it’s a filly we can keep one and race one but if it’s a colt we will have to think carefully.

“We won’t have to sell both and nor will we have to race both.”

Val De Ra, daughter of Avontuur’s other resident stallion, Var, won 11 of her 13 starts including the 2102 Cape Flying Championship and her owner-breeders have left no stone unturned in their bid to breed her with the best. The visit to the two British stallions involved a three-month stay in Mauritius en route and cost a small fortune.

Oasis Dream’s fee is €85 000 (over R1,5 million) while Frankel, by common consent one of the greatest racehorses of all time, costs £125 000 (nearly R2,3 million).

In other breeding news Muhtafal has been retired from stud duties at the age of 22.

Bred and raced in the USA, the son of Mr Prospector won two races by wide margins over sprint distances during his career.

Muhtafal progressed to stakes company on his third racecourse appearance, where he started as favourite for the Grade 3 Kentucky Derby Trial.

He led champion sprinter Mr Greeley (sire of Grade 1 Middle Park winner Crusade, standing at Scott Bros) for most of the race and, despite suffering a career-ending injury, managed to finish a creditable fifth.

He began his stud career at Shadwell Farm in Kentucky before relocating to South Africa, where he spent time at Summerhill Stud before taking up residence at Spring Valley Stud.

Muhtafal proved popular in South Africa. One of the best sons of Mr Prospector to stand in the southern hemisphere, he produced blacktype winners and performers including Grade 1 winners Disappear, Let’s Rock ‘N Roll as well as Thunder Key, First Again and KZN Breeders inaugural Million Mile winner Knock On Wood. He also produced Grade 1 Dubai World Cup-placed Paris Perfect.

The sire of 439 horses to race, he produced an incredible 312 winners (71%) with earnings of over $13 million. They included 29 stakes winners and 25 stakes placegetters.

Bruce and Delia Le Roux of Spring Valley Stud said: “Muhtafal has been a great servant and truly owes us nothing. The KwaZulu-Natal Breeders and all at Spring Valley are truly grateful for the support from His Highness Sheikh Hamdan and Shadwell.”

Muhtafal will continue to reside at Spring Valley Stud in his retirement. – GoldCir

cle,KZNBreeder