One of the best equine advertisements for the importance of the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate is current red-hot young sire Gimmethegreenlight (More Than Ready).
Standing at Varsfontein Stud, Gimmethegreenlight, who won the LQP back in 2012, ended 2015-2016 as South Africa’s Leading First Crop Sire and is currently one of the most exciting young sires at stud in the country.

The Australian bred sensation has already made waves this season, with his runners including the once defeated Gr3 Daily Sun Magnolia Handicap winner Green Pepper. With restricted races’ prize money included, Gimmethegreenlight sired runners have already banked over R3 million in stakes this season, and their sire ranks above such sires as Jet Master, Western Winter and Var (according to Sporting Post statistics).

Green Pepper is one of three graded winners to have emerged from Gimmethegreenlight’s first crop, with others including Equus nominee and Gr1 Premier’s Champion Stakes hero Gunner and Gr2 Umkhomazi Stakes winner Hack Green.

To date, Gimmethegreenlight’s first crop includes 30 winners, including the stakes performer Skip The Red, and Bloodstock SA Million Mile hero Legend. The latter has won or placed in four of his five outings to date and has already banked over R690 000 in prize money.

His sire scored the greatest win of his career when storming home under Piere Strydom to land the 2012 Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate, over subsequent LQP winner, and dual Horse Of The Year Variety Club (Var).

Other notable performers beaten by the charismatic “Gimme” that day included Gr1 Investec Cape Derby winner Bravura (Silvano), multiple Gr1 winning filly Ebony Flyer (Jet Master) and former Equus Champion Link Man (Toreador).

A half brother to G1 winning filly Ofcourseican (Mossman), Gimmethegreenlight won or placed in 12 of his 13 outings, with his other victories including the Listed Somerset 1200m at two. He also finished third to champion Igugu (Galileo), as a three-year-old, in the Gr1 J&B Met, and third in the Gr1 Premier’s Champion Stakes.

The question must be asked –how long before a son or daughter of Gimmethegreenlight emulates their sire and wins the Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate!