The Wilgerbosdrift bred and owned filly Orchid Island (bred by Wilgerbosdrift/Mauritzfontein) showed her class in no uncertain terms when outclassing some smart male rivals to land Saturday’s Listed Sea Cottage Stakes at Turffontein. Always travelling strongly, Orchid Island was not given a hard ride by jockey Anthony Delpech to land the 1800m contest by an easy four lengths from the Fastnet Rock colt Furiosa.
It was another five and a half lengths back to the third place finisher Pagoda. Mathew de Kock commented after the win, “Orchid Island is a granddaughter of Ilha Da Vitoria and she’s a very small filly like the rest of the family, but she can run like them too. In 2015 we won this race with Ertijaal prior to his win in the Cape Derby and last year Mike Azzie won it with Abashiri who went on to the Triple Crown, so it’s a good pointer to ability.
One of two weekend feature race winners for former champion sire Silvano, Orchid Island has now won two of just four outings, with the Sea Cottage Stakes being her first feature race success.
She is out of Listed Oaks Trial winner Ilha Grande –a daughter of Wilgerbosdrift’s former Leading First Crop Sire Tiger Ridge and the great race mare Ilha Da Vitoria. Ilha Grande herself made history when her Trippi daughter Lara Yara topped the 2016 National Yearling Sale.
Sadly recently deceased, Ilha Da Vitoria was South Africa’s Joint Horse Of The Year in 2006. The diminutive grey, who was also named Champion Older Female Middle Distance Horse that season, with her wins including the G1 Summer Cup, G1 Horse Chestnut Stakes and the G2 GommaGomma Challenge.
Orchid Island was one of two winners bred by Wilgerbosdrift/Mauritzfontein this past Saturday, with 2yo Puget Sound making a winning debut over 1000m at Turffontein.
By the ill-fated Sail From Seattle, Puget Sound showed tremendous courage when appearing to be beaten only to fight back to win on the line.
He is the third winner produced by the Trempolino mare La Bella Donna, who won three times.