Klawervlei Stud’s four time G1 winning stallion TWICE OVER (Observatory) came up with yet another stakes winner when his son LAST ONE STANDING won the Listed Breeders Champion Cup on Friday.
Under Jeffrey Syster, the Debra Swanson trained gelding dug down deep to land the Borrowdale feature by half a length.

It was a smart performance by Last One Standing, with the latter conceding 8kgs to the runner up.
Bred by Beaumont Stud, five-year-old Last One Standing has won six of his last seven starts and clearly is one of the top horses racing in Zimbabwe at the moment. Friday’s winner is owned by Mr and Mrs Cocksedge.

Twice Over has enjoyed another good season in 2025-2026, with his multiple G1 winning son SEE IT AGAIN having won the 2026 G1 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met. To date, See It Again has earned more than R8.9 million in prize money!

Twice Over also gained a handsome update to his pedigree when his close relative OMBUDSMAN (Night Of Thunder) won the G1 Dubai Turf Sponsored By DP World on Saturday. Also victorious in both the G1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes and Juddmonte International last year, Ombudsman’s fifth dam LOST VIRTUE (Cloudy Dawn) ranks as the third dam of Twice Over.

Champion Twice Over has two lots on offer at the upcoming National Yearling Sale -a filly (Lot 155) out of G3 Champagne Stakes winner PURPLE ORCHID (Dr Fong), and a colt (Lot 256) whose dam is a winning daughter of G2 Southern Cross Stakes winner FAIRYINTHEWOODS (Count Dubois).

At Klawervlei Stud, our story has never been about horses alone, it has always been about people.

For generations, the success of our farm has been shaped by the dedication, care and deep-rooted knowledge of our grooms. They are there before sunrise and long after sunset, forming bonds with each horse that go far beyond routine. Their role is not simply a job; it is a craft, built on trust, instinct and commitment.

The Klawervlei Grooms Trust was established as a meaningful step towards recognising this contribution, not just in words, but in action.

Why the Grooms Trust Matters

The Thoroughbred industry, like many others, carries a complex history. While progress has been made, there remains a responsibility to ensure that those who contribute so significantly to its success are given opportunities to grow alongside it.

The Grooms Trust is our way of contributing to that change.

“We believe that those who dedicate their lives to these horses should share in the success they help create. The Grooms Trust is about recognising that contribution in a meaningful and lasting way, while building a more inclusive future for the industry.”
— John Koster

It is about creating a structure where our grooms can share in the long-term success of the farm, a model rooted in inclusion, dignity and shared value. More than a financial initiative, it represents a shift in mindset: one that acknowledges that true sustainability lies in empowering people at every level of the operation.

Building Something That Lasts

At its core, the Trust is about legacy.

We are committed to building a future where the next generation of grooms not only inherit skills and knowledge, but also opportunity. A future where the people who care for these horses are recognised as essential partners in the journey — not just behind the scenes, but as part of the story itself.

This is not a once-off initiative. It is part of a broader vision for Klawervlei — one that seeks to strengthen the foundations of the industry by investing in its people.

Recognition Beyond the Farm

We are honoured that this initiative has recently been featured by the Racing Post, bringing international attention to the work being done here at Klawervlei.

Read the full article:

While recognition is appreciated, the true value lies in what this represents, a step forward, however small, in building a more inclusive and sustainable future for Thoroughbred breeding.

Moving Forward, Together

At Klawervlei, we believe that excellence is not achieved in isolation. It is the result of collective effort, of people, horses and land working in harmony.

The Grooms Trust is a reflection of that belief. Because when we invest in people, we strengthen the future of everything we stand for.

Pictures Credit: Race Coast Sales/Chase Liebenberg/Wayne Marks

Following the Klawervlei bred SECRETARY BIRD (Rafeef) landing the Listed Wilgerbosdrift Ruffian Stakes, another Klawervlei Stud bred filly won a feature race at Turffontein on Saturday.

This time, it was the Klawervlei bred PERFECT MIRACLE (Hawwaam) who prevailed, with that three-year-old victorious in Saturday’s G3 World Sports Betting Sycamore Sprint (1160m).

In landing Saturday’s R225 000 graded feature, Perfect Miracle became the first graded stakes winner for champion Hawwaam.

Trained by Tony Peter, the three-year-old was given a well judged ride from Marco Van Rensburg in the Sycamore Sprint.
Perfect Miracle hit the front with 400m to go, and she kept finding in the closing stages to score by half a length.

Owned by Suzette Viljoen, the progressive Perfect Miracle has won three of eight starts. A tilt at the G1 South African Fillies Sprint could be on the cards for Saturday’s winner.

Perfect Miracle, who is out of FREDDY’S SISTER (Tiger Ridge), was a R425 000 buy from the 2024 National Yearling Sale.

Klawervlei Stud have 15 yearlings on offer at the upcoming National Yearling Sale.

Klawervlei Stud enjoyed some fantastic results at the 2026 Premier Yearling Sale, which took place at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Friday and Saturday.
Klawervlei ended the two day auction as the sale’s Leading Vendors, by Aggregate, with Klawervlei, as Agent, selling 44 yearlings for R25.8 million.

The top priced lot sold from this draft was the Vercingetorix colt (Lot 123), who was knocked down to Gina Bortz for R3 000 000. A full-brother to Listed Irridescence Stakes winner UKUDUMA (Vercingetorix) and three-parts brother to the stakes placed SHE’S A RAINBOW (Silvano), the bay was produced by top-class racemare THUNDER DANCE (Jet Master). The latter, whose dual G1 winning dam SHADOW DANCING (Fort Wood) is a half-sister to Klawervlei’s legendary sire CAPTAIN AL (Al Mufti), won six times with Thunder Dance’s victories including triumphs in both the G1 Paddock Stakes and G1 Empress Club Stakes. 

Klawervlei’s resident sires KOMMETDIEDING (Elusive Fort) and TWICE OVER (Observatory) also enjoyed notable success at the Premier Sale.
The charismatic Kommetdieding, winner of both the G1 Vodacom Durban July and G1 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met, had members of his first crop make up to R900 000 at the 2026 Premier Yearling Sale, while four time G1 winning champion Twice Over, likewise, had yearlings fetch up to R900 000.

Klawervlei Stud’s multiple G1 winning stallion KOMMETDIEDING (Elusive Fort) enjoyed a handsome update to his pedigree on Saturday.
Progressive three-year-old DIOGENES (Hawwaam) landed the biggest win of his career when he captured the Listed WSB Hawwaam Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday.

In the process, the Weichong Marwing trained gelding stamped himself a potential contender for the upcoming G2 TAB SA Derby.
Under a great ride from Muzi Yeni, Diogenes tracked the front running TEXAS MISSILE (One World) before hitting the front with 100m left to run.
From there, the son of Hawwaam drew off to post his first black type win by a length and a half.

Bred by Riethuiskraal Stud, Diogenes races for Mr Havenga.

The progressive gelding has won three of nine starts, with Diogenes victorious in his last two starts.

Diogenes is out of G3 Diana Stakes runner up CAPTAINOFMYSOUL (Captain Al), a three-parts sister to both triple G1 winner CAPTAIN AMERICA (Captain Al) and Listed Gardenia Handicap runner up ADORABLE.
The latter is the dam of Kommetdieding, an unbeaten galloper at two who went on to win both the G1 Vodacom Durban July and G1 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met.

The brilliant Kommetdieding also enjoyed notable success at the recent Premier Yearling Sale, where members of his first crop made up to R900 000.

Klawervlei Stud’s homebred G1 Cape Guineas winner WILLIAM LONGSWORD (Captain Al) had a good double at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday.
William Longsword looks to have a progressive sort to his name in the form of SWORD SPEED.

That three-year-old made it two wins from four starts when he won Sunday’s Century Club Middle Stakes (1950m).
Under Mickaelle Michel, Sword Speed came with a strong run down the outside of the track, and he got up to win by just over three-parts of a length.

Trained by Alyson Wright, the Rob Champion owned Sword Speed has won or been placed in three of four outings and he looks above average.

William Longsword’s second success on Sunday came when his daughter CALL OF THE KAROO finished in a dead-heat for first place in the tenth and final race.
Trained by Glen Kotzen, the three-year-old unleashed a fine turn of foot which saw Call Of The Karoo fly up late and she put her head down where it mattered to share the win with JANE’S VISION (Visionaire).
Bred by Klawervlei Stud, Call Of The Karoo is owned by Mr Fegen, Glen Kotzen and the Woodhill Racing Syndicate.

By the same sire as such exciting sires as ONE WORLD, ERIK THE RED and MALMOOS, William Longsword has sired a number of high-class performers including G1 winning sprinter DYCE.