It’s raining success at Gaynor Rupert’s Drakenstein Stud

If Gaynor Rupert is sitting on the verandah at Drakenstein Stud in Franschhoek humming the Ronettes hit Walking in the Rain, it is completely understandable. This year — and notably in March — has seen her breeding operation produce results more in keeping with Wall Street.    

Her husband, Johann Rupert, is a renowned businessman but his wife might mention to him: “Do you know we’ve bred three of the current top four horses in SA? Not too shabby.”

The trio are Jet Dark, Safe Passage and Rain In Holland. This is where the “rain” angle comes in for Mrs Rupert as the latter is a home-bred daughter of Duke Of Marmalade, who will win the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara if successful in the final leg of the series at Turffontein on Saturday.

If you’re in the bloodstock industry, you are subjected to a rollercoaster ride and the downside can be distressing. That was exactly what Drakenstein experienced with the sudden death of their 17-year-old stallion Duke Of Marmalade in November last year.

A month earlier “The Duke”, winner of five grade 1 races overseas, had been retired on veterinary advice and looked set for some relaxing days in horse heaven.

That his daughter, Rain In Holland, is keeping his name in the headlines is fitting and, if the antepost betting is accurate, glasses will be raised at the stud on Saturday night.

“We wouldn’t miss it for the world and we are all very excited,” was the message this week from racing manager Kevin Sommerville.

Apart from Rain In Holland, who now boasts seven wins from 11 starts, March has been good to another Drakenstein stallion, What A Winter, with the progeny of the four-time grade 1 winner producing four winners in three days.

It’s said that timing is everything in the bloodstock world, so Drakenstein’s fortunes have peaked at just the right time with the National Yearling Sales in Germiston just a month away (April 28 and 29).

Drakenstein will consign 22 yearlings to the sale and they include some choicely bred youngsters out of well-performed mares.

One colt who jumps out of the catalogue is a Vercingetorix colt out of Siren’s Call who had a distinguished career in the care of Sean Tarry. The former champion trainer will be keen to run his expert eye over this youngster.

Piere Strydom rode Siren’s Call for much of her career and, in 2015, only a short-head (in favour of Pine Princess) in the Oaks prevented the filly from winning the Triple Tiara.

The next progeny of Rain In Holland’s dam, Imvula, was a William Longsword colt knocked down to John Freeman for R225,000 at the 2021 CTS Premier Yearling Sale. Imagine the price if the same pedigree was to be offered next month.

We continue the “rain” theme here as the colt is called Itsrainingwilliam and will hopefully progress from the two moderate starts he has made for the Snaith stable.

Here are some other choicely bred yearlings destined for next month’s sale:

• A Vercingetorix colt out of grade 1 winner Little Miss Magic.

• A Gimmethegreenlight colt out of eight-time winner Lanner Falcon.

• A Trippi colt out of American mare Lebombo Breeze.

• A Silvano colt out of seven-time winner Jet Belle.

• A What A Winter colt out of the Trippi mare Rain In Africa.

• A Duke Of Marmalade colt out of Serruria, a half-brother to Seville Orange.

• A Lancaster Bomber colt out of Miss Katelin.

• A Querari colt out of the Pivotal mare Pin Turn.

The omens are there for the sums to please Gaynor Rupert when the hammer comes down on the last of the 451 National Sale lots.

It is an understatement to say the lady is an asset to both racing and breeding. Her  passion with her own personal Ascot — the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate in January — is there for everyone to see.

Yet she remains focused on the wider picture. In a rare interview three years ago she said: “One of things we [her husband and herself] appreciate about the industry is that it is a high employer of people and it nurtures important skills. We need to find ways to employ more people in SA, so the growth of our industry is paramount.”