Cape Guineas winner William Longsword’s fans are set to turn out in numbers on Sun Met day when the sensational son of Captain Al is likely to make his swansong appearance in the $500 000 CTS 1600.
He is then set to join the powerful Klawervlei stallion team at the magnificent farm of his birth.
William Longsword streaks clear to win the Cape Guineas (Pic – Wayne Marks)
The Mayfair Speculators owned William Longsword exploded to prominence at Kenilworth on Saturday to win the prestigious classic, in the process beating the cream of South Africa’s 3yo crop.
In so doing, he emulated the feat of his champion sire who won the same race from a similarly unfavourable draw in 2000.
William Longsword’s victory provided Klawervlei with a unique Cape Guineas-Cape Fillies Guineas double, having also bred the 2016 Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas winner Just Sensual.
Derek Brugman – considering the plans
Mayfair Speculators Racing Manager Derek Brugman said that the plans were to give William Longsword one final run before sending him to Klawervlei.
Being a miler, he is poised to be a natural successor for his illustrious sire, with the Equus Champion Sprinter Captain Of All having completed his first season there in 2015.
“He has everything it could take to make it as a stallion – the movie star looks, a pedigree of the highest order and a Gr1 success. Captain Al went to stud as a 4yo and look what he has achieved. It hardly makes sense for us to go to KZN for the SA Champions Season. The SA Guineas is a Gr2 and the Daily News is run over 2000m – we don’t know he will go that far. Then there is the Rising Sun Gold Challenge – but all those races are run at Greyville and are draw sensitive,” said Brugman.
He confirmed that a final decision would be made after Met day.
When taxed on the Guineas performance of another of the Mayfair runners in favourite Table Bay, who could only manage third, Brugman said –“I’m disappointed.”
Vaughan Marshall – proud to be a part of the team
Victorious trainer Vaughan Marshall, who celebrated his fourth Cape Guineas success and also trained the outstanding Captain Al, said that all of his wins had been memorable but noted that while Captain Al and William Longsword were two ‘very different horses’, they were possessed of a similar nature.
He has enjoyed plenty of success with the progeny of Captain Al, having also trained champions All Is Secret and Always In Charge, as well as last season’s Gr1 Allan Robertson Fillies Championship winner The Secret Is Out.
Marshall did a terrific job with Captain Al and when asked about the possibility of losing William Longsword to stud so early, he was philosophical.
“Look, it’s a team effort and having him go to stud is an honour, frankly. The ultimate endorsement of a trainer’s contribution is producing a horse who can go on and make it as a stallion.”
Captain Al (Al Mufti – Off To War) – heads the general sires list
Captain Al’s 14th Gr1 winner, William Longsword is the latest in a long line of top class performers bred on the Captain Al-Fort Wood cross, a mating which has also resulted in fellow Gr1 winner Captain America, as well as high class graded winners such as Captain’s Flame, Fragrant Al and Wheredowego .
