Ridgemont Highlands’ G1 Computaform Sprint winning sire Rafeef came up with his first graded stakes winner when his promising son William Robertson captured the G3 Tony Ruffel Stakes (1400m) at Turffontein on Saturday.
Third in last year’s G1 Premiers Champion Stakes, the Rafeef gelding was given a fine ride from an inform Ryan Munger.
Munger sent his mount to the front as the field jumped, with William Robertson going out to make the pace.
However, William Robertson came under pressure close home, and appeared beaten 300m from home.
The Corne Spies trained three-year-old, under a strong ride from Munger, fought back gallantly in the closing stages, before going on to score by a short head.
Bred by Ridgemont Highlands, William Robertson (a R500 000 buy from the 2020 National 2YO Sale) has now won three of just seven starts.
His sire Rafeef, himself a son of legendary Australian sire Redoute’s Choice, was not only South Africa’s Leading First Season Sire of 2020-2021 but is also the country’s Leading Second Season Sire of 2021-2022.
A full-brother to champion Mustaaqeem, Rafeef has six lots on offer at the upcoming Cape Premier Yearling Sale.
