Previous Winners Of The G1 SA Fillies Sprint
Read about the horses from our stable who have been victorious in the G1 SA Fillies Sprint.
PRINCESS CALLA
Owner: Mario Ferreira
Breeder: Maine Chance Farms
Pedigree: Flower Alley –Princess Royal
As versatile as she was talented, the mighty Princess Calla won or placed in 26 of her 28 starts in South Africa, winning 12 races and earning R5,582,175 in stakes.
A triple Equus Award winner who was crowned South Africa’s Horse Of The Year in 2022-2023, Princess Calla won five G1 races, winning at the highest level over trips ranging from 1200m to 1800m.
The champion won three G1 races in a row in 2023, with Princess Calla’s streak starting off in the G1 SA Fillies Sprint. In winning the SA Fillies Sprint, Princess Calla dashed clear to beat dual G1 winner Desert Miracle by more than three lengths.
CELTIC SEA
Owner: Mr A R & Mrs A B L Beck
Breeder: Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein
Pedigree: Captain Al –Ireland
Celtic Sea was an exceptional performer, who won graded races at two, three, four and five. Equus Champion 3YO Filly of 2018-2019, and Equus Champion Filly/Mare in 2019-2020, Celtic Sea picked up eight graded wins, with this tally including back to back wins in the G1 SA Fillies Sprint.
Celtic Sea won her first SA Fillies Sprint in 2019, when the three-year-old stormed home to beat dual G1 winner Snowdance by nearly a length and three quarters. The following year, Celtic Sea showed plenty of courage in getting up to beat subsequent G1 Cape Flying Championship winner Run Fox Run by a short-head.
CARRY ON ALICE
Owner: Mr C J H van Niekerk, Dr J A Warner & Klawervlei Stud
Breeder: Klawervlei Stud
Pedigree: Captain Al – Carry On Katie
A G1 winner at two, three, four and five, the remarkable Carry On Alice won the G1 SA Fillies Sprint twice, and contested the race on three occasions.
In 2015, Carry On Alice showed her class when romping home to beat multiple G1 winner, and Equus Champion, Alboran Sea, by a length and three quarters, with G1 Mercury Sprint winner Fly By Night back in third. Carry On Alice could only finish fifth in the 2016 SA Fillies Sprint but came back to win the race the following year. Making the final start of her career, Carry On Alice bought the house down when she stormed home to land the 2017 SA Fillies Sprint by a length, with such champions as Just Sensual and Bela-Bela among her beaten rivals.
ETHEREAL LADY
Owner: Chris Van Niekerk
Breeder: The Alchemy
Pedigree: Model Man –Amber Gem
A full-sister to G1 Champion Stakes winner Amberpondo, Ethereal Lady was a top-class performer who was crowned Equus Champion 3YO Female Sprinter of 2007.
Her six career wins included a trio of black type victories, with Ethereal Lady scoring the biggest win of her career in the 2007 G1 SA Fillies Sprint, where Ethereal Lady accounted for the likes of Bold Ellinore, Secret Of Victoria and Surabi.
The champion would go on to finish runner up in the SA Fillies Sprint the following year, when beaten only by Rat Burana.
NATIONAL COLOUR
Owner: Chris Van Niekerk
Breeder: Adv Altus Joubert
Pedigree: National Assembly –Rainbow Cake
One of the best sprinting females to grace the South African turf, National Colour was an exceptional performer who won seven of ten starts in South Africa. Named Joint Horse Of The Year in 2005-2006, National Colour’s three G1 wins in South Africa included a win in the 2006 G1 South African Fillies Sprint, where National Colour downed champion Disco Queen by a neck. Exported to race overseas, National Colour went on to win in Dubai before finishing second in the storied G1 Coolmore Stud Nunthorpe Stakes.