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WILL it be second time lucky for Got The Greenlight? Twelve months ago, the Champion son of Gimmethegreenlight chased home Alec and Gillian Foster's Belgarion in the 2020 Vodacom Durban July. This time, the son of Gimmethegreenlight is favourite to win the country's premier race, which will again be run in front of empty Greyville stands.
The dual Champion enters the iconic 2200m race off a fine Gr.1 double in the HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut and Premier's Champion Challenge and should he succeed in his second attempt, he will surely be in line for a third Equus Award, not to mention Horse of the Year honours.
The four-year-old spearheads his sire's three-pronged attack, which also features the filly She's A Keeper, who defeated the boys in the Gr.2 Greyville 1900, a race won in the past by such exalted July winners as the immortal Sea Cottage, Mazarin, the exceptional racemares Tecla Bluff and Devon Air and of course Belgarion, who completed the double in 2020.
Rounding out Gimmethegreenlight's treble is Varsfontein-bred Johnny Hero. He secured himself a place in the race with a gutsy victory in the Gr.3 Jubilee Handicap.
INDIRA'S LEGACY CONTINUES
THE Jubilee Handicap success of Johnny Hero brought back fond memories of his third dam Indira (pictured above).
The daughter of Preamble II became one of Varsfontein's foundation mares following an outstanding career on the track capped by victory in the Gr.1 Cape of Good Hope Paddock Stakes.
At stud she gave us the outstanding sprinter Marie Galante, who won us two renewals of the Gr.1 SA Fillies Sprint. A filly of exquisite quality, Marie was by our grand little stallion Mexico II, as were her stakes winning full brothers Crown Agent and Rajiv and stakes-placed half-brother Tocqueville.
Johnny Hero's dam is her Caesour grandaughter Koboshi, whose siblings include the Gr.3-placed Wawona (Northern Guest) and Puppet King (Elliodor).
GIMME DUO DOMINATE SPRINT
GIMMETHEGREENLIGHT juveniles dominated the Listed Perfect Promise Sprint at Kenilworth, with victory going to Mercury Rising. Last at the quarter mark, she motored home and ran down stable companion and paternal half-sister Kwinta's Light to get up on the line.
Her dam, the Gr.2-placed Captain Al mare Earth's Orbit was offered in foal to Legislate at the recent Cheveley Stud Farm Sale, where she fetched top price of R320,000.
GATECRASHER REDEMPTION
Cosmic Highway wins the Gatecrasher.
GIMMETHEGREENLIGHT's juvenile son Cosmic Highway added to his sire's purple patch with a scarcely believable victory in the Listed Gatecrasher Stakes at Greyville.
Dean Kannemeyer's charge, who had lost his unbeaten record when third in the Gr.3 Godolphin Barb Stakes, cornered way off the pace but rose to the challenge and powered home to snatch victory on the line.
It was a second stakes success for the Khaya Stable-owned colt, to go along with his win in the Gr.3 Cape of Good Hope Nursery, where he comfortably beat subsequent Gr.1 Gold Medallion winner Ambiorix.
Kannemeyer indicated afterwards that the colt may return for the Gr.1 Premier's Champion Stakes on the final day of July.
DOUBLE FOR MASTER OF MY FATE
MASTER OF MY FATE emulated his barnmate as he too, tasted stakes success not once, but twice in the space of just a week. Four-year-old son Master Supreme was first off the mark when he landed the Listed Port Elizabeth Gold Cup whilst making his debut for the Gavin Smith stable. Formerly based on the Highveld, the four-year-old ventured into uncharted waters, never having run over the two-mile trip. |
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However, off a postage bottom weight, he took the lead 2000m out and was never headed to hold off the Foster homebred Strathdon, a proven stayer foaled and raised at Varsfontein.
Master Of My Fate notched up a stakes double in June.
Three-year-old Pretty Betty completed her sire's stakes double with a fine display of front-running élan in the Kenilworth's Ladies Mile. Mike Stewart's charge took the lead shortly after the start and was unfazed by the boggy conditions as she dictated matters to win with ears pricked. This first stakes success capped a four-win streak for the progressive filly bred by part-owner Peter de Beyer.
Stewart remarked afterwards: “The small field was to her advantage as they left her alone up front. She enjoyed it and is obviously a good sort to win four in a row. When summer comes around, she will be a stunning filly.”
OLEKSANDRA GOES OUT WITH A BANG
TEAM Valor's Oleksandra, a daughter of Varsfontein-bred Alexandra Rose, closed out her racing career with a sensational victory over male rivals in Belmont Park's Gr.3 Poker Stakes.
The now seven-year-old mare looped the field from 20 lengths off the pace to get up on the line, while covering the mile turf trip in a snappy 1 minute 32.11.
Remarkably, she had earned her Gr.1 spurs at the track with a similar last-to-first victory in last June's Jaipur Stakes.
Adding further cachet to her swan song, she is currently in foal to leading American sire Into Mischief. The eight-time winner heads to the broodmare paddocks boasting a truly international pedigree.
Bred in Australia, she was sired by Team Valor's Kentucky Derby, and Dubai World Cup winner Animal Kingdom, out of a South African and American stakes winner sired by American-bred Caesour.
Oleksandra gets up on the line in the Poker.
SIRES TITLE WITHIN REACH
AS we enter the final month of the 2020/21 racing season, Gimmethegreenlight looks virtually assured of a first General Sires Title.
According to latest NHRA statistics, he enjoys a commanding lead of almost R2-million over What A Winter, with Master Of My Fate in third.
Gimmethegreenlight has enjoyed a spectacular season and is also the leading sire of three-year-olds, with Master Of My Fate currently in second place.
The juvenile sires title looks set to go down to the wire. Leading contenders What A Winter and Gimmethegreenlight are currently engaged in a fierce tussle and the season's final feature races could prove to be the decider as to who will wear the crown.
Pictures courtesy of Candiese Lenferna, Gold Circle, JC Photos, Jeremy Nelson and Chelsea Durant.
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