Glen Kotzen produced what one could term a training feat of note after turning around a 5.35l defeat, albeit with a slipped saddle, to victory when it mattered at Greyville on Wednesday in the Kzn Fillies Guineas - one of the great 3yo Fillies races in South Africa.

The deep odds on shot Double Grand Slam from the Justin Snaith yard was all the rage in the betting and with Richard Fourie onboard, few could see how Kotzen and team would be able to turn the form around from their previous meeting. It was not only the ease of the win by Double Grand Slam on that final day in March in the Umzimkhulu Stakes over the 1400 at the same course as todays race but also the manner. She really did look like she had a double handful on that day and that being her seasonal prep, this was going to be a cake walk. So the story went..

Now Rascova is no slouch. She won the Gr2 Western Cape Fillies Championship at Durbanville over the 1400m distance giving Double Grand Slam a galloping lesson. That was 3.5l at the wire. However, that was reversed in that 1400 at Greyville, however there were excuses.

Rascova is named after Russia's first female navigator (Marina Raskova) and naturally the links with Lancaster Bomber (her sire) are obvious.

Rascova like her name sake is a battler and showed every sinew of fighting in this race. A front runner by nature, again leading the way like Marina Raskova, she is really well named. Craig Zackey was superb on her as she eased her way to the front, in conditions that suited front runners including a tail wind in the straight, in this 1600 Fillies Guineas battle. When challenged over the short straight by a strong travelling Double Grand Slam, the door was shut on the favourite - actually it was slammed.

In a thrilling affair down to the wire, and witnessing it from their grandstand posse, owners Sandy and Eugene Arundel, enjoyed shouting this one home. The Arundels are passionate. They love horses, live for them and watch every one of them, mostly live on course. They also aren't shy to buy the best when it comes to buying top class horses and deserve every success. 

There is nothing quite like winning the big races in the Kzn winter season for South Africans especially with a smart well bred filly.

The 4 wins from 14 runs including 2 Gr2 races and Gr1 placed says enough. She is only 3 and the world is there, ready for her, to take what she deserves.

Rascova - conquering it all - just like her namesake.