Ebony Flyer (SAF) ensured her summer campaign would not end without a taste of Gr 1 success as she comfortably disposed of a very useful field in the Klawervlei Majorca Stakes over 1600m at Kenilworth on Saturday. Frequent Flyer (SAF) ran a fine race in second ahead of Barcelona Winter (SAF) and Dance With Al (SAF).

As expected, it was Gibraltar Blue who went off to ensure a good gallop ahead of Trinity House and Frequent Flyer with Ebony Flyer tacking across from a wide draw and settling one off the fence in fourth. Dance With Al was next best ahead of Barcelona Winter and the slowly-away Welwitschia. 

Gibraltar Blue was still going strongly turning for home as the field eventually made is way towards the outside rail. She kept her head in front until they got to the last furlong where Frequent Flyer and Ebony Flyer went on by. At one stage, it actually looked as if Frequent Flyer might be travelling marginally the better and an upset could be on the cards; but Ebony Flyer was warming to her task and she eventually took control in the last 100m to win going away.

Ebony Flyer had this field stone cold if she could deliver on the promise of her 3-year-old campaign last season but she came into the race under something of cloud following a very flat run in the Queens Plate. This was much more like it and she will be a major attraction during the winter season in KwaZulu-Natal if not hindered unduly by her well-documented respiratory problems. Trainer Justin Snaith admitted afterwards that it was impossible to gauge how much of a problem this could turn out to be in future and compared the operation she had undergon to correct her breathing to that on a rugby player's knee: "The operation may be a success but the knee will never be 100% again."

For now, though, her connections can enjoy her latest victory and jubilation will no doubt be mixed with relief, as it would have come as a major disappointment if the charismatic daughter of Jet Master had failed to land a big prize this summer.

Frequent Flyer ran a cracker in defeat, giving her more fancied rival plenty of cheek in the closing stages and she and third-placed Barcelona Winter can both look back on a successful summer insofar as they have placed in top class company and held form really well, despite stepping up in class.

Dance With Al is more than capable at this level but she seemed to have gone off the boil in her previous few starts. This run marked some sort of return to form and one presumes she will also be off to campaign in the big fillies races in KZN, where she has done well in the past.

4 b f Jet Master - Sunshine Lover by Badger Land (USA)
Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert), Team Valor International (Nom: Mr B Irwin), Mrs Vanashree & Mr Anant Singh
Bred by Mr W J Engelbrecht (Jnr)
Winning trainer: Justin Snaith