Val De Ra and the magnificent ‘Little Miss Frankel’ (Pic: Liesl King)
The Avontuur Estate team proudly welcomed their SA champion Sprinter Val De Ra home with her super Frankel foal in tow recently, following a month spent in the Drakenstein Quarantine Facility.
According to reports, Mom and little Miss Frankel are settling in happily with the other mares and foals in the paddocks at the magnificent Helderberg farm.
With her maternal instincts proven following her giving birth in the UK in 2013 to a strong filly by another of the world’s top sires, Oasis Dream, and after being covered by Frankel, Val De Ra displayed her trademark courage and grace as she made the long trip home to SA with her first foal at foot earlier this year.
Dennis Drier enjoys a relaxing moment with his former charge and her daughter
“She is looking well and the filly is a real character. We had a lovely
visit by Val de Ra’s trainer Dennis Drier and his wife Gill earlier this week, and we all agreed that this foal has that something special,” says Avontuur GM Pippa Mickleburgh.
“Val de Ra was recently covered by Oratorio and we are now waiting to see if she is in foal again, but in the meantime she’s enjoying a well-deserved break and is enjoying all the attention and the vintage Avontuur hospitality and pampering,” said Pippa.
Val de Ra (Var x Minelli) enjoyed a prolific track career in South Africa and was crowned Equus Champion Sprinter for the 2010-11 season with her greatest moment arguably her defeat of What A Winter in the 2012 Cape Flying Championship.
