Wilgerbosdrift’s exciting young sire Hawwaam gained a further update to his pedigree with his full-brother Celestial City scoring a courageous win at the Vaal on Tuesday afternoon. The four-year-old made amends for a rare poor performance last time out when storming home to win the sixth and final race on a card shortened by excessive lightning.
Under a brilliant ride from Kabelo Matsunyane, Celestial City weaved his way from the back of the field to get up and win going away by a neck. The Sean Tarry trained colt has been the soul of consistency thus far, with Celestial City having won or been placed in seven of his eight starts.
A R7 000 000 yearling purchase, the Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein bred colt is out of G3 Prix du Cap/Off To Stud Handicap victress Halfway To Heaven, South Africa’s Broodmare Of The Year in 2018-2019, 2019-2020 and 2020-2021.
Her outstanding son Hawwaam was an exceptional racehorse, and Equus Champion 3YO Colt of 2018-2019. The son of five times South African champion sire Silvano earned more than R6.6 million on the track, with Hawwaam’s 10 career wins, from just 13 starts, including back to back triumphs in the G1 Champions Challenge, as well as wins in the G1 SA Classic, G1 Daily News 2000 and G1 H F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes.
Hawwaam, whose first foals arrived to rave reviews, shares his outstanding sire with current boom stallion Vercingetorix, with the latter already responsible for eight black type winners this season. The brilliant Vercingetorix, who, like Hawwaam, won the G1 Daily News 2000, also dominated proceedings at the recent National Yearling Sale, where his yearlings made up to R2 400 000.