A granddaughter of champion racemare Ilha Da Vitoria stamped herself as a filly with a bright future when disposing of nine male opponents to score a facile win in the R150 000 Listed Sea Cottage Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday.
Anthony Delpech steers Orchid Island to a facile win (Pic – JC Photos)
The Turffontein judges didn’t distinguish themselves with confusion reigning over the third and fourth places in the race.
But there was no doubt over the winner – the beautifully bred Mike de Kock trained Orchid Island cruising in to beat the boys with consummate ease.
She is out of Ilha Grande, whose illustrious Mum Ilha Da Vitoria set the turf alight during her days on the track when racing out of the same yard.
Saturday’s smart winner, while a very different physical specimen, runs in the same famous black and scarlet silks.
Her grandmother, a Brazillian bred daughter of Candy Stripes, was South Africa’s Horse Of The Year in 2006 – the same year she was also named Equus Champion Older Female Middle Distance Horse.
Ilha Da Vitoria’s ten wins, from 1400-2000m, included seven features –and few who witnessed it will ever forget the brilliant grey romping to a five length win in the 2005 Gr1 Summer Cup.
Anthony Delpech – armchair feature success after injury
While the diminutive and charismatic grey sadly passed on at the end of 2016, her contribution to the SA stud book will gallop on thanks to the likes of the promising Orchid Island.
After shadowing her field wide out for much of the 1800m trip, Orchid Island moved up behind her highly regarded stablemate Al Fahad at the 400m, and drew off with ease to win by 4 lengths under the hands, in a time of 112, 79 secs.
She started at 33-10 and gave Mauritzfontein-Wilgerbosdrift sponsored Anthony Delpech a welcome first feature success in only his second meeting on his return from injury.
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein, Orchid Island is by past champion sire Silvano out of the three time winning Listed Oaks Trial winning Tiger Ridge mare, Ilha Grande.
Orchid Island has won 2 races with 2 places from 4 starts for stakes of R125 950.
