Klawervlei Stud’s inform stallion WILLIAM LONGSWORD (Captain Al) has had a wonderful few weeks, and his good form continued when William Longsword came up with two more winners over the weekend.

Not only did William Longsword gelding THE CANE TRAIN score at Turffontein on Saturday but another son of William Longsword, BELLA’S PABLO, won at Hollywoodbets Scottsville the following day.

William Longsword went close to having a four timer on Sunday, with his daughter SHIPHOLIA just beaten when second in the sixth race at Hollywoodbets Scottsville, and another daughter LONG STREET finishing second in Sunday’s third race. 

His first success over the weekend came when his son THE CANE TRAIN justified favouritism to score at Turffontein for Robyn Klaasen, Gavin Lerena and Nu-Atlas Racing.

Bred by the Tawny Syndicate, three-year-old The Cane Train powered into the lead 300m from home and kept galloping strongly to shed his maiden by just over half a length.

The Cane Train, who had finished third on his penultimate start, is bred on the same William Longsword/Medaglia D’Oro cross as Listed Secretariat Stakes winner Bon Vivant.

Runner up in his last three starts prior to Sunday’s win, the Peter Muscutt trained Bella’s Pablo was in front a long way from home in Sunday’s Gallop TV Maiden Plate (1950m) and he stayed on strongly to win impressively by five lengths.

Bred by Klawervlei Stud, Bella’s Pablo (bred on the same William Longsword/Galileo cross as G1 winning sprinter DYCE) races for Mr Murugasa.

Winner of the G1 Cape Guineas (like his outstanding sire Captain Al), William Longsword is also sire of the very classy BACK IN BUSINESS. The latter made it back to back wins when romping home to a facile win in the recent Listed Betway Spring Spree Stakes and he looks destined for bigger and better things.

Klawervlei Stud’s homebred stallion WILLIAM LONGSWORD (Captain Al) had a great season in 2023-2024, and his fine run continued into the new season when William Longsword gelding BACK IN BUSINESS won the Listed Betway Spring Spree Stakes (1200m) at Turffontein on Saturday.

Trained by Joe Soma, five-year-old Back In Business had won three of his first four starts, and bounced back to his best last time out when romping home to score by two and a quarter lengths over 1450m at Turffontein.

Under Muzi Yeni (unbeaten in two starts aboard Back In Business), the son of William Longsword turned Saturday’s Listed contest into a one horse race, with Back In Business storming home to get up close home and win, going away, by over a length and three quarters.

Bred by Klawervlei, the classy Back In Business races for ANOA (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Andria Dannhauser).

His sire went close to having a double at on Saturday with William Longsword gelding WILLIAM WEST beaten just half a length when third in the ninth and final race at Hollywoodbets Durbanville.

William Longsword, whose flagbearers last season included such graded stakes winning sprinters as DYCE and RULERSHIP, is from a very much inform family. His half-sister, G1 South African Fillies Sprint winner REAL PRINCESS (Trippi), is not only dam of dual G1 winner GIMME A PRINCE (Gimmethegreenlight), but also ranks as the dam of exciting filly GIMMIE’S COUNTESS (Gimmethegreenlight) and the smart gelding THE REAL PRINCE. The latter, an impressive winner on debut, has won two of just three starts, and is clearly loaded with ability. 

Klawervlei Stud’s triple G1 winning stallion CAPTAIN OF ALL (Captain Al) had a good day at the Vaal on Thursday where the former Equus Champion supplied a pair of winners.

Not only did Captain Of All gelding CAPTAIN JIM win the third race on Thursday, but the Klawervlei sire’s daughter THE NAVY LARK captured the seventh race run at the Vaal on Thursday.

Trained by Fabian Habib, Captain Jim showed tremendous heart when he won Thursday’s Racing 240 For Racing. For You Maiden Handicap over 1600 metres.

Under a strong ride from Gavin Lerena, the Captain Of All gelding fought out a ding-dong battle with runner up RED LEGEND (Red Ray) to score by a head.

Bred by the Estate Of The Late Dr Jim Antrobus, Captain Jim (third in his three starts prior to Thursday’s win) races for Messrs J Nassif, M G Bothma, J J Habib, G J Nassif, Adv M Witz & Tri-Deal Sixteen CC (Nom: Mr Z L Nassif).

Captain Of All’s second success on Thursday came when his daughter The Navy Lark made much of the running to win the Take A Bet Wina Numba Numba MR 80 Handicap (1100m) by half a length.

Trained by the Visser family, four-year-old The Navy Lark was winning for a third time overall, with the filly having won two of her last three starts.

Bred by the Late David Allan, The Navy Lark races for Harry Govender.

South Africa’s Leading First Season Sire of 2018-2019, and by the same sire as the Klawervlei bred sire sensation ONE WORLD (Captain Al), Captain Of All had a good season in 2023-2024, where his flagbearers included the likes of WHISTLE THE TUNE, KISS ME CAPTAIN, MEU CAPITANO, and CAPTAIN HINDSIGHT.

Klawervlei Stud’s G1 Cape Guineas winning sire WILLIAM LONGSWORD (Captain Al) had a great season in 2023-2024, and he ended in style when coming up with a pair of winners on the last day of the season.

Not only did William Longsword gelding HEAVEN’S WILL win the sixth race at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Wednesday, but another son, BENNI IN THE AREA, won the very next contest.

Trained and owned by Dennis Bosch, three-year-old Heaven’s Will hit the front someway from home and he stayed on, under Muzi Yeni, to claim the Catch KZN Racing Via Live Streaming On www.galloptv.co.za MR 74 Handicap (1400m) by just over half a length.

Third on his previous start, the lightly raced Heaven’s Will was bred by Varsfontein Stud.

William Longsword struck again when his Gary Rich trained son Benni In The Area stormed home to win the www.tabgold.co.za MR 74 Handicap (1400m) in convincing fashion.

Under a strong ride from Cole Dicken, the Hollywood Syndicate owned gelding kept finding in the closing stages to win by just over a length.

Bred by Winterbach Stud in partnership with Collins Stud Farm, Benni In The Area was rewarded for consistency on Wednesday, with the gelding having finished either second or third in each of his three previous starts,

William Longsword, who shares his legendary sire with the Klawervlei bred sire sensation ONE WORLD, had a tremendous season in 2023-2024. Among his flagbearers were top-class sprinters DYCE (G1 World Pool Cape Flying Championship, G3 New Turf Carriers Merchants) and RULERSHIP (G3 Betway Lebelo Sprint), and smart gallopers SABRE STRIKE (Secretariat Stakes) and WILLIAM IRON ARM (3rd G1 TAB SA Classic, 3rd G2 TAB Gauteng Guineas).

Closely related to exciting prospects GIMMIE’S COUNTESS (Gimmethegreenlight) and BJORN IRONSIDE (Gimmethegreenlight), William Longsword has five lots on offer at the upcoming August Two Year Old Sale.