History shows that the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas has a deserved reputation as a ‘sire making’ race, its honour roll boasting a number of past winners who went on to enjoy success at stud, none more so than Jet Master and Captain Al.
Winner of the 1998 Guineas, the former is arguably the best South African-bred stallion of all time and whilst he never sired a winner of this revered classic, his Gr1 winning son Pomodoro features as the sire of 2020 winner Russian Rock.
Captain Al wins the 2000 Gr1 Cape Argus Guineas (Pic – Supplied)
In contrast, Captain Al, who claimed the honours in the millennium year, has contributed to Guineas history as the only modern-time winner whose progeny have emulated their sire, William Longsword claiming victory in 2016 and Tap O’Noth making it a double twelve months later.
The former is now a successful stallion standing at Klawervlei Stud.
Only four colts will be in the line-up for this weekend’s renewal, and a perusal of their pedigrees suggests they could all be stallion material.
On current betting, Drakenstein homebred Hluhluwe is expected to build on his smart victory in the Gr2 Selangor Cup when he steps up to the plate this weekend.
Nic Jonson’s colt is by the venerable Trippi out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Lebombo Breeze.
He boasts a pedigree out of the very top drawer, his third dam, the Sadler’s Wells mare Dance Of Leaves being an own sister to Mauritzfontein’s formidable Fort Wood.
Hluhluwe – a serious classic contender
(Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Their dam, the blue hen mare Fall Aspen, established a stallion dynasty of her own. In addition to Fort Wood, she is also the dam of Bianconi and grandam of Elnadim and ill-fated Dubai Millennium, the sire of champion British stallion and sire of sires Dubawi.
Unlike Jet Master, Fort Wood sired runaway winner Horse Chestnut and his champion son Dynasty gave us Act Of War, who was successful in 2014 and is now a Gr1 stallion in his own right.
The premature demise of Lancaster Bomber was recently underlined when he sired two of the first three home in the Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas, victory going the way of Drakenstein homebred Beach Bomb and third place to Rascova.
He is represented in this year’s Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas by talented first-crop son Snow Pilot, who will bid to reverse his runner-up spot in the Selangor.
Victory would complete a bittersweet Guineas double for his late lamented sire, not to mention his breeders Drakenstein Stud.
On sheer pedigree alone, Snow Pilot has potential stallion written all over him. He is the first foal of Captain Al’s outstanding daughter Snowdance, who accounted for both the Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas and Gr1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes.
More to the point, she is a grandaughter of broodmare extraordinaire Mystic Spring.
We have long since run out of superlatives for this daughter of Royal Academy, suffice to say that her accomplishments have made her one of the most celebrated mares in the South African studbook.
She is the dam of champions Rabiya and Bela-Bela, while her five other stakes winners include the Gr2 winner Secret Of Victoria, who in turn produced champion sprint queen All Is Secret and Gr1 winner The Secret Is Out, both sired by Captain Al.
Mystic Spring’s Joshua Dancer daughter Spring Lilac won the Gr3 Kenilworth Fillies Nursery and she too, became a regular consort to Captain Al, producing Snow Pilot’s dam Snowdance, as well as stakes winner Victorian Secret and Juniper Spring.
Victory in the Guineas will no doubt guarantee Snow Pilot a future berth at stud.
From a truly classic female line – Green With Envy
(Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Fresh from siring a scintillating one-two in the Gr2 Cape Merchants, dual champion stallion Gimmethegreenlight will rely on two colts to provide him with a first Cape Guineas success.
Khaya Stables homebred Green With Envy was only a shorthead behind Snow Pilot in the Cape Punters Cup and knowing Dean Kannemeyer, the colt will be fine-tuned come Saturday.
Green With Envy has a truly classic female line; his dam, the Galileo mare, Miss Coco, is an own sister to the fine stayer Eye Of The Storm, the next two dams are by Shirley Heights and Dancing Brave respectively, while his fourth dam Unsuspected has the distinction of producing two winners of the Gr1 Yorkshire Oaks in Untold and Sally Brown, as well as of European joint champion juvenile filly Shoot Clear.
Rounding out the quartet is Gimmethegreenlight’s son Tail Of The Comet, who is very much on a retrieval mission following his lukewarm fifth in the Selangor.
That disappointing effort came off a sparkling four-length victory in the Cape Racing Sales Ready To Run Stakes at Hollywoodbets Durbanville, where he clearly had his rivals on the ropes
A full brother to stakes-placed filly Chasing Green, Tail Of The Comet is out of the fleet-footed Laisserfaire Stakes winner Comet Chaser, whose half-sister Fairyinthewoods won the Gr2 Southern Cross.
All that speed may throw doubts of him seeing out the mile trip, however, the female line is also that of Gr3 Track and Ball Derby winner Mr Winsome and Woolavington Handicap winner Taipan.
Besides, trainer Sean Tarry is sure to have put a line through the Cape Punters Cup run and will have his charge razor sharp on Saturday.
