Ridgemont Highlands’ G1 winning young stallion Potala Palace has made a promising start to his stud career and the son of Singspiel was again to the fore and centre at Fairview on Friday.

Potala Palace’s two-year-old daughter Great Achievement made a smart winning debut when she won the first race at Fairview –a maiden juvenile plate for fillies over 1000 metres.
Always up with the pace, the Charles Ndlovu ridden filly showed tremendous heart to fight back and win her first outing by three-parts of a length over another well bred first-timer, and favourite, Mendocino.

The latter, like Great Achievement, is trained by Alan Greeff.

Bred by Highlands, Great Achivement is out of the Al Mufti mare Full Performance. She is the first 2yo runner for her exciting sire Potala Palace this season.

Winner of the G1 Premier’s Champion Stakes at two and the G3 Joburg Spring Challenge at five, Potala Palace, who is from the same female line as the likes of Sadler’s Wells and Nureyev, got off to a good start at stud with his first crop including the likes of G3 BMW Politician Stakes runner up Senatla, R700 000 plus earner Palace Chapel, feature race winner Dalai’s Promise and the stakes placed filly Watsonia.

Potala Palace, whose half-sister Front And Centre won this season’s G1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas in impressive style, has a single lot on offer at March’s Cape Yearling Sale –a half-brother (Lot 92) to 2 winners including recent scorer Lady Of Liberty.