With the Turffontein Peermont Emperors Palace Charity Mile day Pick falling a heartbeat short of the projected R7,5 million, Varsfontein Stud built on their Australian Gr1 success with Yulong Prince just hours earlier as Callan Murray steered their well-related Silvano filly Due Diligence to a smart first stakes success.
The carryover Pick 6 rode the wave of the month-end momentum, reaching R7 447 691 as the twelve 3yo fillies jumped to contest the R100 000 HSH Princess Charlene Gr3 Starling Stakes, the opening feature on the big Highveld Spring Season afternoon.
Callan Murray and Due Diligence hold off the challenge of Gee For Go (Muzi Yeni) in the opening feature (Pic – JC Photos)
Always in touch a few lengths off her pacemaking stablemate Southern Charm, Callan Murray opened the De Kock account on what was anticipated to be a big afternoon, when he produced Due Diligence (11-2) with a smart late surge to hold off a rattling late challenge from 201- outsider, Gee For Go, by three quarters of a length in a time of 84,94 secs.
The favourite Caralluma (3-1) may have just needed it, but completed the trifecta a further half length back.
Topweight Ecstatic Green (3-1) had her wide draw to blame and she made ground to run into the quartet.
Bred and raced by Varsfontein Stud, who enjoyed a terrific success in the A$1,5 million Gr1 Kennedy Cantala at Flemington hours earlier with Surcharge (Yulong Prince), the winner, a half-sister to 2018 National Yearling Sale record-breaker Ghaalla, is a daughter of recently retired multiple champion sire Silvano (Lomitas).
She is out of the once winning Captain Al mare, Fidelity – the latter a three parts sister to Gr3 East Cape Derby winner Captain Splendid and a half-sister to Gr2 winning sire Master Of My Fate, and the four time stakes winner Justthewayyouare.
It’s a top family as her second dam is Equus Champion Promisefrommyheart, whose six career wins included successes in the Gr1 Triple Tiara 1600 and Gr1 SA Fillies Guineas.
Already stakes placed prior to Saturday, Due Diligence looks likely to improve further and made it two wins with four places from seven starts for stakes of R172 950.
