BERRY Blaze, one of the best pedigreed mares in the country,  has been retired to stud and will be covered by Western Winter.

The Irish-bred, Wilgerbosdrift-owned five-year-old mare, formerly trained by Mike de Kock,  is by the prolific stakes winner-producing sire Danehill Dancer out of a Sadler’s Wells mare that is a full-sister to Epsom Oaks winner Imagine and a half-sister to Epsom Derby winner and Irish Horse Of The Year Generous.

Berry Blaze.

The strapping bay promised much after flying up from a hopeless position, after being slowly away, to finish second to the brilliant Beach Beauty in the Grade 2 KRA Guineas at Greyville as a young three-year-old.

However, her career was twice interrupted by injury and she was continually disappointing.

She ended with two wins from 1200 – 1400m, a third in the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 and two Gr 2 seconds over 1600m and 1 800m respectively.

Among other recent Wilgerbosdrift-owned retirees, the Grade 3-winning Jet Master mare Halfway To Heaven will go to Ideal World, Jet Master filly Themis will go Tiger Ridge and Silvano mare September Moon will go to Noordhoek Flyer.

Wilgerbosdrift owner Mary Slack’s favourite mare Ilha da Vitoria is in foal to Dynasty and will visit Silvano this season, while her stakes winning daughter Ilha Grande foaled down to Silvano last month and will now go to Trippi. – David Thiselton, Gold Circle.