FIRST G1 WINNER FOR POTALA PALACE

Ridgemont Highlands’ G1 winning stallion Potala Palace has made a tremendous start to his stud career, despite limited opportunities, and the son of Singspiel came up with his first G1 winner when his speedy daughter Singforafa won the G1 South African Fillies Sprint Brought to you by The Witness (1200m) at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday afternoon.

Third in the 2020 SA Fillies Sprint, the Corne Spies trained Singforafa came into Sunday’s postponed race off a close up fourth in the G3 Poinsettia Stakes and improved off that effort with a big run in the Fillies Sprint.

Tropic Sun lifted a right shoe at the start, resulting in a delay to the SA Fillies Sprint of 2021.

Under Ryan Munger, the speedy Singforafa was always up with the firing, and kept finding more into the closing stages.

The ultra quick four-year-old was not for catching in Sunday’s sprint for fillies and mares, and drew off to win by just over two lengths at the expense of last season’s G1 Allan Robertson Championship winner Vernichey. The latter, in turn, finished a short head clear of third place finisher Gallic Princess, with favoured True To Life back in fourth spot.

Now a six time winner, from 26 starts, Singforafa claimed her biggest prize to date in a time of 68.57 seconds.

Bred by the late Mr Swart, Singforafa is out of the three time winning Whistling Wood mare First Wood.

Her sire Potala Palace, winner of G1 Premiers Champion Stakes at two and the G3 Joburg Spring Challenge at five, made an instant impression with his first crop headed by four black type horses, and his second crop by Singforafa, the unbeaten Katak and G3 Pretty Polly Stakes winner Palace Of Dreams.

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