Mauritzfontein’s resident sire Ideal World demonstrated his versatility again when his maiden daughter Coral Bay finished strongest of all to win the R200 000 Listed Kenilworth Fillies Nursery at a wintry Kenilworth on Saturday.
Robert Khathi has Coral Bay in full cry as Santa Clara (Greg Cheyne) arrives too late (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
Described by Glen Kotzen, who scored a good double on the afternoon, as a beauty of a filly who shows speed and is bred to go over ground, Coral Bay came into the feature off two placed runs – including a third in the Listed Perfect Promise Sprint – and exploded into action to show her talent.
“Given that she is bred to go ground, I am really excited about her natural speed. She is one of my nicest youngsters and the wonderful aspect of it all is that she was sold by one of the Mauritzfontein Grooms Trust Syndicates,” a thrilled Glen Kotzen told the Sporting Post.
In a field of six that included the Listed Perfect Promise Sprint narrow runner-up Nous Voila, and the much vaunted first-timer Juniper Spring, the unfancied Coral Bay came from near last in the 1200m contest to score a good win under Robert Khathi for the in-form Glen Kotzen team.
The smiles at the lead-in (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
After Mixed Signals lost lengths at the start, Khathi had Coral Bay travelling on the rail as Carioca showed the way.
At the 200m, Santa Clara unleased a strong run down the outside as Nous Voila came under pressure. But they weren’t banking on the sustained finish of the 28-1 Coral Bay who stormed forward to win by 0,75 lengths in a time of 76.5 secs.
Santa Clara stayed on well for second ahead of the disappointing Nous Voila, who had nothing to come late.
Snaith first-timer Juniper Spring had a shoe issue at the start and showed some pace before fading out. She is one to pencil in for the future.
The presentation (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
Coral Bay has now won once with 2 places from her 3 starts. She has more than doubled her purchase price with earnings now standing at R141 500.
She was bought by Glen Kotzen Racing for R60 000 off the 2017 BSA Mistico Yearling Sale.
A daughter of Ideal World (Kingmambo), who is sire of the boom unbeaten Cape 3yo Rainbow Bridge, she was bred by Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein out of the unraced Fort Wood mare, Bonze.
