The doubtless pitifully few souls who made the trip to Kenilworth on Saturday may have been privileged to witness the best three-year-old filly in South Africa when Ebony Flyer destroyed a dozen rivals in the Odessa Stud Fillies Championship over 1400m. Of course only time will tell how she shapes against her contemporaries from elsewhere, but Ebony Flyer made mincemeat of the best Cape Town could throw at her and looks to have a great deal more to come.
Unbeaten in two starts last term and presumably kept away from the KZN winter season to be targeted at the big Cape races, Ebony Flyer was starting for the first time since she won a Listed event in Port Elizabeth in June and was the strongly supported 2/1 favourite from an ante-post call of 7/2, despite being drawn unfavourably. Captain Al’s daughters Emerald Cove and School Captain were the joint 5/1 second choices of the market, writes Matthew Lips.
Bernard Fayd’Herbe had already partnered three winners on Saturday’s undercard and he gave Ebony Flyer a smashing ride to get her over from her poor draw and perfectly slotted into third place as stable companion Fragrant Al set a decent pace. Pelican Point raced closest to the leader, with School Captain and Emerald Cove (who settled better here than in her previous starts) next in line. Fragrant Al led into the short straight on the winter course, but in a matter of strides the race was over as Ebony Flyer was turned loose. Quickening well, the favourite soon hit the front and stretched right way over the final furlong to win by an emphatic 5.5 lengths from stable companion Emerald Cove, who narrowly edged out School Captain for second prize. In Like Flynn was 1.75 lengths further away in fourth, but Six Blue Notes (twice placed at Gr 1 level in Durban in July) was never seen with a chance on her seasonal debut.
It would be foolish to take Six Blue Notes’ weak performance here at face value, for she surely didn’t show the same form which carried her to within three to four lengths of last season’s divisional leaders Mahbooba and Happy Archer during the winter. However, Fragrant Al was a Gr 1 runner-up in July and she faded out of contention to be unplaced in the Odessa, so there was considerable Gr 1 form on display and it didn’t stand up at all whichever way you slice it. Ebony Flyer must be an exciting young prospect to make such light work of beating rivals of that calibre, and she is a well grown, scopey filly who should continue to thrive. Ebony Flyer is the half sister to her former stable companion Captain’s Lover, who won the Odessa ahead of landing the Gr 1 Cape Fillies Guineas in 2007, and there must be a good chance that Ebony Flyer will also complete the double irrespective of what comes from out of town to oppose her. Given her connections, it seems very likely that an overseas campaign awaits further down the road.
Trained by Justin Snaith, Ebony Flyer is a daughter of Jet Master out of the Badger Land mare Sunshine Lover, who managed to score only once over 1200m but who has been vastly more effective at stud than she was on the racecourse. Bred by Willem Engelbrecht and bought for R700 000 at the 2009 National Yearling Sale, Ebony Flyer’s three wins from three starts have earned stakes of R243 859 for owners Team Valor and Vanashree and Anant Singh.
ODESSA FILLIES CHAMPIONSHIP (SAf-G2)
KENILWORTH, South Africa, November 6, $29,540, 3yo, f, 1,400mT (6.96fT), 1:27.42.
1st—=EBONY FLYER (SAF), 128, B. f. 3, =Jet Master (SAf)—=Sunshine Lover (SAf), by Badger Land. Owners—Team Valor International, Mrs. Vanashree Singh and Anant Singh; Breeder—W. J. Engelbrecht (SAf); Trainer—Justin Snaith.
2nd—=EMERALD COVE (SAF), 128, B. f. 3, =Captain Al (SAf)—=Resolution Bay (SAf), by Caesour.
3rd—=SCHOOL CAPTAIN (SAF), 128, B. f. 3, =Captain Al (SAf)—=She’s An Academic (Aus), by Royal Academy.
Margins: 5 1/2, 1/4, 1 3/4.
