Sister Golden Hair! Eastern Greeting (Marco Van Rensburg) pips her full sister Kalaam
Two full sisters dominated the finish to Saturday’s R200 000 Gr2 Camellia Stakes run over 1160m at Turffontein. The old faithful Kahal with the Northern Guest cross certainly works and one wonders how unique the full sister, same owner and trainer connection really is in terms of Group racing?
The statistics and records may warrant perusal by the record keepers to ascertain when last sisters fought out the finish of a Group event. This time it went to the young upstart Eastern Greeting, who foiled a gallant bid by her year older sibling Kalaam, who looked all over a winner inside the final 100m.
The withdrawal of Franny threw the race wide open, but the talk was about Marcus’ mount She’s A Stunner.
The unbeaten Alcanina, who had won the Man ‘O War Sprint at her previous outing blitzed along early and was tracked by She’s A Stunner and Kinematic Countess.
Into the final 400m Alcanina continued to roll as the challenges emerged thick and fast, and they spread across the turf with many in with chances.
Eastern Greeting burst through down the middle to win a cracker with her full sister going down narrowly against the inside rail.
Winning jockey Marco Van Rensburg admitted that he had ridden a ‘bad race’ at her previous start and used her up. “I decided with Stan (Ferreira) to give her a chance today. It worked a charm,” he said.
Winning trainer Stan Ferreira who doesn’t come across as the most excitable guy on earth said that the winner was a ‘bit on the hot side’. “ But they are two realy good fillies and what is really nice is that I have the full sister as well,” he said.
Eastern Greeting registered her fourth win from 9 starts with 3 places and took her earnings to R327 200.
She was bred by the Kjell Foundation. And as if anybody doesn’t know by now, she is by Kahal out of the thrice winning Northern Guest mare, Salaam. She cost R190 000 on the National Yearling Sale.
The runner up cost R125 000 a year earlier.
Proof again that buying into good families doesn’t have to cost millions.
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Camellia S. (SAf-G2) (4/27)
Turffontein, South Africa, April 27, R200.000, 1160m, turf, good, 1.06.21 .
1 – EASTERN GREETING (SAF), 59.0, b f 4, Kahal (GB) – Salaam (SAF) by Northern Guest (USA). Owner LCA Bouwer; breeder Kjell Foundation; trainer S Ferreira; jockey M v Rensburg (R125.000)
2 – Kalaam (SAF), 59.0, b m 5, Kahal (GB) – Salaam (SAF) by Northern Guest (USA)
3 – Alcanina (SAF), 58.0, b f 3, Mogok (USA) – In The Gloaming (SAF) by Lambent Light (USA)
Margins: nose, ½, ¾
