Dreams do come true! Vaal trainer Ashley Fortune struck gold at Turffontein on Saturday when her former Cape-based 4yo Princess Calla won the R1 250 000 HSH Princess Charlene Gr1 Empress Club Stakes to give the popular lady trainer and her consistent horse their respective maiden Gr1 success.
Formerly resident with Adam Marcus at Milnerton, Princess Calla has to be one of the best 4yo fillies around not to have won a Gr1 prior to Saturday.
Princess Calla (Aldo Domeyer) charges clear of Under Your Spell (Calvin Habib) in a popular all-round result (Pic – JC Photos)
A recent winner of the Gr3 Prix Du Cap, South Africa’s newest equine millionaire was already a Gr2 winner and had twice won at Gr3 level, with two Gr1 runner-up credits to her name.
But justice was done on Saturday when Aldo Domeyer made it a Fortune family celebration with a beautifully judged ride to get the Maine Chance bred filly home.
After stalking Pretty Betty and Sprinkles all the way around, Domeyer unleashed Princess Calla at the 400m in a show of confidence.
Running fresh at her first Gauteng start and a break of eight weeks, she gave her sire Flower Alley (Distorted Humor) his first SA Gr1 winner and a royal feature double on the big day.
Princess Calla (15-10) charged to a popular victory as she staved off a gutsy late challenge by 3yo Under Your Spell (15-2) to win by three quarters of a length in 98,24 secs.
Sparkling Water (13-2) stayed on for third in an encouraging prep for Champions Day, with Cape raider Zarina (11-2) a well-beaten fourth.
An emotional Aldo Domeyer, whose trophy was presented by a relaxed looking former multiple champion in Piere Strydom, had handled the pressure like a champion.
His decision to excuse himself from the Bass-Robinson stable rides in the race, resulted in giving him the rare pleasure of providing his former SA Champion jockey Dad Andrew and step Mom Ashley with a milestone moment in all their lives.
The thrilled team enjoy their memorable day (Pic – JC Photos)
Ashley Fortune thanked her entire team and the likes of riders Ryan Munger and Chad Little, and paid tribute to seldom seen owner Mario Ferreira and his Racing Manager Des Gonsalves for their patience and confidence.
Des Gonsalves’ comment that the Snaith’s Captain’s Ransom had gotten in the way of Princess Calla winning a Gr1 in her former hometown, and that they had decided to give this race a bash, set up an interesting showdown in the SA Champions Season between the two top racers.
Ashley salutes her princess (Pic – JC Photos)
Bred by the red-hot Maine Chance Farms, Princess Calla is out of the Captain Al mare Princess Royal.
A R600 000 purchase from the 2019 Cape Premier Yearling Sale, Princess Calla has now won 5 races with 9 places from 16 starts for stakes of R1 759 850.
She is one of a growing number of top-class fillies sired by Flower Alley, who is also responsible for this season’s Gr2 WSB Ipi Tombe Challenge/Gr3 Yellowwood Handicap winner Bold Fortune, and the Racing Owners Association Listed Spook Express winner, Opera Glass.
