LEGAL EAGLE STAKES SUCCESS FOR WILLIAM LONGSWORD

Klawervlei Stud’s homebred G1 Cape Guineas winner WILLIAM LONGSWORD (Captain Al) has had a fine season in 2022-2023, and the handsome bay struck again when his classy son ITSRAININGWILLIAM won the G3 World Sports Betting Legal Eagle Stakes (1800m) at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.

Third in the G3 WSB Variety Club Mile last time out, the Justin Snaith trained gelding was trying the 1800m trip for a first time on Saturday but took the step up in distance with aplomb. Under a superb ride from JP Van Der Merwe, Itsrainingwilliam was quickly away and went out to make the running in Saturday’s Cape feature. The chestnut kept finding more in the closing stages, with Itsrainingwilliam holding on gamely to hold off older rival MASTER REDOUTE (Querari) and claim his biggest win to date by half a length.

His beaten rivals also included such high-class graded stakes winners as ROCKPOOL (Futura), POMP AND POWER (Vercingetorix), GEM KING (Master Of My Fate) and HOEDSPRUIT (Legislate). Bred and owned by Drakenstein Stud, Itsrainingwilliam took his earnings to over R900 000 with his triumph on Saturday.

He joins the likes of VIRGINIA SWEET (East Cape Oaks) and LORD WILLIAM (World Sports Betting Sledgehammer) as other recent stakes winners for his inform sire William Longsword.

The latter also enjoyed success at Fairview on Friday when his daughter YGRITTE broke her maiden with a game win over 1200 metres.

Ygritte has a full-brother (Lot 43) on offer at the upcoming Cape Racing Winter Mixed Sale.