When None Other crossed the line first in the Wilgerbosdrift Bridget Oppenheimer Gr2 SA Oaks just over a week ago, she further embellished the distinguished record of the Oppenheimer family in this time-honoured classic.
One couldn’t have scripted it better. The filly is raced by breeder Mary Slack, the daughter of Harry and Bridget Oppenheimer, whose homebreds have long cast a shadow as some of the best in the sport.
None Other (Richard Fourie) is led in after her SA Oaks win by Jessica Jell, Lucky Hodudalakis, Mary Slack and Steven Jell (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Classic horses were the meat and drink of their Mauritzfontein breeding operation, underlined by its remarkable record as the birthplace of 15 Oaks winners, all but one of which carried the Oppenheimer silks to victory.
They were a visible and integral part of the sport and in this modern era, it seems nothing has changed, as daughter Mary and granddaughter Jessica have seamlessly filled the void left by their passing.
Mary’s Wilgerbosdrift, situated in the Piketberg area, is the birthplace of champions Rainbow Bridge, Hawwaam and Marinaresco, and of course last year’s Hollywoodbets Durban July victress Sparkling Water.
That Mrs Slack regards the Oaks of vital importance to the gene pool is evident from the fact that Wilgerbosdrift has sponsored the classic since 2005.
Jessica is now mistress of Mauritzfontein. Clearly intent on seeing to it that the famous Oppenheimer silks continue to be a major force in horse racing, she succeeded as recently as 2020, when homebred Summer Pudding claimed the Oaks en route to Horse of the Year honours.
Flashback to Greys Inn 2004 Durban July – three generations! Mary Slack, Bridget Oppeneimer and Jessica Jell
Not to be outdone, Mary too, has witnessed two of her homebreds win the SA Oaks in her distinctive black and red colours. Successful in 2008 with Ilha Bela, she watched Sparkling Water finish second to War Of Athena two years ago.
She had to wait all of 15 years for her second Oaks winner and it was entirely fitting that None Other won the first renewal named in honour of Bridget Oppenheimer.
From a pedigree perspective, both her Oaks winners descend from Mary’s champion racemare Ilha Da Vittoria, Ilha Bela being a daughter and None Other a grandaughter.
Imported from the Argentine and trained by Mike de Kock, this grey daughter of Candy Stripes proved a veritable goldmine on the track, winning not just the Gr1 Summer Cup, but also the initial running of the H F Oppenheimer Gr1 Horse Chestnut Stakes, the mile race honouring her late father and arguably the best horse he bred.
Flashback! Ilha Bela (Anthony Delpech) gets the better of Athina in a thriller (JC Photos)
It came as no surprise when she shared Horse of the Year honours with Rafeef’s dam National Colour.
As a broodmare, Ilha Da Vittoria was quick off the mark with her very first foal, the Tiger Ridge filly Ilha Grande. She cemented her Oaks claims by winning the Trial, but alas, had the misfortune of being a contemporary of the mighty Igugu, to whom she finished third in the Oaks proper.
Twelve months later, Fort Wood half-sister Ilha Bela made up for that loss by turning the Oaks on its head, coming home in splendid isolation to score by over six lengths.
None Other is out of the Dynasty mare One Of A Kind, who just happens to be Ilha Da Vitoria’s last foal. Although she was the product of two champions, she proved no great shakes on the track, winning just once as a three-year-old. Nevertheless, it was always a given that she would join her more accomplished half-sisters in the Wilgerbosdrift paddocks and she has more than made up for her lack of racing class as the dam of a classic winner with her very first foal.
As for Ilha Grande, she is already a Gr1 producer as the dam of SA Classic winner Orchid Island, who by the way, finished fifth in the 2017 SA Oaks.
And although Ilha Bela has yet to join the ranks of stakes producers, she is dam of Gr3-placed stayer Azores as well as this season’s smart three-year-old Bonete, who chased home Billy Bowlegs (2nd in the Gr1 SA Derby) and None Other in the Gr3 Sea Cottage Stakes. Her yearling colt by exciting freshman sire Fire Away is destined to sell at the upcoming National Sale and is sure to feature on many a shortlist.
With three accomplished daughters currently doing broodmare duty at Wilgerbosdrift and grandaughters likely to join them in time, Ilha Da Vitoria’s legacy looks assured.
Finally, it would be remiss not to make mention of the fact that None Other is the first Oaks winner sired by Flower Alley.
Flower Alley (photo: hamishNIVENPhotography)
It was a case of third time lucky for the Wilgerbosdrift stallion, considering he sired 2020 runner-up Pomander, while Evening Primrose finished third twelve months ago. Remarkably, only two of his twelve South African stakes winners to date are males, which once again underlines his reputation as a ‘fillies’ sire.
