The What A Winter filly Clouds Unfold showed that her sparkling Cape Nursery performance last term to hammer the boys was the start of bigger things to come.
Aldo Domeyer has Clouds Unfold in control (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
The Drakenstein owned and bred chestnut was the first member of the fairer sex to beat the males in a decade in the Nursery and she cracked the bubbly on her 3yo season debut in style with an eyecatching win in the R400 000 Gr2 Western Cape Fillies Championship at Kenilworth on Saturday.
Boasting a pedigree with a fascinating balance of speed and stamina, Clouds Unfold grew wings in the final 300m of the Gr2 feature, run in stifling heat at the Southern Suburbs track.
Settled in running after a keen start, Clouds Unfold stormed up the centre of the track after Celestial Storm and Go The Distance had done the hard work, and she powered home at 6-1 to hold Gr2 winner Temple Grafin by a comfortable 1,25 lengths in a time of 83.51 secs.
Stablemate to the winner, Santa Clara stormed home late to snare the third cheque a further 2 lengths back and 0,75 lengths ahead of recent maiden winner Juniper Spring, who looked dangerous down the rail but didn’t go through with it.
Coral Bay caught the eye when staying on late in the race to run a very decent fifth (4,30 lengths behind).
It was a high quality field, despite the scratching of the exciting unbeaten Front And Centre and Mike de Kock raider, Firdoas, and there was naturally plenty of excitement with the Cape Fillies Guineas just over 7 weeks away.
Kevin Sommerville, Candice Bass-Robinson. Gaynor Rupert and Ross Fuller greet the winner (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
Cape Champion Jockey Aldo Domeyer said that Clouds Unfold had broken well.
“We were a bit close to the pace. But she dropped the bit beautifully and when she gave that second kick I knew we had it in the bag. I think she will go the mile of the Guineas and the longer run-in of the summer track will suit her.”
Candice Bass-Robinson, who was her Dad’s assistant when Silver Mountain won this race before going on to win the Cape Guineas in 2015, said that her charge had only had one gallop at Durbanville.
“We have always rated her and she has a lovely turn of foot. I think it will be straight into the Cape Fillies Guineas from here,” she added.
A multiple stakes winner of 4 of her 5 starts, Clouds Unfold took her earnings to R483 125.
A daughter of Equus champion sprinter What A Winter (Western Winter), she is out of Montelissima, a Montjeu half-sister to Listed Summer Juvenile Stakes winner Arria and Gr2 Senor Santa Stakes third Pivotal Pursuit.
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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Gr2 Fillies Championship (SAf-Gr2)
Kenilworth, South Africa, October 27, R400k, 1400m, turf, good, 1.23.51
1 – CLOUDS UNFOLD (SAF), 60.0, ch f 3, 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 – Temple Grafin (SAF), 60.0, ch f 3, Duke Of Marmalade (IRE) – Inner Temple (SAF) by Greys Inn (USA)
3 – Santa Clara (SAF), 60.0, ch f 3, Duke Of Marmalade (IRE) – Shina (GER) by Lomitas (GB)
Margins: 1.25, 2.00, 0.75
