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Two-year old Octagonal colt Suntagonal, the product of Arrowfield broodmare Urge to Merge, won the Gr.1 Greyville Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1400m for 2YOs in South Africa on the weekend. Suntagonal became the second Arrowfield graduate to win this prestigious race after the Geiger Counter colt Rarotonga Treaty (South African Champion 2YO Colt 1996/97) in 1997. 

A two-time veteran of the Inglis sale ring, Suntagonal made $55,000 at the 2000 Easter Weanling sale and $80,000 a year later. Already the winner of the Gr.3 Protea Stakes and second in the Gr.1 Gold Medallion, Suntagonal underlined his claims to being declared the country’s Champion Two-Year-Old Colt by winning the Premier’s Champion Stakes. 

Suntagonal’s dam Urge To Merge is a full-sister to former South African Champion sprinter, Tracy’s Element. Her third foal, a filly by outstanding sire End Sweep, was sold by Arrowfield at this year’s Magic Millions Yearling Sale for $205,000. The filly was purchased by Phil Gunter and Bruce Cook of Riverend Park and has recently been broken in and will be trained by Brian Mayfield – Smith. 

Arrowfield stallion Dehere was again in the news on the weekend when his USA bred 3YO son Easyfromthegitgo won the valuable (worth US$150,000 to the winner) Listed Iowa Derby over 1700m. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Easyfromthegitgo has been mixing it with the best of his generation this year and ran a respectable fifth to War Emblem in the Gr.1 Preakness Stakes. The Iowa Derby was the second stakes win for the season for Easyfromthegitgo having previously won the Listed Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds in January. 

By: Mark Smith 

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