Ridgemont’s G1 Computaform Sprint winning sire Rafeef had another big payday at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday when his son Thunderstruck won the G2 Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes.
Runner up in the G1 World Pool Cape Flying Championship last time out, the Sean Tarry-trained Thunderstruck was sent off favourite to win Saturday’s R600 000 race and he duly obliged.
Always up with the pace in Saturday’s 1200m contest, the four-year-old appeared beaten close home, but, under an inspired ride from Richard Fourie, fought back gamely to win a shade cosily by a long neck.
Bred by Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm, Thunderstruck was a R1 000 000 buy from the 2021 National Yearling Sale before making R1 241 000 at the 2022 May Online Auction.
The colt has now won six of 16 starts and he has earned R1 841 938 in stakes.
Thunderstruck, victorious in the 2022 G1 Gold Medallion, is out of the Var mare Varikate and he is thus bred on the same Rafeef/Var cross as G1 winning sire Master Archie.
A son of triple Australian Champion Sire Redoute’s Choice and South African champion National Colour, Rafeef was South Africa’s Leading First Season Sire of 2020-2021.
The Ridgemont resident is having another fine season in 2023-2024, with his other stakes winners this season including Aragosta, Mrs Browning, Juliet Tango and Troppo Veloce.
