THE Rupert family’s annual L’Ormarins Queens Plate Day has made big strides on the racing and social calendars.The Ruperts were rewarded with a win by their three-year-old filly Inara in Saturday’s Gr1 Maine Chance Farms Paddock Stakes over 1800m.

Bred and owned by Gaynor Rupert’s Drakenstein Stud Inara, a three-year-old daughter of Trippi trained by Mike Bass, overcame a wide draw under jockey Grant van Niekerk. She raced into the lead with 250m to run and just held on from Joey Soma’s Gauteng visitor Athina, who came from many lengths last into the home run.

Grant van Niekerk.

Mike de Kock’s runner Pine Princess gave a good account of her form in fourth place, racing in the company of a top fillies. She ran on strongly again after losing her way between the 400m and the 200m mark. She was just caught a bit flatfooted as we’ve seen in previous runs and Mike has always said she’ll be at best over ground. “Pine Princess ran a good race and is an Oaks prospect,” he commented on Sunday.

Winning rider Van Niekerk, recording his first Gr1 win, was thrilled, saying:“Inara was quite badly squeezed going for a run. But she quickened well and it just goes to show just how good Majmu is!” he said in a reference to Inara’s second to the De Kock star in the Gr1 Avontuur Fillies Guineas.