Highlands Stud stallion Potala Palace got off the mark in the very first juvenile race of the new season at Fairview on Friday when his daughter and first runner Watsonia bounded through late to catch the lightning fast Supa Smart in the last stride of the 800m Maiden Juvenile Plate.
Greg Cheyne gets Watsonia up to catch the lightning quick favourite Supa Smart under Charles Ndlovu (Pic – Pauline Herman Photography)
The Gr1 winning son of Singspiel’s first runner got up late for trainer Alan Greeff and Highlands-Ridgemont Racing jockey Greg Cheyne to nab her more fancied stablemate Supa Smart.
She won in a time of 46,41 secs and banked the BSA Added Value Bonus of R40 000 in a dream start for her owners.
Bred by Daytona Stud, Watsonia is out of the Fort Wood mare Cape Floral and was a R25 000 bargain buy from this year’s KZN Yearling Sale.
Potala Palace (Singspiel – Alignment)
Potala Palace was a top-class racehorse, who won or placed in seven races. He earned over R600 000 in stakes. His victories included a win in the Gr1 Premier’s Champion Stakes, over Gr1 winners Gimmethegreenlight, Fighting Warrior and Master Plan.
He is one of more than 90 stakes winners sired by champion racehorse Singspiel, whose notable Gr1 winners include champion Solow, Breeders’ Cup winner Lahudood and Dubai World Cup winner Moon Ballad.
Potala Palace, who shares his broodmare sire Alzao with the great sire Deep Impact, is from the same family as legendary stallions Sadler’s Wells (grandsire of Singspiel), Fairy King and Nureyev.
