Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 winner Silver Sanctuary is one of two Drakenstein Stud homebreds running in the Gr 1 Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes (Candiese Lenferna Photography)
Drakenstein Stud had a memorable record-breaking week last week and now look determined to add the Gr 1 Ridgemont Garden Province Stakes to their long list of stakes winners for the season.
On Saturday they reached 21 individual stakes winners for the season when the Justin Snaith-trained Eight On Eighteen won the Gr 3 Langerman and that beat their record set last season of 20, which in turn had beaten their record set in the previous season of 18.
Also on Saturday their resident freshman sire One World beat the freshman record of his father Captain Al by having a 23rd individual winner.
The scratching of the Mike de Kock-trained Drakenstein homebred Silver Sanctuary from the Hollywoodbets Durban July on Monday signalled the intention to run her in the Garden Province.
Another Drakesnstein homebred, the Glen Kotzen-trained Hold My Hand is also in the Garden Province.
Silver Sanctuary got rid of her bridesmaid tag when winning the Gr 1 Woolavington 2000.
However, the Silvano filly is also effective over a mile.
This season the now 116-rated filly has also won the Listed Summer Pudding Handicap against older hores over 1600m off a 96 merit rating, she finished a 0,30 length second to Beach Bomb in the Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas, finished a 1,75 length second to Gimme A Nother in the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas, a 4,25 length second to Gimme A Nother in the Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Classic over 1800m and a 3,25 length third to Frances Ethel in the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Bridget Oppenheimer Oaks over 2450m.
Hold My Hand finished a narrow 0,70 length second to Silver Sanctuary in the Woolavington 2000, which was a fine run considering she had to come from the back and came wide into the straight.
The last time she ran over as short as a mile was in last year’s Gr 2 WSB Fillies Guineas where she finished a one length third.
Silver Sanctuary has drawn six out of the 11 runners in the Garden Province.
Hold My Hand has drawn nine.
Hold My Hand can be dropped out considering the way she ran in the Garden Province, although the shorter trip will make it tougher to make up the ground.
Glen Kotzen also has the crack Gr 2 WSB Fillies Guineas-winning filly Rascova in the Garden Province and she has unfortunately drawn wide in 10.
She will clash with her arch rival Double Grand Slam for the eighth time.
Rascova has faced the Justin Snaith-trained Double Grand Slam in all of her last seven races and has beaten her four times and lost to her three times.
Last time she beat her in the Gr 2 WSB Fillies Guineas, although Double Grand Slam was tightened up against the outside fence and seemed reluctant to go through the gap.
Double Grand Slam has the opportunity for revenge and has won the first battle bacause this time she has the better of the draw, having landed draw three.
The Sean Tarry-trained Mrs Browning is drawn two. She has fine recent sprint form but has won over 1450m before and this Rafeef filly should get a mile considering she is out of a Galileo mare.
The Brett Crawford-trained Dynasty filly Happy Chance has been beaten just over five lengths in her last two starts by Double Grand Slam, both over 1400m. She was well beaten in the Gr 1 Majorca Stakes over this trip, but was a 0,60 length third in the Gr 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes over 1800m, so can do better than that Majorca run.
The Tony Peter-trained Bavarian Beauty won the Gr 1 Douglas Whyte Thekwini Stakes over course and distance last season but has 2,60 lengths to make up on Double Grand Slam from the Gr 2 East Coast Radio Tibouchina Stakes, where they were third and first respectively last time out. Bavarian Beauty has drawn well in four.
The Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Red Palace was a good 0,75 lengths second in the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas and she won her last start in a Listed race over 1800m in fine style, so is a dark horse from draw five.
The Duncan Howells-trained Asiye Phambili has proven speed and class over 1200m in Graded events, so considering she won three in a row over this trip earlier in her career she is a fascinating runner. She jumps from draw seven.
The Mike de Kock-trained Humdinger is at her best over 1400m but she was just a 1,50 lengths second behind Gimme A Nother in the Gr 1 Empress Club Stakes, beating Bavarian Beauty by more than ten lengths, so she is an interesting runner, although she has a wide draw of eight.
The Sean Tarry-trained Celtic Rumours was beaten just 3,25 lengths by Sandringham Summit in the Gr 2 Hawaii Stakes over 1400m and this Vercingetorix filly’s dam by Dupont won over 1600m, so she should stay the trip. However, she does have the widest draw of all to overcome.
Double Grand Slam looks the one to side with and she can beat Silver Sanctuary, Rascova, Asiye Phambili and Mrs Browning home in that order.
