Marco van Rensburg has been full of smiles since riding for our stable - we've had a host of winners with him in the last few months - but his smile was especially big after Flowerbomb had won a competitive Middle Stakes over 1000m at Turffontein on Christmas Eve.

Marco produced Gavin Jooste's three-year-old filly with a sustained run from last to first in a fast-run sprint against the males, which takes some doing. And her manner of winning was eye-catching. She quickened beautifully, sliced effortlessly through the field and won, hard-held!

"This was most impressive, we are chuffed," said Corne Spies. "We've always thought highly of her, if you look through our blogs you will see and now, on the evidence of this win, we can start aiming her at small features. There is one coming up in January."

Flowerbomb was a R50,000 buy for Jooste at the Mistico Cape Sale and Corne said: "Gavin is a big supporter of the sport and our yard and every owner deserves a buy like this, a 'cheapie' that goes on to retrun the purchase price over and over. Thanks to him for his support, we'll be crossing fingers she can pick up a feature race."

Spies racing, with Corne and Tobie attending sales, have always used a 10-point system of assessment when they look at yearlings or two-year-olds for potential buyers and their success is well documented and recognised in South Africa.

"Thanks also to Laurence Wernars for breeding Flower Bomb. He is starting to make inroads as a breeder, another who deserves his success."

Flower Bomb is by Erupt from Daffodil, by Fastnet Rock. She's three from eight, with stake earnings just short of R200,000.