OWNER-breeder Mary Slack of Wilgerbosdrift Stud capped a successful week when her three-year-old Fort Wood filly Northern Chorus swept to an impressive Maiden win over the straight mile at the Vaal on Thursday, promising more to come.

Northern Chorus.

Northern Chorus (3-1 favourite), burst from the pack with 300m to run and ran on nicely to win from another fancied entry, Tennessee Red, in a race which should see its form franked.

This was a first winner back for Gavin Lerena, who’d spent the last several months riding in Hong Kong. He thanked Mike and Mathew de Kock for the ride and said he was impressed with the way Northern Chorus had won, still green.

Mathew thanked Mrs. Slack for her loyal patronage – she would have had fond memories of Northern Chorus dam, Headstrong, the versatile Irish import who won 9 of 21 starts including the Gr 3 Poinsettia Stakes. She was very effective on sand, winning the Listed Emerald Fillies Stakes on the old track at the Vaal, and also ran champion sprinter Val De Ra to three-quarters of a length in the 2011 SA Fillies Sprint.