Wilgerbosdrift enjoyed a weekend to remember, with their runners shining all over the country.
However, it was the beautifully bred Nother Russia who provided the farm with its shining moment this weekend when she won Saturday’s G3 Acacia Handicap at Turffontein. In the process, the four-year-old (bred by Wilgerbosdrift) provided trainer Mike de Kock with his 2999th win of his illustrious career (de Kock would later go on to reach his 3000th win when Janoobi won Saturday’s G2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas).
Nother Russia, who was ridden to victory by Craig Zackey (the only jockey ever to ride her in a race), produced an astonishing turn of foot to come from last to first to land her first graded race by a neck from the well related Bella Sonata.
Now a winner of four of just eight outings,the consistent Nother Russia will make an exciting broodmare prospect for owner Mauritzfontein, who spent R550 000 to acquire her from the 2014 National Sale.
The flashy filly is sadly the product of two now deceased parents –Nother Russia being sired by Wilgerbosdrift’s former leading first crop sire Tiger Ridge (whose Guineas winning son Noah From Goa is currently being campaigned in Dubai).
She is the first stakes winner for former Equus Champion Older Filly/Mare Mother Russia, whose 13 victories included no fewer than 10 stakes races –most notably the 2011 G1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate.
Wilgerbosdrift’s home bred filly Orchid Island (bred in partnership with Mauritzfontein) was by no means disgraced when a good third in Saturday’s G2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas, while the farm was also responsible for breeding Saturday’s winner Oriental Oak and impressive Sunday winner Osprey.
The regally bred pair of Oriental Oak (a full-sister to Wilgerbosdrift owned G1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes winner Nightingale) and Osprey (a Silvano own sister to G1 J&B Met winner Martial Eagle) both look likely to progress from their weekend wins –and both, no doubt, will be exciting future stud prospects when retiring to the paddocks! Both fillies were bred in partnership with Mauritzfontein.
Yet another WIlgerbosdrift bred graduate to score this weekend was the Alyson Wright trained Napoli (by the farm’s resident sire Right Approach), with that Mauritius bound gelding picking up his second career win at Greyville on Sunday.