The top-class Yoshie (Greg Cheyne) explodes into action and draws clear to win easily (Pic- Coastal Photos)
There can be few more game and talented fillies around than the Milkwood Stud bred and owned Yoshie, who scored her twelfth career win with a smooth victory in the R150 000 Listed Lady’s Pendant run over the turf 1200m at Fairview.
Despite drifting from the top of the boards out to 4 to 1 on some inspired support for the Joey Ramsden-trained visitor, Miss Saigon, Yoshie produced the goods yet again when skating clear in the hands of Greg Cheyne, after being in touch for most of the trip.
The former East Cape champion 2yo made amends for a rare below par showing when beaten out of the money in the same feature, when Renate du Plessis’ Lielums won last year.
On Friday there were no doubts as the multiple stakes winning Yoshie drew clear to record her twelfth win with 4 places from 22 starts.
She beat the fast-finishing Cape challenger Miss Saigon by 1,25 lengths in a time of 69 secs.
Path To Travel stayed on for third ahead of the gallant Endearment, who looked a winner 250m from home.
Yoshie, whose earnings now tally R735 175, was bred by Ian and Nina Robertson’s Milkwood Stud, in whose green and red silks she races.
She is a daughter of Antonius Pius, out of the brilliant eight time winning Jallad racemare, Blushing Fairy.
Blue Family
She hails from Milkwood Stud’s famous ‘blue family.’
Elliodor’s daughter – Blue Loerie
A daughter of the great broodmare sire Elliodor (damsire of 70 stakes winners) the family descends from Blue Loerie, who won just once over 1000m, before retiring to stud.
Retired to the Robertsons, Blue Loerie became the head of a highly successful family, whose fillies have done particularly well.
Among her seven winners were Tarn Fairy – who gave champion trainer, Alan Greeff, the first Graded winner of his illustrious career when victorious in the Gr3 Strelitzia Stakes.
A daughter of Waterville Lake, Tarn Fairy, later named East Cape’s Champion 2YO Filly, was a top-class performer, whose seven wins also included the Gr2 JB McIntosh Fillies Classic, and was just touched off in the Gr1 Allan Robertson Fillies Championship.
Retired to stud, Tarn Fairy did well as a broodmare.
Her winners include East Cape Champion Blushing Fairy (Jallad), who was named Champion 2YO Filly after winning three of the East Cape’s 2yo contests, culminating in a facile win in the Listed (now Gr3) Champions Juvenile Cup.
Blushing Fairy would herself produce the former champion 2yo filly in Yoshie – thus preserving a three line tier of champion 2yo fillies – Tarn Fairy – Blushing Fairy – Yoshie!
Winning Day
Gavin Lerena – nice double on eve of his Dubai trip
Cheyne and Greeff scored a double on the day. The Var colt Juan Two Three was a facile winner of the second race. He looks very promising and we hope that the Scribante’s try their luck in the KZN Champions Season features.
Richard Fourie and the Justin Snaith yard teamed up for a good double with Met runner Astro News and the in-and-out, but talented, Blackmalkin both winning convincigly for Fred Crabbia.
Gauteng based Gavin Lerena also booted home two winners on the afternoon, which would have boosted his confidence on the eve of his Dubai trip next week, where he is scheduled to partner the former Azzie trained, Pylon.
Apprentice Shadlee Fortune is proving a valuable addition to the Gavin Smith team. He piloted his third winner for the yard in the space of a week after his double of last Friday, when riding a shrewd race to win the last on Mancelle.
