Cape Guineas winner William Longsword confirmed his connections’ dreams and plans firmly on track for his impending career as a stallion when he stormed away to win the inaugural $500 000 CTS Mile at Kenilworth on Saturday in what is likely to be his swansong appearance.
William Longsword strides clear under Anton Marcus to bank the big cheque (Pic – Wayne Marks)
The son of Captain Al had rocketed to prominence when winning the big Cape classic six weeks earlier and stuck to the script as he notched his sixth win from eight starts in impressive style to take his career earnings to over R4 million.
With Anton Marcus taking the reins from MJ Byleveld who had won the Cape Guineas aboard William Longsword, the race worked out well as he tracked Cape Fillies Guineas winner Just Sensual (also in the Mayfair silks) into the straight and then brought his beautiful stride into play.
Vaughan Marshall – great job with a top horse
Trainer Vaughan Marshall, who guided the colt’s champion sire Captain Al through his career, had William Longsword on song and the 3yo proved too strong for some quality opponents as he strode clear to win by 1,75 lengths in a time of 99,20 secs and bank the R3 300 000 first cheque.
The poorly drawn Snaith runner Copper Force caught the eye when he flew up from lengths back. The son of Royal Air Force cost just R70 000 at sale and took his earnings to close on R1,5 million at his sixth career start. He is one for the notebook.
The Gr2 Dingaans winner Singapore Sling stayed on nicely for his R990 000 cheque in third a short head away, while Gr3 Protea Stakes victor Janoobi, another Gauteng raider, was a half length back in fourth to secure a welcome R660 000.
Anton Marcus – impressed
The 2016 Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes winner Safe Harbour also ran another cracker and was the first filly home. She was the final earner in fifth place, adding the R264 000 to her Cape Summer Of Champions haul.
She has surely earned a break after a tough campaign and the connections of this R180 000 buy will be thrilled with her R2 million plus earnings and small black type picked up with outstanding runner-up efforts in the Fillies Guineas and Paddock Stakes.
Of the balance, Gr3 Starling Stakes winner She’s A Giver (6,50 lengths) disappointed again and went home empty handed from a forgettable Cape campaign.
After showing a lot of pace, Cape Fillies Guineas winner Just Sensual fell away to run 6,85 lengths down the field.
Jockey Anton Marcus said that he couldn’t quite make out the 3yo form and had been concerned about the fillies.
“William Longsword put things into perspective today. The Guineas was no fluke! He is a magnificent athlete. I just want to say a big shout out to MJ Byleveld – it takes somebody bigger than the game to be so sporting. Also to the boss (Markus Jooste), who is here today – thanks for all the support.”
Markus Jooste – thrilled about William Longsword
Owner Markus Jooste said that the script had worked out perfectly and he was proud of the association with a champion jockey who had won the Met for them in 2014, a champion sire in Captain Al and champion breeders in Klawervlei .
Jooste’s Mayfair Speculators won 2 of the 13 races on the day – the Investec Cape Derby with Edict Of Nantes being the other – but would also have been pleased with the 2nd and 3rd respectively of Always In Charge and Attenborough in the CTS 1200; Red Ray’s improved effort for 3rd in the Cape Flying Championship; and Legal Eagle’s tremendous effort for second in the Sun Met.
While plans in horseracing always tend to be fluid, the word is that the winner will be going back to his birthplace to take up stallion duties.
While it is not generally the norm to send a perfectly healthy 3yo to stud in this country, there really is little sense in taking in races in the SA Champions Season like the Gr2 KRA Guineas, and he looks unlikely to stay the 2000m of the Daily News.
William Longsword, a R2,2 million Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 1 purchase, was bred by Klawervlei Stud.
The son of past champion sire Captain Al is out of the once winning Fort Wood mare, Pagan Princess.
We will monitor his progress with interest.
