The Candice Bass-Robinson team enjoyed a red-letter afternoon, amidst a wave of blue and white, on the opening day of the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate Festival Of Racing at Kenilworth – with their star What A Winter filly Magical Wonderland rounding off a cracking feature race double.
Aldo Domeyer has time to order a drink as Magical Wonderland coasts home (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
The Milnerton family operation, launched 42 long years ago by the legendary Mike Bass, may have felt that they had hit a quiet patch in the early days of 2018. But that perception changed in the space of just over an hour when they scooped the last three races on the rare Cape ‘blue’ Friday of racing – including a first Gr2 score for stallion What A Winter in the R400 000 Cartier Sceptre Stakes.
And the return to the sprints of What A Winter’s smashing daughter Magical Wonderland was probably the performance of the day – along with the deceptively progressive Var colt Talk Of The Town who added plenty of ‘variety’ – pardon the pun – to a superb afternoon.
After being hammered by boom 3yo Snowdance in the Cape Fillies Guineas last month, it made sense for a back to basic manoeuvre for Magical Wonderland, last season’s Cape Racing’s Juvenile Filly of The Year.
The winner is led in by Karen Norman, Marsh Shirtliff, Mark van Deventer and Candice Bass-Robinson (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
Freshened up and reverting to her favourite track and trip, Aldo Domeyer had the beautiful filly – racing for the first time in the Bryn Ressell silks – well off the gallop set by Green Plains and Shufoog.
The race appeared wide open at just under the halfway marker. But looking as if she had sprouted wings, Magical Wonderland scythed between runners at the 300m pole.
She put her ears back and under a hands ride – with Aldo Domeyer glancing around – she bounded clear to score a facile geared-down two length success in a time of 71,95 secs.
German rider Martin Seidl produced the Joey Ramsden longshot Rose In Bloom out of the pack on the outside for second and just over a length in front of the Kotzen’s Princess Peach, who came on late for third in a welcome form return.
Justin Snaith rounded off a healthy quartet with the 25-1 Angel’s Trumpet running an eyecatching race in fourth.
Big winners! (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
Last year’s smart winner Live Life, a stablemate to the winner, failed to kick when it counted and ran a 4,65 length sixth.
The fancied Just Sensual also didn’t produce her characteristic turn of foot to run a disappointing ninth. She looks better around the turn and may have got a touch ‘lucky’ when running fresh to capture the Southern Cross Stakes over the 1000m last time.
Magical Wonderland’s win was a peak success to date for Drakenstein stallion What A Winter, officially South Africa’s Leading First Crop Sire for 2016-2017.
The triple Equus Champion, a four-time Gr1 winner, was trained by Mike Bass in his racing days and Magical Wonderland’s success must be regarded an emotional milestone all round for the Bass family.
A R450 000 Cape Premier Yearling Sale graduate, Magical Wonderland has won 5 races with 1 place from 7 starts for stakes of R667 500. She was recently purchased by her original partners Marsh Shirtliff and Bryn Ressell out of the Mayfair Speculators dissolution of racing interests.
Bred by Maine Chance Farms, the winner is out of the unraced Magical Miss (Al Mufti).
She looks an exciting sprint prospect and is likely to line up in mixed company in the US$500 000 CTS 1200 on Sun Met day.
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Gr2 Sceptre Stakes (SAf-Gr2)
Kenilworth, South Africa, January 5, R400k, 1200m, turf, good, 1.11.95
1 – MAGICAL WONDERLAND (SAF), 54.5, b f 3, What A Winter (SAF) – Magical Miss (SAF) by Al Mufti (USA). Owner Mayfair Speculators (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Mr D L Brugman) & Messrs Bryn Ressell & N M Shirtliff; Breeder Maine Chance; trainer C Bass-Robinson; jockey A Domeyer
2 – Rose In Bloom (SAF), 54.5, b f 3, Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) – Raise The Bar (SAF) by Goldkeeper (USA)
3 – Princess Peach (SAF), 54.5, b f 3, Captain Al (SAF) – Princess Tobin (SAF) by Badger Land (USA)
Margins: 2.00, 1.25, 0.20
