Captain Chaos draws clear under an elated Grant Van Niekerk (Pic: Bay Media)
Veteran trainer Ronnie Sheehan knows a decent horse when he sees one. If his opinion about his R200 000 Gr3 Cape Of Good Hope Nursery winner Captain Chaos is half right, he looks to have a very exciting sort on his hands.
The Kenilworth Sunday programme was not kind to punters and Captain Chaos’ turning of the tables on his Listed Somerset 1200 conquerors Tar Heel and Western Storm was impressive indeed.
A almost speechless Ronnie Sheehan was over the moon after the race,
“I told you guys that he is a top horse.I have never had a Captain Al before but this is exciting. If he goes 1600m they can all come. I’m over the moon, I can’t talk,” he said.
Captain Chaos has won smartly on debut and was then beaten 3,75 lengths into third in the Somerset 1200.
On Saturday, meeting Western Storm on 2kgs better terms, he also reversed the form with the smart looking Tar Heel, who went off a popular favourite under Anton Marcus.
Grant Van Niekerk had Captain Chaos settled nicely a few lengths off them as Nothern Corner, Eighth Wonder and Western Storm made the running.
The two anticipated chief protagonists, Western Storm and Tar Heel, took off together in the centre, but neither had any answers to Captain Chaos who had glided through down the inside.
The 9-1 Captain Chaos ran on impressively with Van Niekerk punching the air,to win by 3,50 lengths in a time of 74,40 secs.
The favourite’s stablemate The Stone Thrower ran on best of the rest from last to shade the very game Western Storm for second.
The odds-on favourite Tar Heel ran disappointingly and looked one paced late. He could do no better than run a modest fourth and is surely much better than this showing.
Winning Jockey Grant Van Niekerk showed some rare on-screen emotion, saying that he had always ‘loved Mr Sheehan.’
“Mr Sheehan has always had faith in me and supported since I got to Cape Town. And that loyalty counts for a lot. I tracked them and Captain Chaos was settled in nicely. He won like a good horse today,” he said.
Captain Chaos was bred by the Gary Player Stud and was originally purchased by Park Bloodstock for R250 000 on the 2014 Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale.
He was then consigned by Ascot Stud on the 2014 CTS Ready To Run Sale, where Ronnie Sheehan bought him for R375 000.
He was also the recipient here of an R85 000 BSA Value Added Bonus.
Captain Chaos has won 2 races with 1 place from his 3 starts and took his earnings to R181 250.
He is a son of Captain Al out of the seven-time winning Rambo Dancer mare, Cheyenne.
The Langerman looks like a nice stepping stone for Captain Chaos and it is positive to see a small yard have a possible big horse for the Cape summer season.
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Gr3 Cape Of Good Hope Nursery (SAf-Gr3)
Kenilworth, South Africa, June 7, R200k, 1200m, turf, good, 1.14.04
1 – CAPTAIN CHAOS (SAF), 60.0, b c 2, Captain Al (SAF) – Cheyenne (SAF) by Rambo Dancer (USA). Owner Messrs W D Jackson, J J F Cameron, M J Campbell & A J Torr; Breeder Gary Player Stud; trainer RG Sheehan; jockey G v Niekerk
2 – The Stone Thrower (SAF), 60.0, b c 2, Seventh Rock (AUS) – Si Senorita (SAF) by Cordoba (USA)
3 – Western Storm (SAF), 60.0, b g 2, Var (USA) – Happy Hostess (SAF) by Western Winter (USA)
Margins: 3.50, 0.40, 0.40
