Racing on - PARADE MAGAZINE

RACING NEWSTEXT: ADA VAN DER BENT.Goldkeeper. Five times the champion sire in Zimbabwebefore his arrival in this country, the diminutivechestnut has been a renowned source of speed, withall of Gold Tax, Battle Maiden, Geepee S and Give MeFive succeeding at the highest level.HRH PRINCESS CHARLENE OFMONACO STARLING STAKES (Gr 3)Stalwart owner-breeder Chris Saunders has finallycracked another top level prospect in three-year-oldfilly Festival Of Fire, who racked up a Gr.3 double witha gutsy victory in this race named in honour of PrincessCharlene of Monaco, who was the guest of honouron the day.Under Derek David, the Mike de Kock-trained fillycame with a strong run up the centre to reel in favouredBlueridge Mountain, who was engaged in herown private battle with Leeway and Fire Wheel on herinside.Blueridge Mountain refused to wilt under pressure,but the De Kock filly always seemed to have her measureand she powered home to score by a half length,the pair finished well clear of Leeway and Fire Wheel.Unraced as a juvenile, Festival Of Fire won first timeout up the Clairwood straight on the very first day ofthe new racing season and backed up her debut winanother handy score over 1200m. She then sufferedher first and only defeat at Scottsville, proving nomatch for classy graded performers Felix The Cat andMiss Ipanema over 1400m, but promptly bouncedback with a splendid first stakes victory in the Gr.3Joburg Spring Fillies & Mares Challenge on October6.“She’s bred to get the mile,” remarked the winningtrainer. “We will probably have a go at the Gr.1 FilliesGuineas in Cape Town with her and bypass the SummerCup meeting here.”CAPE CLASSIC (Gr 3)Chave De Oura opened his Cape Town campaign inthe best way possible, scoring a first stakes score inthe Gr.3 Cape Classic.Making his fourth career start and on the back of twofluent victories over 1200m, he was always close tothe pace and under a confident ride from jockey SeanCormack, made a bold forward move at the quartermark to go a length clear. Although hard-pressed inthe closing stages by 25-1 shot Sanshaawes, the coltshowed true grit to land the spoils by a longhead.Readytogorightnow finished with a late rattle to snarethird on the line.The winner, who has now won three in a row, firstcaught the eye with a start-to-finish debut victory atScottsville at second time of asking and followed upwith an even more impressive effort up the Clairwoodstraight, scoring by just over three lengths. Consideringhe has now claimed the notable scalps of stakeswinners Twitter, Black Toga, Ottimo and Tevez, thecolt looks set to continue his rise through the ranks.“This was the first time he has been asked to takeon the big boys and he came through it with flyingcolours,” remarked the winning trainer Dennis Drier.CHOICE CARRIERSCHAMPIONSHIP (Gr 2)The returning champion All Is Secret was all the ragehere and she duly kicked off her sophomore campaignwith a facile score in this prelude to the Gr.1Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas.<strong>Racing</strong> three deep and some lengths off the pace inthe early stages, the champ was switched to the standsidecoming into the straight. Jet Aglow and ButterflyGirl were the first to challenge and joined longtimeleader Earth’s Orbit 300m from home. Jockey AntonMarcus sent All Is Secret in pursuit and she respondedwith a smart change of gears, sealing victory at the100m mark where she came sweeping into the lead towin with total authory.In a scramble for the minor places, Butterfly Girl justshaded Earth’s Orbit for second, while Intimateconnectionturned in a huge effort to finish just a longheadback in fourth.Ebony Flyer and champion Princess Victoria, themost recent winners of this event, both went on tocapture the Gr.1 Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas,and trainer Vaughan Marshall confirmed hischarge would follow the same route.This was the third graded success for All Is Secret, togo along with her Gr.1 double in the Allan RobertsonChampionship and Thekwini Stakes as a juvenile.26 Parade CAPE PREMIER YEARLING SALES EDITION