Trainer Mike Bass has indicated that his champion sprinter What A Winter would be retired to stud after the G1 Mercury Sprint at Clairwood on July 13 where he will attempt to win the feature for a second successive time.

Bass was not sure whether the five-year-old entire, who is the highest rated racehorse in South Africa on a merit rating of 120, would run in the G1 Golden Horse Casino Sprint on May 25 as the race is a handicap that has not brought the best out of him in two previous attempts.

What A Winter is still in Cape Town at present and will join the yard’s Champion’s Season team in KZN later.

Bass had had some logistical problem getting the string to KZN here this year.

He had some horses in his satellite yard at Clairwood, but was unable to get them back to Cape Town due to African Horse Sickness related travel restrictions.

“Due to the new merit rating restrictions I wasn’t able to race them either, so they just stood there twiddling their thumbs for two months,” he said.

Bass has been able to move some of these horses to Port Elizabeth at “great expense”.

Currently 10 of his Champions Season are Abercrombie, Hammie’s Hooker, Tevez, Grasp Your Destiny, River Crossing, Hammies Dynasty, Northern Heritage, Jeppes Reef, Daily Flight and Enchanting Cathy.

Bass is uncertain if Hammie’s Hooker will be ready for the G2 KRA Fillies Guineas on May 4 at Greyville and was not sure whether Abercrombie, a close up fifth in the Cape Derby, would go for the G1 Daily News 2000 on June 1 at Greyville or the Betting World Derby over 2400m on June 23 at Clairwood.