Klawervlei Stud’s high-class resident sire WILLIAM LONGSWORD (Captain Al) gained some handsome updates to his pedigree at Thursday night’s Equus Awards ceremony.
Not only was William Longsword’s half-sister REAL PRINCESS (Trippi) named Broodmare Of The Year for 2024-2025, but Real Princess’ top-class son GIMME A PRINCE (Gimmethegreenlight) was named Equus Champion Sprinter of 2024-2025.

William Longsword’s outstanding sire Captain Al also made his mark at the Equus Awards this year.
His daughter Sempre Libre is the dam of the brilliant EIGHT ON EIGHTEEN (Lancaster Bomber), with the latter crowned Horse Of The Year, Champion 3YO Male and Champion Middle Distance Horse of 2024-2025.
Captain Al is also the sire of sensational young stallion ONE WORLD, whose dual G1 winning son ONE STRIPE was crowned Equus Champion Miler for 2024-2025.

The remarkable, Klawervlei Stud bred, Real Princess, herself winner of six races including both the G1 South African Fillies Sprint and G3 Poinsettia Stakes, was responsible for three graded stakes winners the past season headed by G1 Hollywoodbets Durban July winner THE REAL PRINCE (Gimmethegreenlight) and the latter’s top-class full-brother Gimme A Prince.

The latter earned his title of Champion Sprinter when he won the G1 HKJC World Pool Cape Flying Championship by five and three quarter lengths, and followed that up with a three quarter of a length win in the G2 Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes. To date, Gimme A Prince has won five graded races and he has earned more than R3.649 million in stakes.

Klawervlei Stud’s exciting young stallion KOMMETDIEDING (Elusive Fort) hails from an exceptional family.
This female line was once again to the fore this weekend, when EL CORDOBES (Frankel), who is from the same family as Kommetdieding, won the G1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga.

The Bjorn Nielsen-bred four-year-old, a 38th G1 winner for his sire, collared Rebel Red, the John and Tanya Gunther-bred brother to St James’s Palace Stakes winner Without Parole, by half a length. 

El Cordobes surged past the field in the final furlongs Saturday to win the G1 Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, securing an automatic berth in this fall’s Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar.

Trained by Charles Appleby and ridden by Flavien Prat,  El Cordobes pulled away late on the inner turf to capture the victory.

El Cordobes, who is out of BOLD LASS (Sea The Stars), had won the G2 Princess Of Wales’s Stakes last time out, and Saturday’s win pushed his earnings to $605 688.

The 2025 Sword Dancer Stakes winner traces back directly in female line to the influential QUEEN OF LIGHT (Borealis), whose numerous top-class descendants include the brilliant KOMMETDIEDING.

From the same Sadler’s Wells male line as El Cordobes, Kommetdieding was one of the most charismatic stars of his generation.
The son of champion Elusive Fort earned more than R4.255 million in a career which saw Kommetdieding triumph in both the 2021 G1 Vodacom Durban July and2022 G1 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met.

Kommetdieding’s eagerly awaited first crop are yearlings this season.

Klawervlei Stud’s inform sire WILLIAM LONGSWORD (Captain Al) came up with a good looking winner on Sunday. His three-year-old son TOWN CRIER got off the mark at the second time of asking when he won the third race at Hollywoodbets Greyville. Trained by Stuart Ferrie, Town Crier kept going, under Serino Moodley, to claim Sunday’s Online Form Guide Maiden Plate (1200m) by just under three-parts of a length. Bred by Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm, Town Crier races for The Poet`s Corner Syndicate (Nom:Michael Moroney), Mr S Govender & Mrs Cecilia Trickett.

Sunday’s winner is bred on the same William Longsword/Var cross as G2 Betway Spring Challenge winner BACK IN BUSINESS.

William Longsword is also the sire of the very classy gelding MELECH, with the latter catching the eye when running on from the back of the field to finish third at Turffontein on Saturday.  Melech, who has earned more than R730 000 in stakes, looks set for a good season in 2025-2026.

Winner of the G1 Cape Guineas, William Longsword has a single lot on offer at this month’s August Two Year Old Sale.

Klawervlei Stud’s four time G1 winning sire TWICE OVER (Observatory) hails from one of the best families in the stud book.
This remarkable female line got yet another boost when the exciting two-year-old EWING (Knicks Go) won the G2 Saratoga Special Stakes at Saratoga on Saturday.

In the process, the colt maintained his unbeaten record.  Trained by dual Hall of Famer Mark Casse, the Knicks Go colt entered the 6 1/2-furlong sprint from an eye-opening 12-length debut romp on July 5 at the Spa.

On Saturday, with returning rider Jose Ortiz up, Ewing broke a step slow and veered in at the start from the inside post while the sharp-starting favorite Obliteration caught a flyer from the gate. Nevertheless, Ortiz and Ewing hustled up the rail and showed the way through splits of 22.26 seconds and 45.41 over the fast main track, angling wide off the turn as Obliteration struggled to corner. Ortiz straightened away Ewing and powered through the wire.

The exciting colt is directly descended in female line from the increasingly influential mare LOST VIRTUE (Cloudy Dawn), the third dam of both US champion BANSHEE BREEZE (Unbridled) and the brilliant Twice Over himself.

Twice Over, whose top-class son SEE IT AGAIN ran a good third in the recent G1 HKJC Champions Cup, has seven lots on offer at the August Two Year Old Sale.

Klawervlei Stud’s four time G1 winning stallion TWICE OVER (Observatory) had a good few days this past week. Not only did Twice Over’s top-class son SEE IT AGAIN finish a close and creditable third in Sunday’s G1 HKJC Champions Cup, but Twice Over was responsible for a pair of winners over the weekend.

On Friday, Twice Over gelding LAST ONE STANDING made it three wins in a row when he won at Borrowdale for Debra Swanson and Deryl Daniels. Bred by Beaumont Stud, the four-year-old races for Mr and Mrs Cocksedge.

Twice Over is also the sire of smart filly LAVENDER BAY, who caught the eye when winning in good style at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. Trained by Andre Nel, four-year-old Lavender Bay pulled clear of her rivals to land Saturday’s Hollywoodbets Class 4 (F and M) (1600m) by half a length. Bred and owned by Sabine Plattner, Lavender Bay has won twice and finished second in each of her last four starts. She is bred on the same Twice Over/Casey Tibbs cross as champion DO IT AGAIN as well as multiple graded stakes winner MUCHO DINERO.

Twice Over, whose relatives include 2025 G1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes winner OMBUDSMAN (Night Of Thunder) among many others, hails from a red hot family.
This prolific family gained another boost when three-year-old CONTINUITE (Frankel), whose fourth dam QUANDARY (Blushing Groom) is the granddam of Twice Over, won by four and a quarter lengths at Gowran Park recently.

Klawervlei Stud’s inform stallion WILLIAM LONGSWORD (Captain Al) continues to come up with winners and the son of Captain Al came up with two more winners at Fairview on Friday.
William Longsword struck first on Friday when his son RED WILLIAM won the fourth race at Fairview.
Under Louis Mxothwa, the Sharon Kotzen trained five-year-old hit the front full of running and stayed on strongly to claim the TAB Telebet MR 70 Handicap (1600m) by half a length. Bred by Stone Hill Stud, Red William, now a four time winner, races for Messrs I D Berg, M C Higgs, G M Kotzen, Mrs S B Kotzen & Ben Botha (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Mr Arne Botha).

William Longsword’s second success on Friday came when his son IMAGINABLE romped home to win the Next Fairview Racemeeting Monday 04 August MR 74 Handicap (1200m).
Under Calvin Habib, the Gavin Smith trained gelding made it back to back wins, and five wins overall, with his victory on Friday. Bred by Varsfontein Stud, Imaginable races for Rikesh Seewgoolam.

The inform William Longsword, whose half-sister produced 2025 G1 Hollywoodbets Durban July winner THE REAL PRINCE (Gimmethegreenlight), has a single lot on offer at the August Two Year Old Sale.