Former Northern Cape Champion trainer Tienie Prinsloo rounded off a memorable weekend with Bomber Girl’s victory in the R90 000 Beach Beauty Mile at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday.
Just 24 hours earlier a horse he selected at the Cape Yearling Sale stamped himself as a leading classic prospect, bolting home to beat a decent line-up of older horses in the Betway Gr2 Joburg Spring Challenge at Turffontein.
Given the fact that he only has a yard of eleven horses, there is probably some irony in the fact that both Main Defender and Bomber Girl were bought by the astute horseman at the 2022 BSA Cape Yearling.
And then for relatively small money!
Smanga Khumalo rode a clever race on Bomber Girl to win the Sunday feature (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Speaking to the Sporting Post after Bomber Girl had stepped up to the 1600m under a beautifully judged Smanga Khumalo ride on Sunday to register her third win from just 9 starts, a pleased Tienie said he had bought just 3 horses at the sale.
“I purchased Main Defender for R140 000, Bomber Girl for R70 000, and Let The Flag Fly for R15 000. They all won their bonuses, and between the trio they have won eight races and over R1,2 million in stakes, with their 3yo careers still ahead of them,” mused the man who somehow ticks over at Summerveld with just 11 horses.
He saddled the exciting Main Defender to his first win, but a change in ownership saw the son of Pathfork move to Tony Peter.
“He is a smashing horse. I wish them well with him,” adds Tienie sportingly as his attention shifts to Bomber Girl, who had the honour of giving him his first KZN feature victory since his Gold Circle-assisted move three years ago from the consigned to the scrapheap of history, Flamingo Park.
“She’s classy and even though she’s not big, she makes up for it with heart and ability,” he added proudly, thanking owner Roland Pretorius and Tyrone Zackey.
Tienie Prinsloo and Smanga Khumalo are all smiles in the rain (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Bred by the Gary Player Stud, Bomber Girl is a daughter of the deceased War Front sire Lancaster Bomber, out of the Western Winter mare, Bavaria.
‘She’s from the SA Triple Crown winner Abashiri’s family. She’s a lovely filly. We will consider our options. Maybe we will go down to the Cape. We have to aim high,” smiles Tienie.
Now a winner of 3 races with 4 places from her 9 starts, Bomber Girl capitalized on a pedestrian pace in the non black-type feature to take her stakes bank to R267 875.
It was a gutsy win, despite the fact that it was a sprint for home, to hold off the Duncan Howells trained 17-10 favourite Foreshore by 0,30 lengths in a time of 100,70 secs.
Enjoy the replay here:
Staunch owner Preggie Somasundram, who won the third with Common Grounds for Darryl Moore, enjoyed the rare feat of filling the quartet behind the winner, with three horses from three different yards. Maybe more owners should follow the example and be spreading the love a little!
Preggie’s Darryl Moore runner Bosnay (8-1) was in third, with the Robbie Hill charge Sign Of Fate (25-2) running a decent race to complete the top four home, with under a length separating them.
Tienie Prinsloo and his wife Elsa are hoping that the success will raise their profile.
“We can’t train winners without the horses. And winners are ultimately a trainer’s best advert. But I have some loyal people backing me – like Peet Boonzaaier, and Praveen Gengiah, who races Let The Flag Fly.”
While he is not going to chase the KZN championship with 11 horses, let’s not forget that Tienie achieved the near impossible with limited numbers when he won his champion title in the Northern Cape with a string of just 13 horses!
He aims to give his owners a personalised experience and he invites any inquiries via email at: [email protected].
Winning Form-sponsored Serino Moodley was the day’s leading rider with a treble for three different trainers.
- No racing on Monday and the next KZN racemeeting is on Wednesday 11 October on the polytrack at Hollywoodbets Greyville.
