Turffontein’s feature programme on Saturday served up a string of decisive performances, with six races showcasing a broad cross‑section of South Africa’s bloodstock.
Cosmic Star set the tone in the Listed Allied Steelrode Golden Loom Handicap. The Maine Chance Farms‑bred six year old son of Erupt, a member of a family that includes his dam Cosmic Light and the talented Cosmic Highway, produced a strong finish to secure his sixth career win. Trained by Johan Janse van Vuuren and racing in the colours of the Wernarsfamily, he was ridden by Muzi Yeni. The gelding traces back to the same female line as The Badger and Green Plains, underlining his depth of pedigree.
The Grade 3 TAB Starling Stakes went to Valentina Balducci, a three year old daughter of Skitt Skizzle bred at Bosworth Stud. By the Jet Master stallion out of a Byword mare, she gave trainer Robbie Sage and owners Messrs Lieveaux, Nestadt and van der Linden their first feature success of the meeting. With Kaiden Brewer in the irons, she defeated the well bred Ovation Star (by Rafeef) and Pretty Persuasive (by Vercingetorix), registering her third win from four starts. Her female line is a prolific one – she descends from the family of Angus, Distinguished, Dignifyand Winter Smoke.
Tin Pan Alley extended the Wernars family’s good run when the Moutonshoek‑bred three year old captured the Grade 3 Betway Graham Beck Stakes. The son of The United States, trained by Sean Tarry and owned in partnership with Dayalan Chinsammy, came off a second place finish to Jan Van Goyen in a Grade 1 on Gold Cup day to post his third career win under Gavin Lerena. His dam The Entertainer is a half sister to the smart performer Silver Operator, and the wider family features Group winners Gabor, Black Skimmer, Legislate and Lion In Winter.
Daimyo. Image: JC Photos
Owner‑breeder St John Gray added to his impressive record when Twostep Queen captured the Allied Steelrode Yellowwood Handicap (Listed). The Potala Palace filly, out of Dance Alley by Jam Alley, was produced at the right moment by Sean Veale to claim her first black type win and the fifth success of her career. She is from the same family as Gray’s champion mare Dancewiththedevil, a connection that will not be lost on those who follow his breeding operation.
The Grade 2 Allied Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile fell to Atticus Finch, last season’s Grade 1 Betway Summer Cup hero. Bred by Varsfontein Stud, he is a son of Master Of My Fate and was saddled by Alec Laird for owners L Clark, G Basel, G Cornwall and P Gregory. Regular partner Calvin Habib guided the gelding to his seventh career win. He is a half brother to All At Once and Expedite, and belongs to the broader family of Main Defender, Oleksandraand Forest Indigo.
The final feature, the Allied Steelrode Java Stakes (Listed) over 2400 m, provided the staying test of the afternoon and completed a feature double for Alec Laird and Calvin Habib. Daimyo, a five year old son of Vercingetorix out of Juxtapose (by Judpot), showed stamina and determination to see off his rivals. Bred in partnership by Erasmus Thoroughbreds and Syrilla Stud and sold for R600 000 at the November Two‑Year‑Old Sale, he races for K Nagendran, R Norton and C Nagendran. This was his fourth career win. His family includes Happy Landing, Eldoriza and Luna Halo, and his second dam is Sunsational, a reminder that depth of pedigree matters over ground.
Across the card, Turffontein’s big winners demonstrated both the strength and diversity of South African pedigrees, and provided connections with both immediate rewards and long‑term reasons for optimism.
