Yoshie powers home under Avontuur-sponsored Greg Cheyne (Pic: Coastal Photos)
The future of the outstandingly talented PE ‘sprinting queen’ Yoshie is still undecided. This was the word from her new owner Paulo Do Carmo, after the smashing daughter of Antonius Pius racked up her thirteenth win with a runaway rout of her fourteen opponents in Friday’s R150 000 Listed East Cape Breeders Stakes at Fairview. It was her second consecutive victory in the race.
Yoshie was bred by Milkwood Stud and was raced by Ian and Nina Robertson for the duration of her illustrious career.
Trainer Alan Greeff, who notched his 100th winner of the season at Fairview on Monday, kept the, at times, temperamental flyer, in great trim and had her looking a million dollars as she mowed down her opposition from some ten lengths behind on Friday, to beat her stablemate Fascinating Filly by 5,50 lengths in a time of 71,04 secs.
That despite thoughts that she had not gone down to the start too impressively!
The third-placed La Rebel, a promising 2yo,was a further 4,25 lengths back in third, in a strung-out finish.
This 1200m turf sprint (her fourth career stakes win) was thought to be a possible farewell appearance but this aspect was unclear after Ian Robertson confirmed that Paulo Do Carmo had purchased Yoshie six months ago.
The Roberstons had retained her racing rights until end July but Do Carmo could not confirm whether she would go to stud, or continue to race.
Yoshie, as a descendant of Milkwood Stud’s wonderful blue family, will make an exciting broodmare when that time comes.
True Blue
A daughter of noted broodmare sire Ellliodor, Blue Loerie won once before retiring to stud and has been a real cornerstone of Cape breeding.
Fairyinthewoods wins the 2013 Gr2 Southern Cross Plate (WFA)
Her granddaughter, the Milkwood Stud bred Fairyinthewoods (Count Dubois) won six races on the trot, and six of her seven outings -including the Gr2 Southern Cross Plate.
Among Blue Loerie’s seven winners were Tarn Fairy – who gave champion trainer, Alan Greeff, the first Graded winner of his illustrious career when victorious in the Gr3 Strelitzia Stakes.
A daughter of Waterville Lake, Tarn Fairy, later named East Cape’s Champion 2yo Filly, was a top-class performer, whose seven wins also included the Gr2 JB McIntosh Fillies Classic, and was just touched off in the Gr1 Allan Robertson Fillies Championship.
Retired to stud, Tarn Fairy did well as a broodmare. Her winners include Yoshie’s dam, East Cape Champion Blushing Fairy (Jallad), who was named Champion 2yo Filly after winning three of the East Cape’s 2yo contests, culminating in a romp in the Listed (now Gr3) Champion Juvenile Cup.
Blushing Fairy produced the multiple Champion Filly Yoshie – thus preserving a three line tier of champion 2yo fillies – Tarn Fairy – Blushing Fairy – Yoshie.
Blushing Fairy now stands at Varsfontein Stud and produced a Silvano colt who was bought for R2,2 million by Form Bloodstock at the 2015 National Yearling Sale. Interestingly, the handsome specimen was the last commercial yearling from Milkwood Stud.
Blue Loerie’s other top-class daughter is the Al Mufti mare, Woodland Fairy.
She won her first two starts, before being placed in both the Listed East Cape Fillies Nursery and Listed Lady’s Slipper Stakes. As could be expected from such a well bred mare, Woodland Fairy has done very well at stud. Her four winners include three stakes performers, including the very flashy and speedy filly Comet Chaser.
The Avontuur-sponsored Greg Cheyne was aboard Yoshie at 9 of her 13 wins and described her fondly as a special filly and a high class sprinter.
Yoshie won 13 of her 25 starts for 5 places and earned R840 175 in stakes.
