Spumante Dolce Does Not Have To Deal With Quid Pro Quo

Spumante Dolce is out to build on her record of three wins from three starts and is the favourite for Saturday’s Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic over 1800m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. (Picture: JC Photos). 

In the Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic over 1800m Spumante Dolce has drawn seven out of eleven and is going to be hard to beat considering her progressive profile and her pedigree which suggests she should relish the step up in trip … and also because Quid Pro Quo is absent from the line up.

Barry Irwin of Team Valor International confirmed to sahorseracing.com “Quid Pro Quo has had her last race in South Africa, and unfortunately for local fans our hand was forced due to quarantine restrictions on travel to the Cape, as well as the timing of the next shipment out of the country.”

Sahorseracing.com added, “With scheduling conflicts ruling out another Johannesburg appearance, her campaign has been cut short. A dual Grade 1 winner, Quid Pro Quo wasn’t at her peak in her most recent outing, with the effects of an extended break from full training becoming evident in the final 200m of her Fillies Guineas effort. Despite this departure, Team Valor has been making significant investments in South African racing, including acquiring Quid Pro Quo, driven by a renewed sense of optimism about the industry’s future.”

Barry Irwin concluded, “She is a brilliant filly and we have partners involved with her that want to see her rise to the top of her potential. Risking being stranded in South Africa was not an option.”

Spumante Dolce is by Vercingetorix, who won the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 among other Graded races, out of Spumanti, who won the Gr 2 Betting World 1900 and the Gr 2 Ipi Tpombe Challenge. Therefore she should relish the step up in trip and, furthermore, she is still learning, having had only three starts to date.

VJ’s Angel was only beaten 0.25 lengths by Spumante Dolce in the Gauteng Fillies Guineas and she now has a draw that is not as disadvantageous as her 12 draw was in the latter race. She is drawn eight and on pedigree this Gimmethegreenlight filly should see out the trip.

Fiery Pegaus only has 1,90 lengths to find on Spumante Dolce and now has Richard Fourie up, albeit from a wide draw.

World Of Alice should relish the step up in trip and the Tarry yard is in fine form.

Olivia’s Way has class and is distance suited, but returns from a layoff since disappointing in the Gr 3 Fillies Mile, beaten 4,75 lengths by World Of Alice.

Willy Meet Again could still be anything and jumps from pole position.

Care Forgot has plenty of ability but is held by a few of these from Fillies Mile form and she has another wide draw here.

Gerbera won well over the trip last time but this is a big step up in class.

Bakwena began her career with a six length win over 1000m but has 7,10 lengths to find on Spumante Dolce on Gauteng Fillies Guineas form. She should relish the step uip in trip though being by Gimmethegreenlight and a half-sister to Divine Odyssey, who won a Gr 2 over 2000m.

Hats Queen is an interesting runner, because she is clearly progressing and she relishes middle distance trips. However, Gavin Lerena has obviously jumped ship to ride VJ’s Angel.

Sensoria is improving but has a very tough task at the weights here having been unable to win last time out off her 82 merit rating, although the handicappers did increase her merit rating to 84 after that race.

The final field is shown below: