Curious Girl is a comfortable winner of the SA Derby and is one of four Graded winners for Richard Fourie on the day (three Gr 2s and one Gr 1) (JC Photos)
When the Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained Curious Girl converted favouritism in the Gr 1 TAB SA Derby, she not only became the first filly to win this iconic race for 108 years, but she also confirmed the late Mauritzfontein Stud-based stallion Fort Wood to be the king of the SA Derby.
Curious Girl is by Futura, who is a son of the Fort Wood stallion Dynasty.
She is out of Ideal World mare Idaho, who is in turn out of the Fort Wood mare Laurel Tree.
Fort Wood himself produced the greatest SA Derby winner of all time, Horse Chestnut, and also produced the SA Derby winner Elusive Fort.
Elusive Fort himself produced the SA Derby winner Out Of Your League.
Fort Wood’s son Dynasty produced the SA Derby winner Irish Flame.
And Now Dynasty’s son Futura has produced the SA Derby winner Curious Girl, meaning Fort Wood’s influence on the SA Derby has stretched to a third generation sire.
Furthermore, the SA Derby winner Bouquet-Garni (Strike Smartly) was out of a Fort Wood mare and so was the SA Derby winner Malmoos.
Curious Girl herself is from the same family as Bouquet-Garni, so had a pedigree steeped in SA Derby history and she can now add her own name to the list of winners.
Curious Girl became the tenth filly in history to win the SA Derby, but she was the first filly to win it since Noble Lady, who won it on Boxing Day in 1917.
Curious Girl was the seventh SA Derby winner for Mike de Kock and the first since he has partnered with his son Mathew.
It was a third SA Derby victory for Richard Fourie, who was a late replacement for Gavin Lerena, who had to pull out injured a couple of days before the race.
Riyo Stud are the breeders of Curious Girl, who never looked like losing after traveling beautifully throughout.
Jumping from draw two she found a handy spot three horses back on the rail and loped along under Fourie in a perfectly relaxed manner.
On her outside the eventual runner up, the Gareth van Zyl-trained KZN raider Sanali Kahle, was not as relaxed and seemed to have taken quite a strong hold.
Fourie wisely went for home early in the straight knowing his filly’s stamina capacity and how well she had traveled in the running.
Sanali Kahle ran on strongly initially to challenge but could not match the filly in the final 400m and she ran out a comfortable 1,20 length winner.
She was receiving 2,5kg from the boys and also carried 2,5kg less than the subsequent Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks winner Littlemissmillion, but her time was 1,14 seconds quicker than than the latter’s time.
Outsider Master Spy ran on well from last for a 2,20 length third and he was followed by the Deby trial (Hawwaam Stakes) winner Diogenes with Copper Eagle next best.
Hollywood Racing own both Curious Girl and Sanali Kahle.
Riyo Stud is owned by Gill Thomson, who was the joint-owner of 2010 Durban July winner, the Mike de Kock-trained Bold Silvano.
The De Kock website published a report on their success on Saturday.
