It was a red letter day for Gaynor Rupert’s Drakenstein Stud at Kenilworth on Friday as they took home both feature races on the first day of their L’Ormarins Queens Plate festival.
Clouds Unfold (What A Winter) was the star turn as the gifted three-year-old finished strongly to win the Gr2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes going away.
Snowdance’s full sister Juniper Spring had looked a likely winner when she stormed clear with 200m to go, but Aldo Domeyer produced Clouds Unfold at the right time, and she quickened impressively to record her second Grade 2 win in her last three runs.
It looks like her slightly flat effort in the Fillies Guineas can be put down to not staying the mile.
This was the third year in succession Candice Bass-Robinson has won this race.
Earlier the highly progressive Princess Irene (Duke Of Marmalade) finished strongly to win an open looking Listed Ardmore Jamaica Handicap by a length.
Improving handicappers Foxy Princess and Expedite filled the minor positions to earn some valuable black type.
She was under sufferance by a full 6kg with a rating of 81, but still went off at 6-1, as fellow three year old Coral Bay was backed into 9-2 favourite.
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Images: Clouds Unfold at the L’Ormarins Queens Plate 2018 / Candiese Marnewick
