The anticipated showdown between multiple Gr1 winners Princess Calla and Desert Miracle was a highlight of the R1 250 000 Ridgemont Gr1 Garden Province Stakes at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Africa’s greatest raceday on a memorable Saturday.
The newly sponsored Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes reaffirmed its status as a top level key weight for age contest for Fillies and Mares on our national programme, and produced a scintillating performance by leading racemare Princess Calla, who registered the third G1 victory of her illustrious career.
Princess Calla proudly wears the Gr1 Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes blanket (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Bred by Maine Chance Farms, Princess Calla has won nine stakes races in 22 starts, with earnings approaching R4 million.
Ridgemont’s Craig Kieswetter said that the Garden Province Stakes’ proud history and innate quality was a perfect fit for their philosophy of a striving for class and champions.
He added that the 2023 Ridgemont Gr1 Garden Province Stakes, run on one of the great days on the South African racing calendar, was a perfect launch-pad for Ridgemont’s return to the big race sponsorship arena.
“The winner Princess Calla is a champion racemare who epitomises the true spirit and versatility of a high-class thoroughbred. Our congratulations to the connections, the breeder, and to Hollywoodbets and Gold Circle who hosted the day. The atmosphere at the racecourse was amazing and we are proud to have bred the SplashOut Gr3 2200 winner Crimson King. It was a superb victory from a wide gate and a terrific scene set for the Hollywoodbets Durban July winning duo of Brett Crawford and Kabelo Matsunyane,” concluded Kieswetter.
