Wilgerbosdrift’s resident sire Flower Alley made headlines at Wednesday night’s Equus Awards ceremony, which took place at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg. Not only was Flower Alley’s outstanding daughter Princess Calla named South Africa’s Horse Of The Year for the recently concluded 2022-2023 season, she was also crowned Equus Champion Older Female for that season.
Trained by Sean Tarry, the Mario Ferreira owned mare had an outstanding season in 2022-2023, where Princess Calla won six graded races, from 1000-1800m, including three G1 races.
The Maine Chance Farms bred bay began her season winning the G2 www.wsb.co.za Southern Cross Stakes at Kenilworth before making it a back to back graded double when downing some very speedy fillies and mares to win the G2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes.
Returned to Gauteng, Princess Calla again showed her class when romping home to a five and a quarter length win in the G2 Senor Santa Stakes before finishing third in the G1 Computaform Sprint.
She then reeled off three G1 wins in a row, with Princess Calla landing the G1 South African Fillies Sprint by nearly three and a quarter lengths, the G1 Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes by over a length and three quarters and the G1 HKJC Champions Cup by just over a length and a quarter.
To date, the four time G1 winning Princess Calla has won or placed in 21 of her 23 outings with the champion having earned R4 584 725 in prize money.
Her G1 Travers Stakes winning sire Flower Alley enjoyed a fine season himself in 2022-2023, where his flagbearers included not only Princess Calla but also fellow graded stakes winners Clafoutis, Gilded Butterfly and None Other.