Mike de Kock and Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum celebrated a super feature double at Turffontein on Saturday with the National Yearling Sale recordbreaking Var filly Ghaalla setting up a Cape Fillies Guineas date when producing a late finish to win the R275 000 Gr3 Fillies Mile.
After Hawwaam’s terrific victory in the Dingaans, his blue and white flag carrying stablemate kept things a lot more exciting.
The rain delayed feature was run under the lights and anybody who stayed to watch would not have been disappointed with the race producing the best finish of the day.
Neglected in the betting and jumping from a wide draw, the Var filly Ghaalla was some way off the gallop set by the Gr1 winning favourite Return Flight.
At the 400m Return Flight came under pressure and the longshot I like It made up ground doggedly down the rail with an upset on the cards. The daughter of Solskjaer ground away under Sherman Brown but Randall Simons had got Ghaalla interested and she started flying.
It was heads up and heads down at the line with Ghaalla getting the verdict by a short head in a time of 98,93 secs.
I Like It ran the race of her life – after winning an Assessment Plate at the Vaal last Tuesday!
The Starling Stakes winner Ronnie’s Candy came flying up late for third.
Mike de Kock reported afterwards that he believes Ghaalla to be a Triple Tiara type filly.
Bought for R5 million by Form Bloodstock for Shadwell SA at the 2017 BSA National Yearling Sale, the price tag of the Varsfontein Stud bred Ghaalla surpassed the previous R4,75 million paid for Savannah Cat in 2015.
She has now won 2 races with 3 places from 7 starts for stakes of R388 213.
The Varsfontein bred daughter of Var (Forest Wildcat) is out of the winning Captain Al mare Fidelity, a three parts sister to Gr3 East Cape Derby winner Captain Splendid and a half-sister to Gr2 winning sire Master Of My Fate, and the four time stakes winner Justthewayyouare.
Her second dam is Equus Champion Promisefrommyheart, whose six career wins included successes in the Gr1 Triple Tiara 1600 and Gr1 SA Fillies Guineas.
Ghaalla, previously named Goddess Var, in the sales ring where she sold for R5-million. Image: Candiese Marnewick
HAWWAAM
Mike de Kock’s Silvano colt Hawwaam staked his Cape Guineas claims in just over 97 seconds at Turffontein on Saturday when he charged clear to maintain his unbeaten record with an eyecatching victory in the R500 000 Gr2 Dingaans.
A traditional classic pointer, there is little question that the Dingaans class of 2018 had been considerably weakened by the withdrawal of Hawwaam’s Gr1 winning stablemate Soqrat.
But there was much more to like than doubt about the inexperienced Hawwaam’s Gr2 victory at just his second start.
Jumping from a wide draw, the winner of South Africa’s historic first ‘no crop’ race on Charity Mile day was last turning for home, and had the best part of ten lengths to make up at the 500m marker.
But after the KZN raider Thanksgiving had hit the front at the 350m looking very dangerous, Gavin Lerena unleashed Hawwaam and the son of Silvano simply lengthened his stride impressively to make up lengths to win going away and full of running by 3,40 lengths in a time of 97,63 secs.
Bred by Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein, Hawwaam was a R1 million National Yearling Sale graduate for Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum.
A son of multiple champion sire Silvano (Lomitas), he is a half-brother to Cape-based unbeaten Ideal World stakes winner Rainbow Bridge.
These two extremely smart males are out of the very versatile seven-time winner Halfway To Heaven (Jet Master), whose successes included the 2013 Gr3 Prix Du Cap. She was trained initially by Eric Sands and after changing hands, by Mike de Kock, during her racing career.
Flashback to 2013 – Halfway To Heaven (Bernard Fayd’herbe) storms home in the Listed Off To Stud Handicap
Halfway To Heaven is out of Pas De Basque, a somewhat light on pedigree Rambo Dancer mare that stood at Ingrid Klug’s Wynnholme Stud until her passing from a heart issue two years ago – she left behind a filly by Duke Of Marmalade.
Imagine the two half-brothers clashing in the Sun Met? But let’s not jump the gun. There is plenty of water to flow under the – excuse the pun – proverbial bridge, yet.
For now we will savour the clash that looms in the Cape Guineas on 15 December with another unbeaten 3yo in Vaughan Marshall’s One World.
The mighty Captain Al.
ONE WORLD – FEATURE DOUBLE FOR CAPTAIN AL
The extraordinary Cape Guineas legacy of a veteran trainer called Vaughan Marshall and a sire by the name of Captain Al took another giant step into the history books at Kenilworth on Saturday.
The undefeated One World showed he is the athlete we all believed him to be when staying on powerfully to win the R400 000 Gr2 Concorde Cup.
The race, formerly known as the Selangor Cup, has produced just five Guineas winners in 21 years with One World looking to follow in the illustrious hoofprints of Act Of War, Variety Club, Le Drakkar Jay Peg, Express Way and Alpha Omega en route to victory in South Africa’s premier classic on 15 December.
But it is his trainer’s superb record with the progeny of his 2000 Cape Guineas winning sire Captain Al that has gripped the public interest.
Vaughan Marshall saddled Captain Al sons William Longsword and Tap O’Noth to win the Cape Guineas in 2016 and 2017 respectively.
And he bids to make it three on the trot with One World – interestingly all three winners under different ownership.
On Saturday, Marcus got One World out from his 9 draw in a field of 10 and had the smart colt dictating matters after 450m. He never relinquished the lead from thereon in.
At the 300m, S’manga Khumalo cheekily challenged on the gutsy chestnut Chimichuri Run.
But with whip in the left hand and for a moment looking as if he may be on the brink of a memorable victory, Khumalo conceded defeat two strides from the post as One World, dwarfing the hard chasing Joburg challenger, galloped relentlessly all the way to the line to hold his adversary to a half length in a time of 96,33 secs.
A Klawervlei bred son of Captain Al (Al Mufti), the winner is out of the UK placed Aquilonia (Giant’s Causeway). He races in the interests of NHA Chairman Ken Truter and his wife Jane, as well as Etienne Braun and Braam van Huysteen.
A R425 000 Cape Premier Yearling Sale graduate, One World took his tally to 5 wins from 5 starts for stakes of R536 250.
The manner of Silvano colt Hawwaam’s victory in the Dingaans at Turffontein, suggests a clash between the two could be a major crowd-puller at Kenilworth on 15 December.
KASIMIR
Despite the sprint handicap looking to be something of a minefield, the red hot local combination of Justin Snaith and Richard Fourie delivered the goods in the R400 000 Gr2 Cape Merchants at a sunny Kenilworth on Saturday with favourite Kasimir stamping his authority in a race won by his famous sire 18 years ago.
The son of Captain Al had run a cracking prep behind star 3yo One World over a distance a touch further than his best in early October, and a recent public gallop confirmed his wellbeing. SA Champion trainer Justin Snaith said Kasimir was his best runner of the day, and the 4yo rounded off a nice hat-trick for them when he arrived in the first of three features.
With his stablemate Sergeant Hardy showing the way ahead of the Crawford pair of Bold Respect and Search Party, Richard Fourie rode a waiting race on Kasimir as he sat four lengths off the gallop.
With the nineteen horse field producing a stampede, and some appearing to be battling to find a gap, Fourie pressed the button.
Kasimir stormed through down the middle at the 300m and under a kind ride by the unstoppable Richard Fourie, the son of Captain Al drew away to beat the late finishing New Caledonia by 1,25 lengths in a time of 71,87 secs.
Bred by Drakenstein Stud, Kasimir was a R1,2 million Cape Premier Yearling Sale graduate and took his earnings to R1 706 875 at his 4th win with 5 places from 11 starts.
A son of deceased champion sire Captain Al, this was the 4yo’s first stakes success. He is out of the top-class Gr1 producing three-time winner Aquatint (Peintre Celebre).
CAPTAIN LARS WINS 23RD RACE
The Klawervlei Stud bred CAPTAIN LARS (Captain Al) has been nominated for the Racehorse Owners Horseracing Award of Outstanding All Weather Horse for 2018.
The Archie Watson trained gelding, who has proved a tremendous money spinner for his connections, has won a remarkable 11 races in Britain this year with another victory recorded yesterday, with Captain Lars’ successes in 2018 including victories on the all-weather.
Captain Lars, whose South African victories included the 2014 Listed Drum Star Handicap, has won an astounding 23 races in total, and has won or placed in no fewer than 43 races overall.
One of 90 stakes winners sired by Klawervlei’s much missed champion sire Captain Al, Captain Lars is owned by Greenfield Racing.
Out of Italian Oaks runner up Polar Charge (a three-parts sister to world leading sire and outstanding broodmare sire Pivotal), Captain Lars was a R1 400 000 buy from the inaugural TBA Cape Premier Yearling Sale.
He is a full-brother to the ill fated G1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion winner Always In Charge and the smart Alascan Maiden –who was third, to Equus Champion In The Fast Lane, in the 2013 G2 Choice Carriers Fillies Championship.
-extracts sportingpost.co.za / Klawervlei FB
