St John Gray opened Champions Day at Turffontein on Saturday with a bomb as the unfancied twice-raced maiden Ronnie’s Candy powered home to win the R400 000 Gr2 SA Fillies Nursery.
Raymond Danielson has time to look behiind as Ronnie’s Candy bolts home (Pic – JC Photos)
Raymond Danielson did the honours aboard the chestnut daughter of King Of Kings who was having her first start at Turffontein.
Taking on the likes of Pretty Polly Stakes winner Celtic Sea and recordbreaking yearling Ghaalla, Ronnie’s Candy was lagging at the rear as Mazari led Captain’s Princess.
At the 250m marker Ronnie’s Candy turned on the jets and she accelerated away to hold off a challenge from Ghaalla to score by 2,50 lengths in a time of 67,92 secs.
Debut winner Captain’s Princess stayed on for third, with Celtic Sea running a disappointing race in fourth.
Raymond Danielson – armchair ride
A Graystone Stud home-bred, Ronnie’s Candy is by the ill-fated King Of Kings (Sadler’s Wells ) out of the three-time winner Bennie And the Jets (Jet Master).
His sire, English Two Thousand Guineas winner King of Kings died at stud from heart failure in February 2015. The son of legendary sire Sadler’s Wells was 20 years old.
Ronnie’s Candy has won once with two places from her three starts for stakes of R266 250.
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Gr2 SA Fillies Nursery (SAf-Gr2)
Turffontein, South Africa, May 5, R400k, 1160m, turf, good, 1.07.92
1 – RONNIE’S CANDY (SAF), 60.0, ch f 2, King Of Kings (SAF) – Bennie Andthe Jets (SAF) by Jet Master (SAF). Owner Mr St John D Gray; Breeder Graystone Stud; trainer SD Gray; jockey R Danielson
2 – Ghaalla (SAF), 60.0, b f 2, Var (USA) – Fidelity (SAF) by Captain Al (SAF)
3 – Captain’s Princess (SAF), 60.0, b f 2, Captain Al (SAF) – Jet Flyer (SAF) by Jet Master (SAF)
Margins: 2.50, 0.50, 0.30
