FORMER SA Champion Sprinter Val de Ra and her super filly by Frankel have arrived at their home, Avontuur Stud.

The filly, named “Miss Frankel” and her famous dam had spent the month after her birth at the Quarantine Facility at Drakenstein.  They are now settling in happily with the other mares and foals in the paddocks at the Helderberg Stud Farm.

Val de Ra and her daughter, sired by the great Frankel.

Val de Ra proved her strong maternal instincts after giving birth to a strong filly by another top sire, Oasis Dream, in 2013. She was then covered by Frankel and earlier this year took on the long trip home to SA with her first foal at foot.

Avontuur’s GM, Pippa Mickleburgh, told: “Val de Ra is looking well and the filly is a real character.  We had a fantastic visit by Val de Ra’s former trainer Dennis Drier and his wife Gill earlier this week. We all agreed that this foal has that something special. Val de Ra was recently covered by Oratorio and we are now waiting to see if she is in foal again, but in the meantime she’s enjoying a well-deserved routine and being pampered by everyone.”

Val de Ra (Var x Minelli) had a blazing career in South Africa and was crowned the Equus Champion Sprinter for the 2010-11 season.  Arguably her greatest moment was her victory over star male sprinter What A Winter in the 2012 Cape Flying Championship.

 A playful Miss Frankel acquaints herself with Dennis Drier, who took her mother to stardom on the racetrack.