Trainer Dean Kannemeyer and bloodstock agent and racing manager Jehan Malherbe identified the Trippi filly Real Princess at the 2013 Cape Premier Yearling Sale and had to go to the sales topping price of R2,7 million to secure her on behalf of Lady Christine Laidlaw.
However, that has proved well worthwhile because not only did she win a Grade 1, but her first foal, the Lady Laidlaw homebred gelding Gimme A Prince, is now also a Grade 1 winner having won the Pongracz Cape Flying Championship on Saturday.
Kannemeyer, trainer of both Real Princess and Gimme A Prince, said, “Real Princess was a magnificent athlete and stood out at the sale. She got better as she got older and is from a very good family.”
Real Princess is out of one of Klawervlei’s best broodmares, Pagan Princess, a Fort Wood mare who is a half-sister to Victory Moon (Al Mufti) and to Grade 1 winner Kelly (Ethique (Arg)).
Pagan Princess is also the dam of Grade 1 Cape Guineas winner and ultra promising sire William Longsword (Captain Al) as well as dam of stakes winners Silver God (Silvano) and Really Royal (Captain Al).
Real Princess won the Grade 3 Poinsettia Stakes and Grade 1 SA Fillies Sprint in consecutive runs over 1200m at Scottsville as a four-year-old.
Lady Laidlaw bred Gimme A Prince but he was reared at Varsfontein Stud.
Dean said Keagan de Melo was more confident than he himself was before Saturday’s Cape Flying.
He said, “I told Jehan (who is Lady Laidlaw’s racing manager) I thought he might be run off his feet a bit early, although I did add he would be flying at them in the finish. But he showed how good he was – the horse he beat was a former Equus Champion Sprinter.”
Gimme A Prince, jumping from draw 2, was a touch outpaced early but not by much. He made up ground steadily down the inside and then had too many guns for the opposition in the last 400m. He beat fast-finishing former Equus Champion Sprinter Rio Querari by 0,30 lengths, with Isivunguvungu, Bartholdi and Princess Calla next best.
Kannemeyer said Gimme A Prince would be aimed at the Grade 2 Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes next on Cape Derby day.
Lady Laidlaw fittingly won that race last year with the Kannemeyer-trained Cosmic Highway (Gimmethegreenlight). She, Kannemeyer and Gimmethegreenlight will be strong favourites to repeat the feat.
Real Princess’ second cover was by Dynasty, but the foal slipped, and she then went back to Gimmethegreenlight.
Gimme A Prince’s two-year-old full brother is already in Dean’s yard and he said he looked just like him.
Dean has never been one to rush two-year-olds and said an adage he followed was, “If you push them they will make sure you wait for them.”
Dean is thankful for Lady Laidlaw’s patience, which has paid dividends in the career of Gimme A Prince.
He won on debut as a two-year-old over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville and was the ante-post favourite for the Grade 1 Gold Medallion.
However, he “messed around in the gates” on the day and did not jump well and then returned “shaken up.”
Dean said, “The veterinarian suggested he be kept to walking for three months, but I said to Jehan and Lady Laidlaw this is a top horse so I am going to rest him for five months. That is why he missed most of his three-year-old season.”
Gimme A Prince has only had seven career starts to date for five wins and a second.
Dean reckons he is a 1200m to 1400m horse, like his mother, who won twice over 1400m.
He said a tilt at the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint had not yet been discussed.
Dean has traveled to Johannesburg before in recent times with the Lady Laidlaw-owned Capetown Noir and he should have won the Grade 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes back in 2014. He veered to the outside in the closing stages and this cost him because he then finished with a wet sail and lost on the head bob to the top class Yorker.
One race Dean does have on his radar for Gimme A Prince is the Grade 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m, which is run every year on the opening day of SA Champions Season.
