It doesn't seem long ago that I was writing stories about exciting More Than Ready (USA) colt Gimmethegreenlight, who was racing up a storm in South Africa.
A $155,000 Magic Millions Weanling purchase from the Vinery Stud draft for
Hassen Adams on the advice of renowned bloodstock agent James Bester,
Gimmethegreenlight emerged as a top class performer for the Justin Snaith stableHe won six of 13 starts from 1000 to 1600 metres highlighted by a Group I win in the Kenilworh Queen's Plate and posted two other Group I thirds and two Group I fourths.
Retired to Varsfontein Stud, Gimmethegreenlight has proven a sensation siring 14 first crop winners last season including Gunner, winner of the Group I Premier's Champion Stakes at Greyville on Sunday and Hack Green, who won the Group II Umkhomazi Stakes at the same meeting.
Throw in another stakes horse in Skip the Red and you can see why this Aussie bred stallion is the talk of the South African breeding industry.
A superb individual, clearly stamped by his champion sire More Than Ready, Gimmethegreenlight was bred by Hunter Valley breeder David Bentata and is a half-brother to his Group I ATC Coolmore Classic winner Ofcourseican.
The dynamic Group I winning duo are from the very good Canny Lad producer Yes She Can Cancan, whose only other runners are stakes-placed Lucky Can Be, La Goulue and Longma.
Sadly for Mr Bentata, Yes She Can Cancan died in 2012, but her star daughter Ofcourseican is still in his ownership and is due to foal to Pierro this spring.
The success of Gimmethegreenlight is another feather in the cap for Vinery Stud's champion sire More Than Ready, who has already hit his stride in Australia as a sire of sires through his Golden Slipper winning son Sebring, now a leading sire for Widden Stud.
Judging by the flying start made by Gimmethegreenlight, he may well be the one that got away for Aussie breeders!
