CLOUDS CLEAR FOR GRANT

There is no average on any raceday for Grant van Niekerk and when he’s hot, and at the races, he sure is hot!

The Drakenstein-sponsored rider made it three wins from the first six races on the SplashOut Cape Derby day at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth when steering the well-related Winter Cloud home to make it a fairer sex 1-2-3 in the R750 000 City Of Cape Town Gr3 Cape Of Good Hope Nursery.

Mike Bass saddled Empress Crown to win the Cape Of Good Hope Nursery back in 2008, and it was ten years later before a girl would beat the boys. That was to be Winter Cloud’s full sister Clouds Unfold who was saddled by Candice Bass-Robinson to win the Nursery in 2018. Clouds Unfold would go on to win dual Majorca Stakes – and the young jockey suggested that Winter Cloud reminded him of Clouds Unfold and would go on to the tops.

With the favourite Gimmelightning (33-10) outpaced late and failing to threaten, the Drakenstein pair made it a second feature exacta on the big day for the Bass Racing Team. Both were ridden by Van Niekerk with Aldo Domeyer playing second fiddle.

Winter Cloud (6-1) won untroubled to beat another Drakenstein-bred daughter of What A Winter in Distant Winter (10-1) by 1,25 lengths in a time of 73,39 secs.

Golden Tatjana (8-1) maintained her consistent form to grab third, a further three quarter lengths back.

A winner of 2 races with a place from 3 starts, Winter Cloud took her stakes earnings to R516 563.

A daughter of Equus Champion What A Winter (Western Winter) she is out of Montelissima, a Montjeu half-sister to Listed Summer Juvenile Stakes winner Arria and Gr2 Senor Santa Stakes third Pivotal Pursuit.

Her second dam Issa is a fullsister to unbeaten Yorkshire Oaks winner Catchascatchcan, dam of Breeders’ Cup Mile winner and former Highlands Stud sire Antonius Pius