Wasn’t it great to see South African-bred Distant Winter open her stateside campaign on a winning note late last week?
Gaynor Rupert – enjoying success internationally (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
It was very much a case of patience rewarded, as the Drakenstein homebred returned to action 16 months after she had closed out her local career in the 2023 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Gr2 Golden Slipper at Hollywoodbets Greyville, where she finished fourth.
The reason for this lengthy absence? The daughter of What A Winter had been sidelined due to injury, according to Drakenstein owner Gaynor Rupert: “She cracked a hip and was in rehab for quite some time.”
Kudos to the veterinarians, as the filly showed no ill-effect of the injury with her exhilarating, late-charging victory at Delaware Park.
Her victory wasn’t the only cause for celebration this past weekend. On the final day of the Royal Ascot meeting, juvenile colt Thesecretadversary caught the eye with a fast-finishing second in the Listed Chesham Stakes.
Gibraltar Blue – family connection won at Ascot for Cayton Park (Pic – Supplied)
Drakenstein’s British division Cayton Park Stud races and bred the colt in partnership with Coolmore.
A half-brother to the Irish stakes winner Too Soon To Panic, the Stack-trained colt is out of Oratorio’s Gr3 winning daughter Scream Blue Murder, who just happens to be a half-sister to the Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint runner-up Gibraltar Blue.
She was trained by Mike de Kock for Klawervlei Stud and won all of the Gr2 KRA Fillies Guineas, Gr2 Tibouchina, Gr2 Ipi Tombe Challenge, in addition to which she beat the boys in the Gr3 Joburg Spring Challenge.
International racing outfit Team Valor, whose ties with South African racing go back a long way, was also in clover at the Royal meeting when Quai De Bethune hung tough to win the Golden Gates Stakes on the final day’s undercard. Raced in partnership, the three-year-old Persian King colt is trained by Andrew Balding.
If that wasn’t enough, Team Valor earned further bragging rights, with four-year-old filly Uluru claiming the Listed EBF Martin Molony Stakes across the Irish Sea at Limerick.
By Zoffany out of a Galileo mare, the Joseph O’Brien-trained four-year-old opened her stakes account in style to win the 2500m race by just over a length. It was a well-deserved maiden stakes win for the filly, who already boasted small black type, courtesy of a second in the Gr3 Prix de Psyche and a third in the Listed Prix Charles Laffitte.
Barry Irwin – enjoying the dazzling run (Pic – Supplied)
Team Valor is certainly having a fine time of it lately.
“We have won eight of our last 15 starts, it’s insane,” Team Valor founder and chief executive Barry Irwin enthused. When you’re hot, you’re hot!
Barry also had news of champion filly Quid Pro Quo, who was purchased in a further sign of growing enthusiasm for South African bloodstock following the lifting of an EU travel ban.
“She is booked on a July 17 flight to France where she will be trained by Jerome Reynier,” he confirmed.
Lance’ champion daughter Quid Pro Quo – on way to France (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
All going smoothly, the Lance filly will be targeted at next year’s Dubai Carnival, where it is hoped she will follow in the footsteps of former standout Team Valor purchases Ipi Tombe and Irridescence.
A champion at two and a dual Gr1 winner of the Allan Robertson Championship and Douglas Whyte Thekwini Stakes, Quid Pro Quo ran only twice at three this season. In her most recent start, she finished third behind Spumante Dolce and VJ’s Angel in the Wilgerbosdrift Gr2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas. Prior to that, she handed male rivals a 2,50-length drubbing in the Gr2 Betway Dingaans.
