Drakenstein Stud’s five time Gr1 winning Cartier Champion Duke Of Marmalade celebrated another locally bred stakes success when his daughter Princess Irene continued her climb up the ladder with a smooth victory in the R150 000 Listed Jamaica Handicap at Kenilworth on Friday.
Sean Veale unleashes Princess Irene with a storming late run (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
Capitalising on her handy 52kgs galloping weight, talented KZN lightweight Sean Veale rode a nicely judged race from off the gallop to make it three consecutive wins for Princess Irene, following her maiden icebreaker on 17 November last year.
Trainer Brett Crawford produced the champagne for the Rupert family at their annual two day racing festival and had the 3yo tuned to the minute – as well as hatching a flawless tactical plan by providing a stablemate to do the donkey work.
Baroness Mary led early ahead of Still I Rise, Libra and topweight Red Ginger.
Sean Veale overcame the wide draw on Princess Irene and had her slotted economically against the rail after they had gone 400m.
Into the dash for home, they fanned out with Foxy Princess and Midnight Moonlight looking dangerous.
The race changed complexion into the final stages and it was Sean Veale, keeping a cool head under a swinging right handed ride, who produced the magic.
Princess Irene burst through at the 200m and got the better of the consistent Foxy Princess to win by 0,75 lengths in a time of 124,56 secs.
Kevin Sommerville leads the winner in (Pic – Chase Liebenberg Photography)
Expedite moved up threateningly down the inside rail but just failed to maintain her momentum and was beaten a head back in third, with Joey Ramsden longshot Dynasty’s Blossom arrive too late but holding fourth a neck away.
The tote favourite Coral Bay lost ground at the jump but ran on well to grab fifth position – only 1,35 lengths off the winner.
A second locally bred stakes winning daughter for Duke Of Marmalade (Danehill), the winner was bred by Drakenstein Stud and is out of the Arch mare, Archerfield, who did not win.
She has now won 3 times for 3 places from 7 starts for stakes of R230 625.
The winner as a 2yo last term of the Gr3 The Debutante, Duke Of Marmalade’s first local stakes score came via his daughter Temple Grafin, who was named Cape Racing’s Champion Juvenile Filly for the 2017-208 racing season
Duke Of Marmalade, South Africa’s third Leading First Crop Sire by earnings in 2017-2018, is a proven sire internationally, with his 60 plus stakes horses including Gr1 winners Big Orange, Nutan, Simple Verse, Sound Of Freedom and Star Of Seville.
The Duke has 12 lots on offer at the Cape Premier Yearling Sale on 23 January.
