Mike de Kock’s Irish-bred Queen Supreme galloped into the record books at Kenilworth on Saturday and joined the illustrious ranks of Mother Russia (2010), Angelina (2004), Escoleta Fitz (2002) and Dog Wood (1999) as the champion trainer’s flagbearers to win the Gr1 Paddock Stakes – our most prestigious 1800m weight-for-age contest for the girls.
Having only arrived in the Cape a week earlier, Queen Supreme showed courage and class to win off a six week break following her close-up fourth in the Gr1 Summer Cup.
Queen Supreme charges clear under Callan Murray (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
With the high-quality 2018 Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas winner Front And Centre going off a well-backed odds-on favourite, Queen Supreme was easy to back at 3’s at her first start in the Cape and the race panned out perfectly.
Glen Kotzen’s Castellano set a true-run pace under Anthony Andrews and was some seven lengths ahead of the pack as they came for home.
A confident Callan Murray didn’t panic and he shook the reins at the 350m as Queen Supreme upped the ante.
At the 200m she had the leader in her sights and despite a hard-chasing Front And Centre bearing down on her, she dug deep and registered a smart win by 2,50 lengths in a time of 110,08 secs,
Silvano’s Pride (25-1) was not allowed to dictate as she enjoys but she finished with her stablemate Miyabi Gold (11-1) as Driving Miss Daisy (44-1) came back powerfully to run second.
Fifth placed Front And Centre and sixth-placed Snapscan were on their heels – with 0,35 lengths separating the next five home after the winner.
Steve Jell and Calla Murray share the moment (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
SP personality of the week Callan Murray said that he had enjoyed a ‘perfect run off a genuine pace’.
“She quickened well. She is very smart,” he added.
Mike de Kock said that he was in ‘two minds to run her after her Summer Cup run’.
“We threw her into the paddock and left her for three weeks after the Summer Cup. These Northern Hemisphere fillies require more than just patience! We will go for Majorca Stakes and I will say again that it is lovely to race with some of my nearest and dearest friends,’ he added in reference to the winning partnership.
Bred by Thomas Hassett, Queen Supreme is a daughter Exceed And Excel out of the unraced Gone West mare Call Later, who has now produced three Stakes winners including Be Ready, a son of New Approach who won the Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes.
Queen Supreme was purchased as a yearling at Goffs by Mayfair Speculators for €130 000.
She has now won 5 races with 2 places from 7 starts for stakes of R1 058 450.
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Gr1 Paddock Stakes (SAf-Gr1)
Kenilworth, South Africa, January 11, R1 million, 1800m, turf, good, 1.50.08
1 – QUEEN SUPREME (IRE), 58.5, ch f 4, Exceed And Excel (AUS) – Call Later (USA) by Gone West (USA). Owner Mauritzfontein (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Miss J B Slack) & Messrs M F de Kock, L M Nestadt, J R van der Linden & Mrs N P Malherbe; Breeder bred in Ireland; trainer MF de Kock; jockey C Murray
2 – Driving Miss Daisy (SAF), 54.0, b f 3, Master Of My Fate (SAF) – Shedrivesmecrazy (SAF) by Tiger Ridge (USA)
3 – Silvano’s Pride (SAF), 59.5, ch f 4, Silvano (GER) – Mary’s Pride (SAF) by Jet Master (SAF)
Margins: 2.50, 0.10, 0.10
