Spumante Dolce wins the first leg of the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara, the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas. (JC Photos)
Mike de Kock was the first trainer to land the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara and he did it with the great Australian-bred Galileo filly Igugu back in 2011.
Two years later a repeat was on the cards as his British-bred Dansili filly Espumanti, who received a 2kg hemisphere allowance, was the 9/10 favourite for the opening leg, the Gr 2 Wilgersbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas.
It was not to be for Espumanti, but it has turned full circle because on Saturday her De Kock-trained daughter by Vercingetorix, Spumante Dolce, is now also exactly 9/10 to land the Gr 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic, the second leg of the Triple Tiara, having downed VJ’s Angel and the champion filly Quid Pro Quo in the first leg.
The unbeaten filly from three starts is a Wilgerbosdrift Stud-homebred, so would be a most appropriate winner in her black colours with a scarlet cap, the colours of Wilgerbosdrift’s owner Mary Slack.
Espumanti also ran in the famous Slack colours.
Her chances looked good turning for home that day in the Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas 12 years ago, because she had sat in the box seat from pole position and travelled well.
She was swiched inward by Anthony Delpech and began challenging for the lead with a promising looking run down the inside rail.
However, the yellow and black colours of Mary Slack’s mother Bridget Oppenheimer then burst out of the pack, carried by the Ormond Ferraris-trained Cherry On The Top, and waltzed away to win by 2,25 lengths from Do You Remember and King’s Temptress with Espumanti only fourth.
It was an equally fitting win in the famous Oppenheimer colours by a filly who was bred by their Mauritzfontein Stud, as the race was of course sponsored by a member of the family and the filly was by a Wilgerbosdrift Stud-based sire, Tiger Ridge.
The Triple Tiara was also sponsored by Wilgerbosdrift and Cherry On The Top went on to land it, ridden in all three legs by the late Nooresh Juglall, who amazingly enough was still an apprentice at the time.
Cherry On The Top was a half-sister to the Strike Smartly Mauritzfontein homebred Cherry On The Cake and the Oppenheimer family’s love affair with the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara continued through the latter, because she produced the Silvano filly Summer Pudding. a Mauritzfontein Stud-homebred who landed the Triple Tiara in 2020, trained by Paul Peter.
Mauritzfontein had a chance of making it a third homebred Triple Tiara success last year with superstar De Kock-trained Gimme a Nother, who was unbeaten in seven starts before departing overseas. She won the first two legs of the Triple Tiara, but the connections then opted for the Gr 1 Empress Club Stakes over 1600m rather than put too much pressure on such a high class filly by running her in the Gr 2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks over 2450m.
The other two horses to have landed the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara are the Paul Matchett-trained War Of Athena (Act Of War) in 2021 and the Sean Tarry-trained Rail In Holland (Duke Of Marmalade) in 2022.
Spumante Dolce could become a fairytale story for the ages though.
However, she had earlier won the Gr 2 Ipi Tombe Stakes over 1600m at Turffontein and the Gr 2 Betting World 1900 at Greyville.
Espumanti’s first foal was a Gr 2 runner up speedster by Soft Falling Rain called Gin Fizz.
Her second foal by Silvano, Sparkling Water, gave Mary Slack her first ever Durban July winner as an owner. Mary bred the great 2002 July winner Dynasty, but when the Wilgerbosdrift Stud-homebred Sparkling Water won the Hollywoodbets Durban July in 2022, it was the first time her famous black colurs with a scarlet cap had crossed the line first in the big race.
Espumanti’s daughter Spumante Dolce is now on course to become Mary’s first Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara winner as an owner, although of course there are still two legs to go.
Mary can claim to have bred a Triple Tiara winner before as Summer Pudding was bred under the Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein banner.
However, a Spumante Dolce Triple Tiara success would complete an amazing fairytale story.
Spumante Dolce faces some stiff competition in Saturday’s Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic from the like of VJ’s Angel, Fiery Pegasus, World Of Alice, Willy Meet Again and Olivia’s Way.
However, the race has a wonderful side story to it this year and nobody would begrudge a victory by Spumante Dolce.
