Sun Met day 2020 will surely go down as a turning point in the Candice Bass-Robinson racing team’s fortunes this season.
Probably written off as serious feature contenders in certain quarters, the Milnerton family operation reversed the perceptions in the blink of an eye at Kenilworth on Saturday with a glorious Gr1 double – Russet Air won the Cape Flying Championship earlier – that had them booking their SA Champions Season tickets with renewed vigour.
Aldo Domeyer and Clouds Unfold go past Gavin Lerena and Celtic Sea late in the Majorca thriller (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
It takes a really smart sort to achieve back-to-back Majorca Stakes successes but history repeated itself on Saturday after the Drakenstein owned and bred Trippi filly Inara’s consecutive victories in 2015 and 2016.
Clouds Unfold came out in the same blue and white flag on the big day to announce her return to best after an unfortunate accident at Summerveld last term set her back many months.
For Candice Bass-Robinson, the Majorca holds a special place – it is the race that gave her a first Gr1 success with Nightingale in 2017.
And for extra fairytale history, Clouds Unfold’s win in 2019 gave former Bass-trained flyer What A Winter a maiden Gr1 success. And he just happened to be the sire of their Gr1 double on Saturday.
Aldo Domeyer, who opted to return home from Hong Kong for the birth of his son and has stayed for the Cape summer, crowned a glorious day with another terrific display of confidence injected power riding.
“The gap took its time to open but that was a blessing in disguise as the mile might be her limit. She gave it to me all the way to the line. She is a smashing filly,” he said.
Winning team! (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
With the favourite and recent Paddock Stakes winner Queen Supreme (17-10) going out the back door in the straight, it was Sceptre Stakes winner Celtic Sea (49-20) who looked a winner late, before being run over by the flying Clouds Unfold who went away to win by 0,30 lengths in a time of 97,48 secs.
Glen Kotzen’s Temple Grafin (66-1) showed a welcome return to form to grab third away from Kelpie (16-1).
Clouds Unfold has earned R2 228 125 and has now won 8 races with 2 places from 12 starts.
The Drakenstein Stud-bred Clouds Unfold is by What A Winter (Western Winter) out of Montelissima, a Montjeu half-sister to stakes winners.
Clouds Unfold’s second dam Issa is a full-sister to unbeaten Yorkshire Oaks winner Catchascatchcan, dam of Breeders’ Cup Mile winner and former Highlands Stud sire Antonius Pius.
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Gr1 Majorca Stakes (SAf-Gr1)
Kenilworth, South Africa, February 1, R1 million, 1600m, turf, good, 1.37.48
1 – CLOUDS UNFOLD (SAF), 60.0, ch f 4, What A Winter (SAF) – Montelissima (IRE) by Montjeu (IRE). Owner Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert); Breeder Drakenstein Stud; trainer C Bass-Robinson; jockey A Domeyer
2 – Celtic Sea (SAF), 60.0, b f 4, Captain Al (SAF) – Ireland (BRZ) by Mark Of Esteem (IRE)
3 – Temple Grafin (SAF), 60.0, ch f 4, Duke Of Marmalade (IRE) – Inner Temple (SAF) by Greys Inn (USA)
Margins: 0.30, 1.25, 0.05
