She’s A Stunner with plenty in hand
Deon Visser was having the day of his professional life at Clairwood on Sunday. Not content to win the Godolphin Barb with Hard Rock, the trainer doubled up 35 minutes later when She’s A Stunner ran out a rather more comfortable winner of the equivalent race for fillies, the Strelitzia Stakes over 1000m, writes MATTHEW LIPS.
She’s A Stunner had run out the very easy winner of a course-and-distance maiden event in the second of her two previous starts and was a well supported 5/2 second favourite for the Strelitzia despite a considerable rise in class. Heading the market was Comtesse Dubois, who started as the 11/10 favourite in her first start since demolishing a decent maiden field over 1200m at Kenilworth in February.
She’s A Stunner showed plenty of pace from the start, with Noble Dreams and Supalicious also right up with the early action as Comtesse Dubois raced two or three lengths off the pace. Noble Dreams weakened more than a furlong out, with Supalicious soon in trouble as well, and with Comtesse Dubois failing to quicken when asked for an effort She’s A Stunner was left pretty much on her own in front. She was inclined to hang left when she found herself in front with no company on either side, but still knuckled down well to win by two lengths under Anton Marcus.
Lavish Gal came out easily second best and stayed on steadily to be beaten two lengths by the winner, but she never threatened to land the spoils. Comtesse Dubois finished another four lengths away in third, which was disappointing, but she shaped like a filly who needs further than 1000m and is bred to probably get a mile in time. Her Cape Town form was simply too solid for her to not be excused this effort. Supalicious finished another three-quarters of a length away in third.
Much as had been the case with Hard Rock, the winning trainer would not commit to whether She’s A Stunner will line up for the Gr 1 Allan Robertson Fillies Championship over 1200m at Scottsville on May 28th. He gave the same “we’ll see how she comes out of this race” answer. In the case of She’s A Stunner there is also the question of whether she will be equally effective over 1200m, a distance which she has yet to attempt, and Anton Marcus did remark that she feels like more of a pure sprinter than Hard Rock.
She’s A Stunner is a daughter of Toreador and is the second foal and first winner of Al Mufti mare Little Stunner, who won two races over 1600/1800m. On pedigree, at least, the Strelitzia winner could stay a good deal further than 1200m, but she has no shortage of speed and for the time being at least displays pretty much all the hallmarks of a sprinter. Bred at The Alchemy, She’s A Stunner has won twice from three starts and earned R137 325
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Strelitzia S. (SAf-G3) (4/24) Clairwood, South Africa, April 24, R138.000, 1000m, turf, good, 57.55 (CR 55.16). 1- SHE’S A STUNNER (SAF), 56.0, b f 2, Toreador (IRE) – Little Stunner (SAF) by Al Mufti. Owner J Shill, J D Goldhill, R C Hare, G D E Kahan, J R van der Linden; breeder The Alchemy (SAF); trainer D Visser; jockey A Marcus (R91.500) 2- Lavish Gal (SAF), 56.0, gr f 2, Makaarem – Lavishly (SAF) by West Man 3- Comtesse Dubois (SAF), 56.0, b f 2, Count Dubois (GB) – Katherine (SAF) by Rakeen Margins: 2, 4, ¾ Also ran: Supalicious (SAF) 58.0, Tenacious Tess (SAF) 56.0, Rosehip (SAF) 54.0, Coral Colour (SAF) 56.0, Noble Dreams (SAF) 54.0
