The South African Equus Awards were held at the Emperors Palace in Johannesburg on Tuesday evening and More Than Ready filly Entisaar was a unanimous winner as Champion 2YO Filly.

In a final field of three candidates, she polled well ahead of G1 Golden Slipper winner Chestnuts N Pearls (Horse Chestnut) and G1 Thekwini Stakes winner Lauderdale (Elusive Fort).

Entisaar (Aus) was sold by Vinery Stud (as agent for Vinery partner Alan Green) for $300,000 at the 2014 Inglis Easter yearling sales.  She was purchased by Sheikh Hamdan who collected the South African 2YO Filly award last year with Majmu.

Entisaar (2f More Than Ready – Purrpurrlena by Catbird) is trained by Mike De Kock and won the LR Ruffian Stakes on debut and doubled up in the G2 SA Fillies Nursery at Turffontein.  She suffered a sole loss (coming in 2nd) in the G3 Pretty Polly Stakes but rebounded with a brilliant Group 1 victory in the Allan Robertson Championship at Scottsville in May.

“Entisaar had the 2YO Filly title sewn up,” respected racing journalist Sarah Whitelaw said.  “She accomplished more than any of her rivals.

“Majmu was one of the finest 2yo fillies to grace South African tracks in recent times – she was never threatened in three outings as a juvenile.  Entisaar, in turn, proved a model of consistency and finished her first campaign with a comprehensive win in the Allan Robertson Fillies Championship.”

Entisaar has a new-season 2yo sister by Vinery champion More Than Ready named Purrari on the books with Gai Waterhouse.  She also has a yearling half-brother by Congrats.

Hoofnote:  More Than Ready sire Gimmethegreenlight will have his first two year-olds racing in South Africa this season.  He was a Group 1 winner of the 2012 Queen’s Plate before retiring to Varsfontein Stud.

Gimmethegreenlight has 10 lots catalogued for the National 2YO Sale in Johannesburg this week.  Among them is Lot 126, a Varsfontein colt from a half-sister to Perfect Promise (Caesour) who was a Group 1 winner in South Africa (Cape Fillies Guineas) and Australia (C F Orr Stakes).

The National 2YO Sale will be conducted over two session on Thursday and Friday.