Wilgerbosdrift’s exciting young stallion Hawwaam gained a further update to his pedigree page when his full-brother Celestial City won at the Vaal on Thursday. A R7 000 000 yearling buy, the Sean Tarry trained Celestial City was given a patient ride by Kabelo Matsunyane, who timed his ride to perfection in Thursday’s race.
Racing off the pace early on, four-year-old Celestial City powered into the front and stayed on nicely to score by just under a length. Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, Celestial City has now won three of his last four starts.
The colt, who sports a stallion’s pedigree, has now won four of just nine starts, with Celestial City having finished unplaced just once in his career thus far.
A son of five times Champion South African Sire Silvano, Celestial City is one of five winners produced by the Jet Master sired G3 Prix Du Cap/Listed Off To Stud Handicap winner Halfway To Heaven. The latter, South Africa’s Broodmare Of The Year on three occasions, is also the dam of South Africa’s Horse Of The Year in 2020-2021 Rainbow Bridge, G1 ARF Commemorative Cape Derby/G1 WSB Champions Cup winner Golden Ducat and the outstanding Hawwaam.
The latter, who shares his sire with star sire Vercingetorix, was South Africa’s Equus Champion 3YO Colt of 2018-2019, and won 10 of just 13 starts. Hawwaam, who earned more than R6.769 million in prize money, won five G1 races including the G1 Daily News 2000, a race won previously by such outstanding stallions as Dynasty and the aforementioned Vercingetorix.
Bred on the same Silvano/Jet Master cross as fellow G1 winners Kilindini, Silvano’s Pride and Silver Darling, Hawwaam will be represented by his first yearlings in 2024.