The Wilgerbosdrift bred (and owned in partnership with Mauritzfontein) Nightingale impressed when running out a convincing winner of the G1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes over 1600m on Sun Met day on Saturday.
Trained by Candice Bass-Robinson, the four-year-old was partnered to victory by Mauritzfontein/Wilgerbosdrift sponsored jockey Anthony Delpech, who was enjoying his first top level success since returning from injury. Nighingale herself did extremely well to overcome a poor draw of 12, with Delpech bring home with a sustained late rattle to get up and deny gallant runner up Star Express victory by half a length.
The filly, who had looked so promising as a three-year-old when reeling off three wins on the bounce, was coming into the Majorca Stakes off a close up fourth to last season’s Equus Champion Bela-Bela.
One of 18 G1 winners sired by former champion sire Silvano (also responsible for Majorca runner up Star Express), South Africa’s latest G1 winning filly is out of G3 Magnolia Handicap winner Quickwood, a daughter of Mauritzfontein’s late, great sire Fort Wood.
Bred on the same Silvano/Fort Wood cross as champion Marinaresco, Nightingale, whose dam is a full-sister to G1 SA Guineas winner Heir Apparent, has now won four times, with her placed efforts including a third (to Bela-Bela) in last year’s G1 Woolavington 2000.
She will be an exciting prospect indeed when she retires to the Wilgerbosdrift paddocks!