South African Eightfold Path Produces First Winner
Scott Bros’ Giant’s Causeway stallion Eightfold Path produced his first winner at Turffontein, when the Roy Magner trained Brigtnumberten got off the mark on his sixth career start. Ridden by Gavin Lerena, he showed his characteristic speed before holding on to beat the highly regarded Hampton Court by just under two lengths in a time of 58.41 secs for the 1000m.
The only son of Giant’s Causeway at stud in South Africa, Eightfold Path won the Gr.3 Prix Eclipse on his third and final start at two years of age for Pascal Bary before missing out on his attempt at the French 2,000 Guineas the following year through injury. The four-time winner is the first foal of the exceptional French filly Divine Proportions, who carried the Niarchos colours to ten victories, including five at Gr.1 level. She hails from a lovely sire-producing female line, the likes of Shirley Heights and Pentire, Champion Sires in their own right – with Konigstiger and Whipper also featuring prominently in sires lists in Europe.
Divine Proportions has since produced a number of winners, including the Listed-placed Galileo colt Diodorus, who is in training with Aidan O’Brien. Eightfold Path, whose first crop are now three years of age, has over 160 foals on the ground and stands at a fee of R10,000.