Ridgemont’s exciting young stallion Malmoos came up with his first graded stakes winner when his first-crop daughter Marchland won Sunday’s G2 Douglas Whyte Thekwini Stakes (1600m) at Hollywoodbets Greyville.

Trained by Kelly Mitchley, the two-year-old has won all four of her starts with Marchland having also claimed this season’s Listed East Cape Fillies Nursery and Listed Lady’s Slipper Stakes.

Given a good ride by Muzi Yeni in Sunday’s R750 000 contest, Marchland raced just off the pace early on in the Thekwini Stakes.

Turning for home, the unbeaten rising star kicked clear, with Marchland staying on strongly to land the R445 312 first place prize by more than three and a quarter lengths.

Bred by Lammerskraal Stud, Sunday’s race races for Mervin Govender

Marchland, a R450 000 buy from the 2025 Premier Yearling Sale, is out of the Western Winter mare Marcheline.

With Sunday’s victory, Malmoos ensured that he will be crowned South Africa’s Leading First Season Sire for 2025-2026.