RAIN IN HOLLAND BRILLIANT IN THEKWINI STAKES WIN

The Sean Tarry trained Rain In Holland showed her class when running out a very courageous winner of the G1 Thekwini Stakes (1600m) run at Hollywoodbets Greyville.

A winner of her four previous starts, the two-year-old daughter of Duke Of Marmalade was sent out a well backed favourite for Saturday’s race, a traditional championship race for two-year-old fillies.

Under Lyle Hewitson (South Africa’s Champion Jockey of 2020-2021), Rain In Holland race just off the slow pace set by Aisling.

Hewitson looked anxious as the field turned for home, as Rain In Holland seemed to be struggling.

Supreme Quest hit the front only to be passed by a fast-finishing Kailene, and the latter appeared to have the race in the bag, only for Rain In Holland to unleash an astonishing turn of foot which saw the filly get up in the closing stages and win the 2021 Thekwini Stakes by a short-head.

The luckless Kailene, also second last time out in the G2 Golden Slipper, finished second, with Supreme Quest taking third, a neck off Kailene.

Now a winner of her last five in a row, and five of just six starts overall, Rain In Holland stopped the clock in a time of 99.57 seconds.

Bred and owned by Drakenstein Stud, Rain In Holland is the 7th G1 winner for Drakenstein’s resident sire, and former Cartier Champion, Duke Of Marmalade.

South Africa’s latest rising star is out of the winning Aqlaam mare Imvula, a half-sister to champion Dancer’s Daughter. Imvula also ranks as the dam of the consistent filly Rain In Newmarket, runner up in four graded or listed races this season.

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