Varsfontein Stud’s leading sire Gimmethegreenlight looks set to be crowned Champion Sire again this season, and the son of More Than Ready had another big pay-day when his three-year-old daughter Bless My Stars won the G1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic (1800m) at Turffontein on Saturday.
In the process, the Sean Tarry trained Bless My Stars became Gimmethegreenlight’s sixth G1 winner following Got The Greenlight, Yulong Prince, She’s A Keeper, Gimme A Prince and Gunner.
Bless My Stars also became her sire’s 52nd stakes winner when claiming her first black type win on Saturday.
Unlucky when a close up sixth in the G2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas last time out, Bless My Stars was given a fine ride by S’Manga Khumalo.
Always well positioned and travelling nicely in the running, Bless My Stars powered into the lead 200m from home only to be challenged by tote favourite Feather Boa. The pair settled down to fight out a thrilling finish which saw Bless My Stars prevail by a short-head.
Bred by Varsfontein Stud, Bless My Stars has now won three of eight starts with her previous efforts including a close up third in last season’s G1 Thekwini Stakes and a third place finish in this season’s G3 Three Troikas Stakes.
The filly was a R250 000 buy from the 2021 National Yearling Sale.
Out of the Silvano mare Star Express, Bless My Stars is bred on the same Gimmethegreenlight/Silvano cross as graded stakes winners Barahin and Cosmic Highway.
She is one of five graded stakes winners to have emerged from Gimmethegreenlight’s current crop of three-year-olds which is also responsible for impressive recent G2 WSB Gauteng Guineas hero Eye Of The Prophet.