Fresh off dominating the finish to the 2019 G1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate, Bloodstock South Africa sold thoroughbreds were once again front and centre in a South African feature race this past Saturday when All At Once and Mighty High fought out a stirring finish in the Listed Swallow Stakes at Turffontein.
The Varsfontein Stud bred All At Once (an R80 000 buy from the 2017 National Two Year Old Sale – pictured in feature image) showed huge courage in fighting back to nab last season’s G1 Allan Robertson Championship winner Mighty High (a R120 000 buy from the 2017 National Yearling Sale) on the post and win Saturday’s R150 000 feature for trainer Lucky Houdalakis, jockey Craig Zackey and owner Stone Hill Stud.
Remarkably, BSA graduates finished 1-2-3 in the Swallow Stakes, with the Summerhill Stud bred Blonde Vision (a R225 000 purchase from the 2017 National Sale) taking third place in the 1160m sprint.
Three-year-old All At Once, who was picking up the first black type win of her career, has now won three of only four starts and she looks a promising prospect for the future.
A daughter of deceased champion sire Captain Al, All At Once took her earnings to R238 512 with her Swallow Stakes victory.
All At Once pictured as a foal with her dam. Image: Varsfontein Stud
The filly is out of the Caesour mare Alexia –a full-sister to G2 Golden Slipper winner Alexandra Rose (who won the G3 Monrovia Handicap in the USA) and Listed Syringa Handicap Alexa, and half-sister to Memorial Mile winner Pavlovich and Sea Cottage Stakes winner Alexandra Palace.
Another half-sister Albizia, dam of G1 Golden Horseshoe winner Forest Indigo, also got among the winners on Saturday when her daughter Tamarina won the fourth race for trainer Alec Laird and owner-breeders Varsfontein Stud.
Her dam has produced a 2017 foal to Master Of My Fate.
