Captain Of All snuck in as the champion freshman sire last season from Vercingetorix. John Koster of Klawervlei Stud said it was great for South African breeding that their respective champion fathers, Captain Al and Silvano, having already proven themselves to be great broodmare sires, were now showing themselves to be sires of sires. 

Koster said, “Captain Al is one of the very few sire lines of Roberto still left and this line is a great out-cross to Northern Dancer and Mr Prospector. Alan Porter, a pedigree guru from the USA, told me that in Captain Al we have the fastest Roberto sire line at stud in the world.”

It is little wonder that three yearlings by the late Captain Al were bought by Hong Kong-based interests at this year’s National Yearling Sale.  

Captain Of All had 14 winners of 16 races compared to Vercingetorix’s 13 winners of 21 races. However, the championship is decided on non-restricted race stakes money. Vercingetorix’s progeny earned R2,526,375, but a big portion of this was won by his son African Warrior in the restricted KZN Yearling Sale million. Captain Of All earned R1,875,725 non-restricted race stakes, which was R74,350 clear of Vercingetorix’s earnings of R1,801,375.

Nevertheless, the success of the Maine Chance Farms-based Vercingetorix is also important to Klawervlei as they bred him and own a quarter of a share in him.

Also exciting for Klawervlei is that Captain Al sire William Longsword’s first yearlings will be sold this year.

Furthermore, there are more Captain Al stallions in waiting, including the like of One World, Undercover Agent and the exciting youngster Captain Of Stealth, who won his only two starts as a two-year-old by a combined margin of 11,50 lengths.

Captain of All, trained by Dennis Drier, won three Grade 1s, the Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion, the Tsogo Sun Sprint and the Mercury Sprint. He was particularly impressive in the last of these wins, winning by 4,5 lengths from Captain Al filly Carry On Alice, and this earned him a merit rating of 126, which was a joint South African record at the time, previously held solely by the legendary Jet Master.

Koster said, “Captain Of All is throwing different types of horse. He himself was a substantial horse who was a bit short in the leg, so he stood close to the ground and was a strong, sprinting type. However, a lot of his ancestors were English and a lot of the foals he is throwing are very English types i.e. tall in the leg. This is why the trainers are waiting with them. There are still close to 50 of his first crop yet to race.”

He continued, “He has a very good syndicate of owners, so he was well supported in his first few seasons without having many outside mares but as soon as he was announced as the freshman champion the outside bookings have been pouring in.”

Meanwhile, William Longsword has been stamping his progeny in exactly the same way Captain Al did. His first crop will go to the yearling sales this season.  

Koster said, “William Longsword’s foals have been unbelievable. They are good bodied, with plenty of substance and are like peas in a pod, just like the Captain Als were. The Cape Thoroughbred Sales inspection team of Ric Wylie, John Kramer and Kerry Jack were blown away by William Longsword’s yearlings.”

William Longsword, like Captain Al himself and also One World and Captain Of Stealth, was trained by Vaughan Marshall. He was retired as a young three-year-old despite still being perfectly sound and with a lot of racing still in him. It made sense because he had won the Cape Guineas 16 years after his father, who was beginning to become sub-fertile, had won it and furthermore his dam is a half-sister to Victory Moon, who was a great loss to the industry when passing away at the age of just nine.

Koster said the decision to retire him so early had now proven to be the “hundred percent” correct one. He said, “His last two impressive wins of the Cape Guineas and the CTS 1600 sit squarely in people’s minds so he is an extremely popular horse.”

Koster described Captain Of All and William Longsword’s temperaments as “beautiful”, although of the “don’t mess with me” mould.

Klawervlei have an exceptional band of stallions at present.

This includes Twice Over, sire of the duel Vodacom Durban July winner and Equus Horse Of The Year Do It again.

Pomodoro has also made an exceptional start to his stud career.

The latter is a son of the late seven-times champion sire Jet Master, who, like Captain Al and Silvano, has proven himself a top broodmare sire and is now showing himself to be a sire of sires as well.

Klawervlei also stand Coup De Grace and have an exciting new stallion called Royal Mo.

Koster said, “Coup De Gras is by Tapit. He is from the A. P. Indy sire line, which has done so well in South Africa, and will have his first runners this year. It is very exciting as he ran the fastest 1200m in the USA in 2014.”  

It is not surprising Klawervlei like this line as A.P. Indy’s dam Weekend Surprise was a half-sister to Al Mufti, the sire of Captain Al.

Royal Mo won a Grade 3 over 1700m and was third in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby before fracturing a sesamoid as an early three-year-old.

He is by Coolmore’s new sire sensation Uncle Mo, who is breaking records in America.

One of the world’s leading stallion analysts, Bill Oppenheim, has compared Uncle Mo’s early statistics to those of A.P. Indy, Danzig and Storm Cat. 

It certainly is exciting times for Klawervlei Stud and if the export protocol problem is solved the world could well be their oyster.

By David Thiselton

Pace is always a key to the outcome of any horse race and most will argue that a genuine gallop usually sets it up for the best horse in a race. Pace, or the lack of one, is one of the first factors jockeys, trainers and astute punters look towards when planning strategy but even then, things can go awry.

A case in point was the third at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday as the entire field may well have dropped back to a canter had Stuart Randolph not taken action and let Wildlife Safari off the bit and speed up what was looking like a funeral procession.

The move almost paid off but both Favour and Room At The Top finished with a wet sail to run Wildlife Safari out of it in the last few jumps.

It was a lesson learned from the previous race with another dawdling pace in the early fractions but fortunately for favourite backers, Dickens finally put it all together to break his string of runner-up places.

It was the first win on the day for Johan Janse van Vuuren who notched a treble with Ginger Biscuit and What A Thrill rounding off a successful afternoon for the Highveld-based trainer.

Two of those, Dickens and What A Thrill, were the mounts of Keagan de Melo with Ashton Arries riding a particularly good race on the eight-year-old mare Ginger Biscuit.

Formerly trainer by Pat Lunn, who has handed in his trainer’s brief but still holds a share in the mare, Ginger Biscuit has been an honest campaigner for her connections and an eighth win was not out of order as she had not been out of the money in her last five starts.

Arries had his patience tested as he hunted a gap with the line looming, but once he got daylight, Ginger Biscuit responded with a turn of foot that belied her age.

Dennis Bosch seldom let’s one past the goalkeeper but Gentleman’s Way had him doing a Joe Hart after the first. As the gelding had not been out for over a year, Bosch does have excuses. Gentleman’s Way was probably not an apt name as the gelding has not been the easiest of customers at the gate, hence his sole outing in three seasons. “He’s a bad boy,” confirmed Bosch. “He rattles those cages.”

“This was a little bit of a surprise but he has been working terribly well. I thought it would be too short but you have to start somewhere.”

Frank Robinson will again have been disappointed with the performance of Just Dixit in the second but the gelding keeps earning and has not been out of the money in his last six outings and was just out-gunned by the better horse in Dickens.

Robinson may not have made the winner’s enclosure here but two races later his runners bracketed favourite Orient Express who was the meat in the Robinson sandwich. Muzi Yeni, relentless in his quest for the national title after coming up just short last year, got first jump on Princess Analia to hold off Orient Express with Adorable Analia closing the door on the rest of the opposition.

By Andrew Harrison

Constable can come home in front at a rewarding price in the Sophomore Sprint at Kenilworth tomorrow.

The Candice Bass-Robinson colt, 9-2 yesterday, has impressed in both his starts and particularly when coming from the wrong side of the course in a maiden over the trip on his most recent outing three months ago. “He has such a high cruising speed that he put them all under pressure some way out,” commented rider Anthony Andrews that day.

Keagan de Melo takes over tomorrow but what really swings it is that the Trippi colt is a half-brother to champion sprinter Kasimir. No wonder that he has speed to burn!

Captain Tatters is 22-10 to become the third successful favourite in four runnings and he has a lot going for him even though he has been off for four months. He had Ground Control (17-2) a length back third when chasing home the Hong Kong-bound Armando in the Somerset over this trip.

The first Sophomore of his distinguished career would be a fitting 48^th birthday present for Brett Crawford but both his runners – the pair are the highest rated in the field – have been racing over further. Finding Camelot (weak in the market, drifting from 3-1 to 11-2) and 5-1 chance King Of Gems were third and fourth in the 1 500m Langerman and this much shorter race looks more of a prep for the season to come.

Three Two Charlie (6-1), third to Armando in the Cape Nursery, is suited by the trip and should be ready after last week’s Durbanville outing but he makes nothing like the same appeal as his stable companion.

There are others that stand out during the afternoon beginning with Silver Operator in the Perpetua House Handicap. He was most impressive when winning first time and then only just failed to get up in the Langerman. He will relish the extra 100m and looks significantly better than the older horses. Furthermore the Marshall stable is on song. The only drawback is that at 11-10 he is not much of a price.

Frank Lloyd Wright has only really come into his own in his last two outings but he has long been held in quite high regard. He has gone up sharply for last time’s win but he may just get the better of impressive maiden winner Yorktown in the Val Vida Real Estate Handicap.

Finally Queensbarns who came away from over a furlong out to score by over five lengths. Maybe you shouldn’t be tempted by horse’s first time out of the maidens but the 15-10 favourite looks an exception to the rule in the finale.

By Michael Clower

The Turffontein Standside meeting tomorrow is low key but there is a good class Pinnacles Stakes race over 1400m where Vistula looks hard to beat for the Paul Peter-Warren Kennedy combination.

This four-year-old filly should come into her own this season being by Ideal World, whose progeny continually improve. She ended last season with three easy wins when stepped up from sprints to 1400m and 1600m and she then ran a creditable fifth in the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Greyville where she was quietly fancied. She is drawn in pole tomorrow. Schippers is 1,5kg well in with Vistula, being merit rated two points higher than her and being a five-year-old. However, this is the first time she is going beyond sprints and she has a tricky draw of five in the seven horse field. She is by Var out of a Grade 3-winning sprinter by Count Dubois called Fair Rosalind, so there is a stamina question mark too, although Fair Rosalind has produced a horse by Argonaut who won up to 1800m. Afrostar is the stable companion to Vistula and also has some class. She has been crying out for the step back up to this trip, over which she is unbeaten in two starts. She has a good draw of two.

In the first leg of the Bipot Port Key looks promising and will relish the step up in trip to 2000m, although he has his second run after a long layoff and his first start out of the maidens. He can fight it out with the in form pair Gold Griffin and Kurt’s Approval.

In the first leg of the PA over 1000m Touch Of Fate is the one to beat from a nice high draw as he is coming to hand. Dancing Flame is a danger and Oratorio filly Orchid Express makes most appeal of the unraced horses.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 the first-timer Tigermil is by Where’s That Tiger out of a half-sister to Jet Master and wouldn’t have to be star to win it. The raced runners Live By Night and Pure Wisdom should finish on top of each other if there last run is anything to go by. Endangered and Bridge Of Spies should also be considered.

In the next leg over 2400m Maroon Bells, a long-striding sort who enjoys this galloping track, goes over a staying trip after staying on strongly last time over 2000m. He is drawn in pole and will take some beating. Poppycock relished the step up to this trip last time and just failed, despite it being only his third career start, so he must also be considered.

In the sixth race over 2000m Jacko Boy won easily last time over this trip and this progressive sort can handle an effective six point raise. Anagram won well in the maidens over 1600m last time and being by Byword out of SA Oaks winner Cyber Cento she should relish the step up in trip. Angelic Appeal, Ex’s ‘N Ohs and Emerald Bay can also be considered for the Jackpot and Pick 6.

In the eighth race over 1160m Fired Up has dropped to a competitive mark. His first run over 1400m suggested he would need further, but this does not appear to be the case and he could run on strongly here and be in the firing line. However, its wide open and Baron Rodney, Strikeitlikeamatch, Greasepaint, Tokyo Drift and Master Boulder can also be considered.

In the last race over 1160m State Trooper makes appeal from a high draw as a big, long-strider who is capable of running on strongly. He is unbeaten in one start over course and distance, although it is another wide open race where a few must be considered. 

By David Thiselton

Captain Tatters has been installed 28-10 favourite to give Justin Snaith his fifth Sophomore Sprint win – and Richard Fourie his second – at Kenilworth on Saturday.

The early betting suggests that the Somerset runner-up has most to fear from Brett Crawford’s Langerman third Finding Camelot who is 3-1 second favourite while this colt’s stable companion King Of Gems and the Candice Bass-Robinson trained comfortable maiden winner Constable are both 5-1 chances.

Three Two Charlie and the Vaughan Marshall runner Ground Control (who was reported to have choked up when a disappointing favourite last time) are on 6-1 with the remaining four runners well into double figures. Snaith also has the favourite in four of the other seven races.

Muzi Yeni, who drew a blank at Kenilworth yesterday, is 17-10 favourite to go one better in the jockeys’ championship after finishing second to Lyle Hewitson in the past two seasons – beaten by 34 winners in 2017/18 but by only four last term.

Fourie is second favourite at 22-10 with Warren Kennedy and the 2014/15 champion Gavin Lerena both on 9-2. Anton Marcus, who gained the first of his four championships at the turn of the century, is on 15-2 with the in-form Greg Cheyne (four winners at Fairview on Monday) a 15-1 shot.

Current champion Sean Tarry disputes 15-10 favouritism with Mike de Kock for the trainers’ title. De Kock was champion eight times between 1998/99 and 2012/13 while Tarry is bidding for title number five after topping the log in four of the last five seasons. Snaith, twice champion, is 4-1 third favourite.

The well bred Black Knap was the star of the show at Kenilworth yesterday, winning the 1 800m maiden by a staggering 9 ¼ lengths. He started favourite at 12-10 on the strength of his promising first run and M.J. Byleveld sent him clear a furlong and a half from home. From that point on he went further and further away and his rider, looking back shortly before the line, was left wishing he had brought his binoculars.

Byleveld said: “My biggest problem was stopping him when we went down to the start. First time out he only got going late and had it been a mile I think he would probably have won that day. This was a fantastic win and I don’t think he is going to stop here.”

Vaughan Marshall added: “Black Knap is following in the footsteps of his brother Tap O’Noth (2017 Cape Guineas) and he has done everything we have asked of him. He is backward, green and still has a lot to learn but he was very impressive and I think Alec and Gillian Foster have got something on their hands here. I am sure there is more to come.”

By Michael Clower