Quickstepgal completes a pillar to post victory in the Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas (Picture: Wayne Marks)
Horseracing fans and pundits tend to be fickle and there was no better proof than the KZN star Quickstepgal opening at 16/1 for the Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas, although she did start at a more respectable 10/1.
The Tienie Prinsloo-trained Greenacres Trust-bred Vercingetorix filly was touted before the Cape Summer season as likely the biggest opposition to the much vaunted Alan Greeff-trained Golden Palm, but was brushed aside by many after just one run in Cape Town where she finished a far from disgraced 1,75 length fourth in the Gr 2 Western Cape Fillies Championship.
That race did not pan out well as she was caught one wide without cover in a handy position, but to her credit, when looking likely to be swamped in the straight, she fought on to find the frame.
She should not have come out of that race with her colours lowered, especially as she was likely to have come on from the run.
The way she stayed on under pressure, despite having had little cover throughout, also suggested she was going to likely enjoy the step up in trip to a mile.
The front-running tactics devised by Tienie Prinsloo and Gavin Lerena also played a big part in the win.
Tienie revealed afterwards, “I said to Mr Laurence Wernars, I know this filly and if she goes to the front she always quickens and I said there would be no problem with the 1600m.”
The one downside was they were drawn even wider this time in stall nine.
However, Quickstepgal shot out of the stalls as if she was spring-loaded under a drive from Lerena, although the champion jockey did not immediately make a beeline for the rail.
Gavin said the day after the race, “I always had it in mind to go to the front, but then I was hearing there were a couple of pacemakers in. I was quite happy to go forward to be in behind the pacemakers, but they didn’t come, so I was pretty happy to be alone in the lead. She has got such a good action it would have been detrimental to have her in behind a slow pace and not using her action. As long as she was using her stride I was happy, whether it was in behind a fast pace or the pace I was at. She was very sensible in front, her ears came up very soon. She was just free-wheeling, she enjoyed it, she absolutely cruised around the course. From halfway around the turn I thought it was going to take a good one to beat me. She had cruised around so easily that I wanted the others to come off the bit early so I gave her a squeeze at the top of the straight. She lengthened beautifully and I felt I still had a lot of horse in hand, so if they were going to come at me, she was going to give me another kick.”
Lerena said Stormwatch had begun challenging, but he kept his mount in the hands until the 300m and then squeezed her again.
He said she responded superbly.
It was virtually race over at that point as she kicked away.
However, Reet Petite, who sat on Quickstepgal’s quarters in the running without cover, did produce a tremendous turn of foot when given a smack by Richard Fourie and Quickstepgal’s supporters had to hold their breaths again.
However, when Lerena gave the classy filly a crack at the 150m mark she found the necessary extra to keep the big-actioned Reet Petite at bay by three-quarters of a length.
James Crawford is trainer of Reet Petite and Crawford Racing were narrowly denied a win in the Gr 1 Classic for the second year in succession and for the third time in the last four years.
It was a first win of the Cape Fillies Guineas for Gavin and there can not be many Gr 1s around the country now that he has not won.
It was a fairytale first Gr 1 win for Tienie Prinsloo, who used to train in the backwater centre of Kimberley and he currently only has 13 horses in his yard.
It was a triumph too for the Wernars family and Harry Willson, who made the astute decision to buy her in training with the help of bloodstock agent Justin Vermaak.
This was just her third start, and second victory, running in the familiar Wernars silks.
Wish List ran on well from near the back of the field for a two length third.
She had sat behind Gr 2 Western Cape Fillies Championship winner Princess Of Gaul in the running and overtook the latter late in the race.
Princess Of Gaul ran on well initially, but appeared to not quite see it out and was beaten 2,50 lengths with Lowveld Lily 0,30 lengths further back in fifth.
The race was a nightmare for the hot favourite Golden Palm, the East Cape Equus Champion raider from the Alan Greeff yard.
She came out of stall seven hesitantly and and after the pack had been shuffled she ended up on the rail in midfield. With Quickstepgal dictating in front, and with there being just a narrow 1,5m false rail, she looked up against it from a long way out. However, it was not all down to luck in running. When she switched outward in the straight her usual kick was just not there. She took a long while to pick up, but did manage to do some good work late and finished a 3,80 length sixth. Time will tell whether she can bounce back. This was a filly being touted for superstardom and she started at odds of 91/100. Her next start will tell whether the bubble has burst. It must be remembered that a former East Cape star, Bold Silvano, bounced back from an unplaced run in the Cape Derby to win the July.
Gavin Lerena said in the winner’s enclosure that himself and Tienie had gone back a long way and he recalled being given some rides by him in Kimberley when chasing the championship ten years ago and he said the latter had always called upon him along the way during his career.
He added, “It means so much to me to ride a Gr 1 winner for him. He’s always been a great trainer. He’s come from humble beginnings and it’s never been easy for him, but he keeps showing up and I am so elated he has got this Gr 1.”
He also thanked caretaker trainer in Cape Town, Eric Sands, and also the deserving owners, the Wernars family and Harry Willson.
Tienie said he could see Richard Fourie was off the bridle on Reet Petite after Quickstepgal had given her kick.
He added, “Then I said there you go that’s our race!”
Bred by Greenacres Trust, Quickstepgal was a R450 000 buy from the 2024 KZN Yearling Sale.
The filly has won five of eight starts for earnings of R1 259 938 and three of her wins have been of black type races.
Out of the Jet Master mare Victoriana, Quickstepgal is bred on the same cross as fellow graded stakes winners African Warrior, Greaterix and Rascallion.
