Russian Nobility wins impressively on debut over 1200m
It has been a week for horses with famous Aunties excelling on the racetrack and the latest pair to do it are the Lucky Houdalakis-trained Russian Nobility, who is a niece of the multiple Gr 1 winner Mother Russia, and the Tony Peter-trained Rachel Wall, who is a niece of the great Igugu.
Russian Nobility is by Hawwaam out of the maiden Windrush mare Tatiana, who is a full sister to Mother Russia.
She made her debut in the first race at Turffontein Inside today and ironically she faced Plumbago Park, who was runner up to the impressive Houdalakis-trained Manyeleti at the Vaal last week.
Russian Nobility started at odds of 15/4 having opened at 2/1 and the drift might have have had to do with the yard’s knowledge of how good Manyeleti is and there was thus likely plenty of respect for her three length runner up Plumbago Park.
The latter started at 5/4 and took the lead in the 1200m event from a good draw of four with the pole position-drawn Russian Nobility sitting behind her in the box seat.
When Russian Nobility quickened under Craig Zackey it was no race and she drew away to win by 2,80 lengths.
Lucky recalled liking her as a specimen at the Sale but was put off by Tatiana’s lack of success as a broodmare.
However, Heinrich Rix of Stonehill Stud had then phoned and when Lucky voiced his opinion they decided between them to bid and clinched her for R400,000.
Craig Zackey had recalled her as being his favourite out of the youngsters that had arrived at the yard on a float one day about a year ago and it was her lovely demeanour that had impressed him.
Of course, Mother Russia’s only foal was Nother Russia, whom Zackey formed a special bond with and rode her to both of her Gr 1 wins.
Nother Russia in turn became the dam of the Equus Champion Three-year-old filly Gimme A Nother, a three time Gr 1 winner who has also won a Gr 2 in the USA.
Russian Nobility was bred by Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein and is owned by Stonehill Stud in partnership with PJ Pascoe.
Rachel Wall is a speedy three-year-old filly by Buffalo Storm Cody and she made it three wins from five starts today when getting home by half-a-length in a MR 92 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m, where she carried topweight of 60kg off a 102 merit rating.
She looks to have an exciting future ahead of her.
She was also bred by Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein and her dam by High Chaparral, Gypsy Pirate, is a half-sister to the great Triple Tiara-winning Galileo filly Igugu, whose four Gr 1 wins included the July and the Met, one of just seven horses in history to do that double.
Rachel Wall was purchased for R350,000.
She is owned by Kenneth Pillay’s Kestorm Investments.
Other recent prominent winners with famous Aunties are Princess Of Gaul, the Gr 2 Western Cape Fillies Championship winner last Saturday whose Aunty is Equus Champion Broodmare Halfway To Heaven, and impressive debut winner Gimmeanotherviking, whose Aunty is Equus Champion Broodmare Real Princess.
