Making her debut as favourite in the Race Coast Maiden Juvenile Plate (1200m) at Kenilworth, South Africa on Saturday, 2yo Australian-bred Zoustar filly Wander Dune impressed with an emphatic victory.
Obviously showing plenty at home for trainer Andre Nel and hence starting favourite in the field of ten runners, jockey Corne Orffer jumped the filly from gate nine before snagging her across the back of the field to settle in a mid-field position close to the rail.
With Justin Snaith’s filly Hazel Green, herself a daughter of the Australian bred Gimmethegreenlight taking up the running, Orffer tracked that filly before darting back towards the inside to make his run.
Extending like a good horse, Wander Dune gathered in Hazel Green below pulling away to win by two and a quarter lengths.
Speaking post-race, Corne Orffer was suitably impressed with the debut performance of Wander Dune.
“She's a really smart filly,” stated Orffer.
“Obviously, we knew at home that she showed that she's nice, but obviously they've got to come here and show how good they are. I think that she proved that she's definitely a decent filly.”
“She did everything like a real professional today, and I was very, very pleased. I think that she's got a bright future ahead of her.”
“She could be a Guinness filly. I don't want to talk too soon as she's only won a 1,200 maiden right now, but we see a bright future for her.”
“She's a good looking filly and she's done everything right today. And she gave me the indication today that she's not a sprinter. She was just too good for them today. “
Trainer Andrew Nel echoed the sentiments of Corne Orffer.
“She's a top horse. I pull her out in the morning just to look at her. She's gorgeous.,”
“So many people to thank here, but I've got to first congratulate Mrs Plattner. To be fair, she actually picked this horse, even though we had to go to Australia to find her.
“I showed her a couple of pictures before we left for Australia, and she said, 'bring that back.' We had to go deep to buy her, but under James Bester's guidance, I mean, he always has the best eye on the business, and he agreed that she was probably the right horse to buy.”
“So to get a filly like this back to South Africa is really pleasing. It's always a hell of a long road to get here. For them to get it right on the racecourse is really rewarding.”
A great supporter of Australian bred thoroughbreds, one of Sabine Plattner’s most noteworthy purchases from Australia was the Danehill mare Laisserfaire who went on to record success in four Group 1 sprints in South Africa and was ultimately crowned the Champion Older Female Sprinter in South Africa in 2000-01 & 2001-02.
Purchased for $950,000 from the draft of Coolmore Stud at the Inglis Easter yearling Sale in partnership between James Bester and Sheamus Mills, Zoustar filly Wander Dune is out of the dual Group 2-winning, Group1 placed Fastnet Rock mare Formality, herself a daughter of Singapore Horse of the Year Jolie Shinju (Jpn).
A half-brother to Hong Kong winner Pray For Mir (HK) (Justify), a winner of the Group 3 HKJC Lion Rock Trophy (1600m) in May this year, Wander Dune is the third winner out of Formality, with her current yearling being a filly by So You Think which sold at this year’s Inglis Easter sale to John O'Shea, Charlton Racing, James Bester Bloodstock, Will Stroud and Jamie Piggott for $500,000.
Formality has since produced a filly by I Am Invincible and is due to foal in the upcoming season to So You Think once again.
Wander Dune is one of just three runners in South Africa by Widden Stud’s Zoustar who will be crowned Australian Champion Sire in the next few days with more than $3.5m in progeny earnings ahead of his nearest rival.
The sire of 69 stakes winners highlighted by 11 individual Group 1 winners, Zoustar will stand at a fee of $275,000 (inc. GST) in the spring.
