FairyInTheWoods wins the Gr2 Southern Cross Stakes
Friday, 6 December 2013 was the first day South Africa had to face without Nelson Mandela. Although we’d all been expecting it for some time, it still hit home rather hard. Friends and family abroad were curious as to what the mood was like. I turned my radio to Cape Talk hoping for a brief insight and what started out as brief curiosity turned into an incredible experience.
Cape Talk had a few famous guest speakers to share their recollections of Madiba, but for the most part, kept their lines open for ordinary South Africans to ring in and share their memories, thoughts and emotions. It was extraordinary to hear how many people’s lives were touched by the great man. It was also extraordinary to hear so many people express appreciation for the same attributes –his kindness, his wisdom, his humour, and above all, his love for children seemed to shine through almost every conversation.
They say people may forget what you say, but they never forget how you make them feel and Mr Mandela also seemed to have the most remarkable knack for making everyone feel welcome, at home in his presence and treated like an old friend.
It was with all these thoughts still crowding my brain that I arrived at Kenilworth last Saturday for Fillies Guineas Day. It bears mentioning that it was the first running of the race with the stake set at R1 million and huge kudos to Pippa Mickleburgh for her tireless efforts to make this happen.
Change is good
Avontuur, the Taberer family and above all, Pippa have been hosting Avontuur Fillies Guineas day since 2006. Each year is a little different to the last and each has a unique flavour and feel to the day.
This year, the normal course parking was already full when I arrived and I was directed to the infield parking and then made my way to the course across the track. The area usually reserved for picnic tents on Met day was swarming with children and one arrived enveloped in the sound of children’s laughter.
The front apron around the grandstand is quite a large area and it is difficult to make it feel cosy and intimate. However, the area had been transformed with a Bedoin hospitality tent, a little beer garden under the trees, the international food village and the brand spanking new winner’s enclosure, situated in front of the stands.
I dislike change and in all honesty was preparing myself to take exception to the new winner’s enclosure arrangement, but apart from the chute being a teeny bit on the narrow side (which can be easily remedied), I thought it worked really well.
There is a lot more space for fans to fill around the perimeter, the presentation platform means it’s easy to see and hear the winning speeches and it made it possible for joe public to get an up close look at the winning horse.
Little touches
Avontuur Day is one of splendor
Back in the parade ring, the Avontuur team had set up their usual hospitality table with some of the finest Avontuur wines on offer (I can highly recommend the Pinot Noir).
There were tables and chairs strategically placed across the parade ring to allow people space to sit while they were waiting for their horses, which all added to the warm and cosy atmosphere.
The logistics staff had also ensured that the flags were flying half-mast and the jockeys all wore black arm bands to acknowledge Madiba’s passing, but rather as Friday had turned out to be a day of connectedness and appreciation for a life well lived, Saturday had a similarly understated feeling of celebration to it.
People person
Pippa has few peers when it comes to networking. She is genuinely interested in people and there can be very few in the racing industry who do not have the privilege of calling her a friend.
Pippa is a great collector of interesting people and quite apart from the wonderful food and wine that is always so generously on offer, to me an Avontuur gathering always stands out for the great depth and variety of the guest list.
One is always bound to bump into someone you like that you’ve not seen in ages. Dr Martin Denkhaus was my favourite vet while I lived in Stellenbosch and we seem to have our annual catch-ups on Fillies Guineas day. The weather played along perfectly.
Despite predictions for a howling South Easter, the weather man got it wrong (for a change) and although it started out sweltering, the afternoon clouded over just enough to keep everyone comfortable.
Fee Ramsden made an elegant and interesting guest presenter and only just outdid her husband, who has taken up his pen again in his blog and produced a highly entertaining version of the day’s events. As Stan Elley remarked after the last race, Pippa and the Avontuur team somehow have a knack of being able to stage a big race day while keeping the horses centre stage and despite all the distractions on offer, the day is still very much about the racing.
The racing
And as usual, that side of things did not disappoint. Lita Futeran’s You Beauty has been a profitable maiden, but finally shed her tag in the day’s card opener. Seventh Rock produced another freshman season winner with Seven Grand in the second. It seems these really do run as good as they look! The Bass/van Niekerk partnership also seems to be a particularly good ‘nick’ and one worth following.
Study The Stars carried Karl Neisius and the famous Beck colours to victory in the 3rd for the Sands yard, before Bass and van Niekerk chalked up two more in the 4th and 5th. The Snaiths seldom miss the board on big race days and the gallant 7yo Cap Alright showed the younger fillies how to do it, under a vintage ride by Piere Strydom in the Val De Ra Southeaster Sprint.
It’s probably also a good opportunity to mention that Avontuur’s great flag bearer is doing well after the birth of her first foal and has just been confirmed in foal to Frankel – congratulations to all the connections!
The Tony Taberer Southern Cross Stakes boasted another unbelievable line up of female talent and Fairyinthewoods is fast becoming one of my favourite fixtures on the Cape scene. Her only off the board effort was on debut and she has now posted a staggering 6 wins in a row. It was a tightly contested affair, but the little filly swooped from out of no-where to get her head in front on the line. She is a credit to Milkwood Stud and it was fitting that she afforded the silver and blue Adams colours a tour of the new Grand Parade winners’ enclosure on its opening day.
The Snaiths were back on the podium for the feature. Again, it had been a tight finish with challenges coming from all sides, but Richard Fourie kept a cool head and a steady hand to steer In The Fast Lane to a well-deserved victory. It was also another feature to go the way of late, great champion sire Jet Master. The last two on the card added plaudits to Sail From Seattle’s copybook, with Going My Own Way looking particularly special.
5 on the card
Grant van Niekerk deserves a special mention for riding 5 winners on the day’s card. Grant has steadily been making his mark in his chosen career. I loved his win on Smanjemanje back in the 2011 Victory Moon Stakes and have been following him ever since. We are fortunate to have some really talented young riders emerging through the ranks. Grant has been growing in confidence and composure since his move to the Bass stable and moreover seems to be having fun doing so, if his acceptance speeches in the winner’s box are anything to go by.
With the formalities con-cluded, and the last of the horses disappearing off to the stable area (which appears to be undergoing some sprucing up), there was finally time to grab a quick bite to eat. We were grateful to find the Portuguese stand still open and sat down under the blue gums to contemplate the day’s racing over prego rolls and malasadas.
We chatted to the hard-working team doing the cooking who reported that they thoroughly enjoyed their day at Kenilworth and can’t wait to come back next year. If they do, I highly suggest that you all come to the course hungry! Many thanks to the day’s sponsors and organisers and all the best to Pippa for her op this week.
– Robyn Louw
