Ladies On A Mission!

Calantha, second in her Juvenile debut over 1160m at Turffontein last May, was expected to make a winning return and duly obliged with a commanding success over the same course and distance on Thursday, 4 January.

Spotted by the on-course presenter as looking exceptionally well on her way to the start, Richard Fourie put Calantha in the race with 400m to run and she quickened away well before he eased her down to win by 1.25-lengths from her male rival, Bob. Calantha clocked 67,16s.

Mike de Kock and Richard Fourie with syndicate members Dorette Turner (left), Jean van der Linden and Agnes Mohanoe.

Fourie said: “She really floated down today and that gave me confidence. There was so much horse under me, I could do anything.”

Mike de Kock was pleased for Calantha’s owners, the Ladies Onamission Syndicate, and said: “There are 51 ladies in this partnership, from all over – Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. I am so happy for them. They have been patient, but I can tell them that she’s a very nice filly. She won’t remain a one-time winner!”

Diane de Kock, who put the syndicate together and is the nominee, missed the race due to illness, but watched it from her hospital bed and said: “There are 51 of us and I am excited, the ladies waited a long time for this!”

Calantha was a R300,000 buy by Querari out of Simply Royal. She was bred by Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein.