Captain Of All holds off a flying Copper Parade (Piere Strydom) with Fly By Night (Grant Van Niekerk) well beaten in third (Pic: Bay Media)
Top KZN trainer Dennis Drier has enjoyed a Cape Summer season of mixed fortunes but he struck with a decent trophy at Kenilworth on Saturday when his former 2yo Gr1 winner Captain Of All soared to a smart win in the R400 000 Khaya Stables Gr2 Diadem Stakes.
The lightly campaigned Captain Of All had risen to prominence when winning the Gr1 Tsogo Sun Medallion two seasons ago but was allowed to drift to a generous price in the final feature event of 2014 as he was meeting a decent bunch of sprinters at weight-for-age.
He had frankly also not impressed at his first start in over a year when well beaten at his opening Cape run three weeks ago.
But on Saturday we were reminded just how talented Captain Al’s son is.
Gareth Wright got a flyer and had Happy Forever out like a flash after a technical issue delayed the start a few minutes.
Happy Forever led Priceless Jewel and Captain Of All, who appeared to be racing with his tongue over the bit and held his head a bit awkwardly.
The good mare Priceless Jewel took over from the pacy Happy Forever and led into the 300m as Captain Of All started getting serious and with Strydom working at getting the PE challenger Copper Parade going down the outside.
With his mount showing superior pace, the feature hungry Cormack had made the move on the son of Captain Al at the right time and despite finishing with a typical flourish, Copper Parade got going too late.
In a rough race, stablemates Fly By Night and Ashton Park appeared to encounter some traffic problems and they both ran on decently, but too late.
Fly By Night finished with a rattle for third, just in front of the ever-present Priceless Jewel who hung on well for fourth.
The hampered Ashton Park ran another good race after his recent meritorious Green Point Stakes place cheque when he stayed on for fifth.
Trainer Dennis Drier – an astute buy
Captain Of All has now won 4 of 7 starts with 2 places and took his stake earnings to R783 150.
After the failure earlier in the day of the fancied Generalissimo,Captain Of All’s win would have been a tonic for the top KZN yard, who have enjoyed mixed fortunes in the Cape summer so far.
Captain Of All went through the ring at the Klawervlei Farm Sale and was purchased by trainer Dennis Drier on behalf of owner Markus Jooste, who is enjoying a purple patch.
Bred by Riverton Stud, he is by Captain Al out of the once winning Fard mare, Serious Side.
Duncan Barry confirmed that Captain Of All had an off set knee – the reason they didn’t target the bigger sales. He said that he had purchased Captain Of All’s dam Serious Side (by Fard) through Ada van der Bent ,while in training with Martin Cohen in PE.
Barry is on record, when once outlining the quirky nature of the breeding game, by saying:
“When I looked at Captain Of All’s dam Serious Side in the sales catalogue, I wondered exactly what had made me buy her! But then she is well related on her own dam’s side and the family produced some good winners from largely ordinary stallions.”
It’s an easy game this – now and again.
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Gr2 Diadem Stakes (SAf-Gr2)
Kenilworth, South Africa, December 27, R400k, 1200m, turf, good, 1.13.03
1 – CAPTAIN OF ALL (SAF), 60.0, b c 4, Captain Al (SAF) – Serious Side (SAF) by Fard (IRE). Owner Mrs I Jooste & Mr M J Jooste; Breeder Riverton Stud; trainer DR Drier; jockey S Cormack
2 – Copper Parade (SAF), 60.0, b g 7, Lecture (USA) – Copper Horizon (SAF) by Al Mufti (USA)
3 – Fly By Night (SAF), 57.5, b m 5, Jet Master (SAF) – Fly The Wind (SAF) by Model Man (SAF)
Margins: 0.40, 0.75, 2.25
