Just days after selling the highest priced yearling in South African history, Drakenstein Stud owned runners finished 1-2-3 in the R1 million Gr1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes at Kenilworth on Saturday.
Grant van Niekerk salutes as Inara flies past Same Jurisdiction (Pic – Wayne Marks)
The Drakenstein Stud bred colt Silver Coin fetched R6 000 000 on the first day of the Cape Premier Yearling Sale and the top farm’s draft of 9 youngsters sold for a gross total of R17.1 million, making the farm the CPYS’s leading vendor by average price.
Sponsored for the sixth consecutive year by Klawervlei, the Majorca Stakes is one of the most important weight-for-age races for the fairer sex on the racing calendar and the race was dominated by two high-class 4yo’s as expected.
KZN challenger Same Jurisdiction was sent off in the red and was expected to spoil Inara’s Majorca double bid, a feat that had not been achieved since Donatella in 1999 into 2000.
And when Anton Marcus produced a cruising Same Jurisdiction between runners at the 350m marker, it looked to be race over – but Grant Van Niekerk and Inara had other ideas and the pair swept past Same Jurisdiction as if she was standing still to win by 0,75 lengths in a time of 99,68 secs.
The year older Diadem winner Lanner Falcon showed her versatility by flying up late to grab third, ahead of gallant Gauteng challenger Bichette.
So the top three raced in the Drakenstein blue, with the outstanding farm breeding first and third – both trained by Mike Bass and by their leading sire, Trippi – whose son Illuminator produced the winner of the CTS Million Dollar.
And for winning jockey Grant Van Niekerk it was a sentimental moment – it was Inara on who he recorded his first ever Gr1 winner just twelve months earlier.
Both Inara and Lanner Falcon are daughters of Drakenstein’s hugely successful sire Trippi, whose son Illuminator won Saturday’s CTS Million Dollar on the same card.
Inara is out of the Shirley Heights mare Mountains Of Mist.
Inara has now won 6 races (3 of which are Gr1’s) from 16 starts with 7 places and stakes of R2 653 125.
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Gr1 Majorca Stakes (SAf-Gr1)
Kenilworth, South Africa, January 23, R1 million, 1600m, turf, good, 1.39.68
1 – INARA (SAF), 60.0, b f 4, Trippi (USA) – Mountains Of Mist (IRE) by Shirley Heights (GB). Owner Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert); Breeder Drakenstein Stud; trainer MW Bass; jockey G v Niekerk
2 – Same Jurisdiction (SAF), 60.0, b f 4, Mambo In Seattle (USA) – Diana De Carlo (SAF) by Captain Al (SAF)
3 – Lanner Falcon (SAF), 60.0, ch m 5, Trippi (USA) – Hosta (USA) by French Deputy (USA)
Margins: 0.75, 2.50, 0.40
