Run in previous years as the Gardenia Stakes, the inaugural R250 000 Listed National Colour Stakes hosted a class mixed-aged field of speed fillies at Turffontein on Saturday and saw a progressive 3yo going gun-to-tape to win smartly for Turffontein trainer Tony Peter and owner Suzette Viljoen.
It’s been a memorable week for the Viljoen family.
On Thursday they announced that that their champion and flagship mare Captain’s Ransom was tested in foal to new season sire Jet Dark, and celebrated some future star potential on Saturday as the flying Golden Sickle was unstoppable under Calvin Habib to register a maiden stakes success.
Golden Sickle goes all the way under Calvin Habib (Pic – JC Photos)
Flashing speed from the break in the 1000m contest, the 18-10 favourite was shaken up inside the 200m, and carried too many guns to score a convincing 2,25 length victory in a nippy 56,85 secs.
Returning after a 26 week break and racing under new ownership, the talented topweight Alula’s Star ran a cracker in second, just ahead of Corne Spies’ longshot Flowerbomb, who ran a gutsy race to grab third.
A R700 000 Cape Yearling Sale purchase, the beautifully bred winner is a Varsfontein Stud produced daughter of champion Vercingetorix (Silvano) out of the accomplished six-time winner Victorian Secret (Captain Al).
Now a winner of 4 races with 5 places from 10 starts, Golden Sickle took her stakes earnings to R463 788.
The race has been renamed in honour of the late Sean Tarry-trained National Colour, a flying daughter of National Assembly, wh was our Joint Horse Of The Year and Champion 3YO Female Sprinter in 2006.
National Colour won eight races here and in Dubai, with her notable performances including a four and a quarter length win in the 2006 Gr1 Computaform Sprint, a defeat of top globetrotting sprinter Tiza in the 2006 Gr1 Mercury Sprint, and a runner up finish in the 2008 Gr1 Nunthorpe Stakes – one of Britain’s top sprint features.
She is the dam of champion racehorse and outstanding Ridgemont stallion, Rafeef.
