BRILLIANT and versatile four-year-old colt Rafeef (AUS) will retire to stud at Highlands Farm, part of Ridgemont. He will stand at a stud fee of R50,000.

Jehan Malherbe of Form Bloodstock announced on Monday that Shadwell (Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum) will be retaining the majority of shares in the horse and wishes to make him available to South African breeders, rather than exporting him.

Rafeef after Computaform Sprint.

Rafeef, by sire of sires Redoute’s Choice (Snitzel, Stratum, Musket, Nadeem et al), from the former South African champion, three time Gr1 winner and internationally Gr1 placed mare National Colour, raced 10 times for six wins and three places, earning R1,19-million in stakes.

Rafeef won the 2017 Gr1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m with a riveting run from champion sprinters Carry On Alice and Talktothestars; and the Gr2 Hawaii Stakes over 1400m. In his only attempt over 1600m, Rafeef finished fourth to champion miler and Horse Of The Year Legal Eagle in the Gr1 Horse Chestnut Stakes.

Rafeef’s trainer Mike de Kock commented: “We knew from the start that Rafeef was an exceptionally talented horse gifted with brilliance. We saw only a glimpse of that in the Computaform Sprint and I have no doubt that he would have won many more Gr1’s had he been kept in training.  He has the ‘wow’ looks to go with his ‘wow’ ability.”

Craig Carey of Highlands thanked Malherbe for putting together, “a very nice group of shareholders” and said: “We are very pleased to have a horse of this calibre coming to the farm. Our special thanks must go to Mike de Kock, who fought hard for Rafeef to stay in South Africa.  This is a very exciting venture for us.”