Daily News – A Legacy Of Excellence
| 1 | 1 | Cousin Casey | 60 | 122 | A | Grant van Niekerk | Glen Kotzen | |
| 2 | 2 | street art | 60 | 88 | A | Dennis Schwarz | Tony Peter | |
| 3 | 3 | Without question | 60 | 119 | A | Richard Fourie | Justin Snaith | |
| 4 | 4 | east coast | 60 | 112 | A | Keagan de Melo | Mike de Kock | |
| 5 | 5 | Anfields rocket | 60 | 120 | B.A | Luyolo Mxothwa | Grant Maroun | |
| 6 | 6 | dave the king | 60 | 122 | A | Craig Zackey | Mike de Kock | |
| 7 | 7 | Watch it again | 60 | 124 | B.A | Piere Strydom | Michael Roberts | |
| 8th | 8th | son of Raj | 60 | 115 | B.A | Muzi Yeni | Weiho Marwing | |
| 9 | 9 | River Romeo | 60 | 84 | A | Serino Moodley | Paul Matchett | |
| 10 | 10 | cobbler | 60 | 114 | A | Aldo Domeyer | Mike de Kock | |
| Same trainer | ||||||||
| (4,6,10) | ||||||||
The Gr1 Daily News 2000 has proven to be an excellent barometer of horse quality.
Recent winners have included Safe Passage, Got The Greenlight, Hawwaam and Edict Of Nantes – all of whom were later named Equus Champions.
Surcharge wins the 2018 Daily News
Surcharge (Gimmethegreenlight), winner of the Daily News 2000 2018, arguably reached even greater heights when, under the name of Yulong Prince, he captured the 2020 Gr1 Kennedy Cantala in Australia.
However, the real lasting legacy of the Daily News may be the quality of the stallions the race has produced.
Elevation, who won at Dick King Stakes nomination, went on to become champion sires in South Africa, while champion Bush Telegraph, victorious in 1987, trailed a string of stakes winners led by Horse Of The Year and his fellow stallions Daily News Winner of the Year 2000, London News.
Her multiple contestant sister Secret Pact (Bush Telegraph) has developed into a very influential broodmare, with Secret Pact being the dam or ancestor of a number of top-class horses including Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Pluck (More Than Ready) and To name just two: the Triple Crown winner Malmoos.
Secret Pact is also granddam to Gr2 Premier Trophy/Gr2 Peninsula Handicap winner Master Of My Fate (Jet Master), one of South Africa’s most successful stallions currently active at stud.
Arguably the best two stallions to emerge from the 2000 Daily News are 2003 winner Dynasty (Fort Wood) and 2013 winner Vercingetorix (Silvano).
1994 Gr1 Daily News – Imperial Despatch beats Rusty Pelican
Former Horse of the Year Dynasty, whose flag-bearers this season include two Gr1 winners, Desert Miracle and Make It Snappy, made a big impression himself on the Daily News 2000.
Not only did the champion win the Daily News 2000, but Dynasty also sired a trio of Daily News 2000 winners in Jackson, Legislate and Irish Flame.
All three remained at stud, with Legislate and Irish Flame winning Horse of the Year in 2013–2014 and 2009–2010 respectively.
Legislate charges clearly to win Gr1 Daily News 2000
Jackson and Legislate have both sired numerous stakes winners, with Legislate doing particularly well with a small number of bottomed foals.
Dynasty is also the sire of Champion Futura, South Africa’s Horse of the Year 2014-2015, and an increasingly successful sire whose stakes winners this season include Gr3 Politician Stakes winner Rockpool (who finished third at the caused a stir on Saturday). Gr3 WSB Legal Eagle Stakes), the impressive Gr3 WSB Gold Bowl winner Future Pearl, as well as the likes of Dawnofanewday, Ekoria and Thefutureisbright.
Another Dynasty son, Gr1 Cape Guineas winner Act Of War, is the sire of Friday-listed WSB East Cape Derby hero Machete Man, as well as champion War Of Athena and Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint winner 2021 Battle Force.
Champion Vercingetorix has proven to be an excellent sire since retiring from the breeding farm in 2015.
The son of five-time South African champion sire Silvano has already sired seven Gr1 winners, with Vercingetorix offspring ranging from Gr1 sprint winner Alesian Chief to champion stayer Nebraas.
Big things are expected of Cousin Casey on Saturday (Image – Chase Liebenberg)
His champion son, cousin Casey, will represent Vercingetorix in the big race on Saturday.
Elusive Fort is another victorious Daily News 2000 champion who has had a successful stud career.
The three-time Gr1 winner has left behind a host of quality artists, most notably Gr1 winners Siren’s Call, Out Of Your League and Kommetdieding.
The latter, winner of Gr1 Vodacom Durban July 2021 and Gr1 WSB Cape Town Met 2022, will seek to carry on his father’s legacy with Kommetdieding completing his first season at Klawervlei Stud this year.
