It was almost two years ago to the day that Glen Kotzen delivered a first SA-bred stakes winner for Drakenstein stallion Duke Of Marmalade via his chestnut daughter Temple Grafin’s victory in the 2018 Gr3 The Debutante.
On Saturday at Hollywoodbets Greyville, Temple Grafin produced another gem of a performance, this time in different silks, when winning the Jonsson Workwear Gr1 Garden Province Stakes, topping the star galloper Celtic Sea, and giving her sire his first SA-bred Gr1 winner.
Keagan de Melo makes it 100 this term as Temple Grafin holds Celtic Sea (Gavin Lerena) and Pretty Young Thing (Anton Marcus) in the Gr1 feature (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
On a day of some seriously tough results, the 40-1 Temple Grafin swept through the midfield late to give jockey Keagan de Melo his 100th winner of the term.
Gavin Lerena looked to have ridden the perfect race on the 5-2 favourite Celtic Sea, who ranged up inside the 200m looking a likely winner.
But for those Pick 6 punters still on track for a handsome dividend, this victory for the Glen Kotzen team was probably the final hammer blow.
Temple Grafin went on to win by 0,70 lengths in a time of 97 secs flat.
Jackson daughter Pretty Young Thing was a quarter length back in third with the consistent Driving Miss Daisy in fourth.
Cape star Clouds Unfold was disappointing from her wide gate.
A R300 000 Cape Premier Yearling Sale graduate, Temple Grafin was bred by Fran Cowe and is a daughter of Drakenstein stallion Duke Of Marmalade (Danehill) out of the one-time winner Inner Temple (Greys Inn).
She has won 6 races with 4 places from 17 starts for stakes of R918 250.
It has been a terrific few months for trainer Paarl-based Glen Kotzen, who must be strongly in the running to pick up a cheque in the Hollywoodbets Back On Track Challenge.
