Ridgemont Highlands’ five time G1 winning sire Canford Cliffs, who has made such a promising start with his first South African bred and born runners this season, made headlines on the world stage on Saturday when his daughter Crystal Clifs dead-heated for first place in the G2 Nassau Stakes in Canada.
Crystal Cliffs was midpack in fifth before emerging from the fray at the top of the lane. Lady Speightspeare had never taken a breather throughout the running and got headed by Our Flash Drive in the stretch. She dug back in after being passed and valiantly turned Our Flash Drive back, but Crystal Cliffs was surging and the two reached the wire in the same instant with the result down to a head bob. The photo could not determine any separation between Crystal Cliffs and Lady Speightspeare, and a dead-heat for first place was declared.
Trained by Graham Motion, five-year-old Crystal Cliffs was last seen finishing second in the G3 Gallorette Stakes. Crystal Cliffs was winning the first graded race of her career to accompany her Sand Springs Stakes victory in April.
The mare has now four of her nine starts for earnings of $235 666.
Crystal Cliffs is one of 21 stakes winners for Canford Cliffs, whose progeny have earned in excess of $33 million the world over.
A group winner at Royal Ascot three years running, Canford Cliffs is currently South Africa’s Leading First Season Sire of 2021-2022, with first locally bred two-year-olds including 12 individual winners.
Original article by Cape Breeders Club
