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April 22, 2007


STATELY WINS GRADE 3 STRELITZIA STAKES AT SCOTTSVILLE ON SUNDAY,
JUVENILE FILLY IS CHEAPEST EVER BOUGHT BY IRWIN IN SOUTH AFRICA,
JOSHUA DANCER FILLY IS PART OF 5-HORSE YEARLING PACKAGE



Stately pounced in the final furlong to win the Grade 3 Strelitzia Stakes.
Stately, bought for less than $17,000 at last year’s National Yearling Sale in South Africa, finished with a rush from a stalking position to score an improbable 40 to 1 shocker in the Grade 3 Strelitzia Stakes at Scottsville race course.

It was in this same 6-furlong feature last year that Team Valor’s lowest-priced yearling of the previous crop—the $24,000 Sally Bowles—came within a whisker of winning the straightaway dash for juvenile fillies.

Sally Bowles was an unlucky loser a month later for the Grade 1 Allan Robertson Fillies Championship over the same layout and the connections hope that Stately can provide some recompense for that shortcoming.

Trainer Neil Bruss no doubt thought that if he were to lead in a winner after the Grade 3 it would be the more fancied Summer Dew, but that filly came out of her stall lame the morning of the race and was scratched.

Owned by Team Valor and Durban-based motion picture producer Anant Singh and his wife Vanashree, Stately raced in about fourth or fifth for most of the journey.

“Stuart Randolph timed his move perfectly,” admitted Bruss. “He got last run and lots of time, when you can get last run, you win. He did a fine job today.”

Glyn Schofield had been aboard the Joshua Dancer filly when she went one better in her second career outing to win by more than 3 lengths at Scottsville in breaking her maiden in style. But when Bruss offered Shoenfield the return mount, he declined, as he thought he had a better chance aboard a different filly.

The odds were in Schofeld’s favor, but as often happens in races of this sort where the runners are basically unclassified, things turned out differently than the public predicted.

Stately finished a length in front of 28 to 10 second favorite Mochachino, who had a similar margin over Two Moccasins. Favored Bernice showed speed, but faded at the business end of affairs.

The Strelitzia heroine is the first of 5 yearling fillies bought at the National Sale last season by Barry Irwin to start this season.

In the previous crop, which are now racing as 3-year-olds, the 4 yearlings fillies included Little Miss Magic, a Grade 1 winner this term against older fillies and mares in the Empress Club Stakes; Sally Bowles, second in the Grade 1 Allan Robertson Fillies Championship Stakes and the Strelitzia last season; and winners Elegant Aspen and Whistledownthewind.
    Stately wins KZN feature
    by Mel Kaplan

    Mochachino and Bernice were expected to fight out the finish of the Sunday Tribune Grade 3 Strelitzia Stakes for fillies over 1200m. Bernice was sent off favourite at 16-10 on bookmakers’ boards with Mochachino quoted at 28-10 at the start of the race.

    Bernice was prominent in the early stages but soon fell away while Mochachino was always travelling well close to the inside rail. She looked to be going well enough to win but had no answer to the finishing run of Stately who burst onto the scene late to score going away beating the speedy Mike Azzie-trained filly by a length.

    Being a candidate for the Bloodstock SA Bonus Programme, Stately qualified for an additional R50 000 bonus. Trainer Neil Bruss said: ``I am absolutely thrilled. My thanks go to Team Valor’s Barry Irwin, who picked her. She was not an expensive filly but what a good runner she is turning out to be.’’

    Jockey Stuart Randolph stated: ``What a pick-up ride. She is a lovely filly. She went well throughout and really quickened up after we had nice lead from the speedy filly (Mochachino) up the inside.’’
From SAhorseracing.com:
    STATELY WINS GRADE 3 STRELITZIA STAKES FOR TEAM VALOR


    Stately escorted to winner's enclosure by trainer Neil and Dee Bruss.
    There was an upset in the Gr 3 Sunday Tribune Strelitzia Stakes over 1200m at Scottsville on Sunday, with 40/1 shot Stately prevailing after a four-way battle inside the last furlong.

    Jockey Stuart Randolph kept Neil Bruss's charge covered off the early pace as Bernice eventually claimed the early lead. Mochachino showed good early pace along the inside rail, with Class In A Glass, Laser Fan and Imperialist all prominent and Indian Express pulling hard early but restrained just off the early leaders.

    Bernice was tackled by Mochachino at the 400m mark and she started to come under pressure as Laser Fan and Two Moccasins moved up threateningly and Stateley started her run.

    Mochachino was hard pressed by all of Laser Fan, Two Moccasins and Stately inside the last 200m as the four of them raced briefly abreast, but Stately had the most in hand and she finished strongly to win by a length from Mochachino, with Two Moccasins turning in a good post-maiden effort in third ahead of Laser Fan.

    It was surprising to see that Stately was ignored by the market to such a great extent. Although only a maiden winner, so were most of her rivals and she had won her previous start, albeit in a weak field, in good style. Her winning sequence should not end here. Mochachino showed good pace and was only mastered late. She should make amends soon, as should Two Moccasins, Laser Fan and fifth-placed Indian Express, who didn't fare too badly in finishing only three lengths behind after a four-month layoff. - Mark Anthony Stately is a 2-year-old filly by Joshua Dancer out of Got Her (Capture Him) She was bred by Canter Past Breeding and is owned by Mrs Vanashree and Mr Anant Singh and Team Valor (Nominee: Mr Barry Irwin). Winning trainer: Neil Bruss
From Racing South Africa:

    Team Valor yearling purchase Stately surprised
    all in the G3 Strelitzia for juvenile fillies.
    Rank outsider Stately (40-1) (pictured) caused a huge upset when running out the winner of the fillies equivalent. And just as in the colts’ race, the short-priced favourite Bernice fell by the wayside.

    Bernice led the field through the 700m mark, followed by Class In A Glass with Mochachino next best on the inside rail. Approaching the final furlong, Bernice cried enough and Laser Fan joined Mochachino in the lead. However, Stately claimed the advantage inside the final 1000m with a strong late run, eventually scoring by a length from a game Mochachino. Recent maiden winner Two Moccasins ran on to deprive Laser Fan of third place.

    Stately came off a three-month break to score for the second time in three starts here. A runner-up on debut, she had won her maiden in convincing fashion at Clairwood in late January.

    Stately is by Joshua Dancer who, like Alami, is by Danzig, which made it a handsome double for the son of Northern Dancer. In fact, Danzig’s sons have a proud record in both races. Over the past decade, the Godolphin Barb has been won by Danzig’s Joy (Qui Danzig), La Scala (National Assembly) and What A Question (Qui Danzig), while Happy Harriet (National Assembly), Hoeberg (Maroof) and Charming Chestnut (National Assembly) all scored in the Strelitzia.

    Joshua Dancer, who started his stud career at Highlands Farms in the Western Cape, now resides at Avalon Stud near Mooi River.

    Team Valor’s Barry Irwin shrewdly bought Stately for just R100,000 at last year’s National Yearling Sales. Bred and raised at Middlefield Stud in the KZN Midlands, the filly is one of three winners produced from the Capture Him mare Got Her, a stakes placed winner of five races. She hails from the Argentinian family of champion Gallion and Gr.1 winner Farsalia.