With a blistering pace set by Lavender Bay, the stablemate of Saartjie, the Paddock Stakes was perfectly primed for a closer to steal the show—and that's exactly what happened. Double Grand Slam, a filly many doubted over the distance, delivered a late burst of brilliance to claim victory.

Positioned near the back of the field early, jockey Richard Fourie kept Double Grand Slam just behind Saartjie, the pre-race favorite. As the race unfolded, Fourie unleashed his mount in the straight, executing a perfectly timed run to surge past a tiring Saartjie and the inside-running Red Palace, who hung slightly under pressure.

"I had a clear game plan and tracked the horse I thought was the one to beat," Fourie explained. "You always have to consider the distance, but when I showed her daylight, she produced that incredible turn of foot. By then, she had all the momentum, and there was no stopping her."

Red Palace showed improvement from her disappointing prior effort to secure second, while Rascova confirmed her consistency over the ground with a solid third-place finish. Rainbow Lorikeet followed in fourth, rounding out the top performers.

For Double Grand Slam, this victory carries significant weight, as the Paddock Stakes is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” qualifier. This means the talented filly has earned an invitation to the prestigious Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, where she’ll have the chance to showcase her ability on the global stage, if she takes up the invite. 

The final word went to co owner and legendary golfer Gary Player. He said, "if I was asked to choose racing or golf, I'd skip golf."