FLOWER ALLEY’S 35TH STAKES WINNER

After booting home three winners at Borrowdale Park on Saturday, lightweight Jarryd Penny jetted back to Johannesburg and took full advantage of a rare Mike de Kock chance mount to get longshot Clafoutis home in the Turffontein topliner, the R200 000 Gr3 Acacia Stakes.

Once considered an Oaks prospect by her master trainer, Clafoutis peaked with a courageous second behind stablemate Aragosta in the 2022 renewal of the 1800m Gr3 Sea Cottage Stakes and deservedly notched a graded stakes score on Sunday, despite lugging out and causing one or two bumps and awkward steps in what was quite an untidy race.

But even if he doesn’t escape censure, Penny deserves every credit for keeping his head and riding a well-judged race, politely straightening the daughter of Flower Alley out late to win with some authority, albeit by only by half a length.

She clocked 97,48 secs and started at 25-1, holding off an always prominent Queen Of Shadows (7-1) and late finishing Hollywoodbound (7-1).

Sean Tarry’s Emerald Princess (5-1) was one of those who had to check late and finished just out of the money in sixth.

After American Graffitti’s smooth victory in the Storm Bird Stakes, Penny was thrilled to round off a nice feature double for Wilgerbosdrift and had clearly done his homework.

“I saw that she had the fastest 400m to finish when looking at the form of her last run, so was happy to ride to instructions to give her a chance. She really ran on smartly,” he added.

A Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein-bred daughter of Wilgerbosdrift’s Distorted Humor stallion Flower Alley out of the twice winning Danehill Dancer mare Berry Blaze, Clafoutis has 4 races with 3 places from 16 starts and stakes of R401 000.

In the process, Clafoutis became the 35th stakes winner for Flower Alley. Her Gr1 Travers Stakes winning sire is having another fantastic season, having now been represented by six black type winners in 2022-2023 thus far.