One Stripe gives stalwart trainer Vaughan Marshall the opportunity to win the Cape Guineas with a paternal grandson of his Cape Guineas winner Captain Al (2000), having already won the iconic race with two sons of Captain Al (William Longsword (2016) and Tap O’ Noth (2017)). (Picture: Wayne Marks)
Sarah Whitelaw
The Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas is one of South Africa’s most prestigious and historic horse-races. The Cape Guineas has an impressive honour roll, headed by such star stallions as Hawaii, Jet Master and Captain Al, not to mention such superstars as Colorado King, Renounce, In Full Flight, Politician, Bold Tropic, Empress Club, Horse Chestnut, Jay Peg and Variety Club.
Cape Guineas winning champions have also enjoyed plenty of success over seas, with the likes of Hawaii, Bold Tropic, Horse Chestnut, Jay Peg, and Variety Club all making their presence felt on the international stage.
However, a number of beaten Guineas runners have also gone on to greater things, with the list headed by the legendary Sea Cottage and including such stars as Dynasty, Big City Life, Mother Russia, Wolf Power and Classic Flag, to name just a few.
This year, the G1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas has been scheduled to take place at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on December 14th.
But who are the potential Cape Guineas contenders for 2024? Below is a brief pedigree description of three-year-olds who could find themselves in the line for the Guineas of 2024.
One Stripe: c One World -Silver Stripe, by Silvano
Last season’s dual G3 winning two-year-old is a son of One World, Equus Champion Older Male of 2019-2020 and South Africa’s Leading First Season Sire of 2023-2024.
One World, who looks likely to be well represented in the Guineas, ran third in the 2018 Cape Guineas, while One World’s champion sire Captain Al won the G1 Cape Guineas back in 2000. The much missed Captain Al has more than made his mark on the Guineas, with the son of Al Mufti also responsible for Cape Guineas winners Tap O’ Noth (2017) and William Longsword (2016). Captain Al is also the broodmare sire of 2023 G1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas winner Snow Pilot.
One Stripe, whose broodmare sire Silvano sired 2019 G1 Cape Guineas victor Kilindini, is out of Listed Spook Express Handicap winner Silver Stripe, a full-sister to G3 Winter Derby Gifted For Glory. Silver Stripe, who won from 2200-2450 metres, is herself out of versatile G1 TBA Paddock Stakes winner Badger’s Gift, a daughter of champion South African sire Badger Land.
One Stripe’s third dam, the stakes placed Upwardly Mobile, is a half-sister to Superior Service, who ran second, behind Flight Alert, in the G1 Cape Argus Guineas of 2002.
Great Plains: g Danon Platina -Mara, by Var
His sire Danon Platina, Japan’s Champion 2YO Colt of 2014, was sired by legendary racehorse and sire Deep Impact. The Japanese Triple Crown winner of 2005, and Japan’s Champion Sire on 11 occasions, Deep Impact has had a marked impact on the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas), with three Deep Impact sons winning that Japanese classic. Deep Impact fillies won the Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) on five occasions.
Other notable Guineas winners sired by Deep Impact include Saxon Warrior (Qipco 2000 Guineas) and Beauty Parlour (Poule d’Essai des Pouliches).
Great Plains, winner of both the G3 Cape Classic and Listed Hollywoodbets Sharks Gatecrasher Stakes, is a half-brother to Listed Ibhayi Stakes runner up Trip To Maputo (by Trippi), and his dam Mara (by Var) is a winning half-sister to Listed Perfect Promise Sprint winner Lesedi La Rona (by Trippi) and the Legislate sired Listed East Cape Oaks winner Swazi Queen. Another half-sister, G3 Flamboyant Stakes runner up Impala Lily, is the dam of 2024 G3 Baker McVeigh Diana Stakes runner up Summer Lily.
The well bred Mara, whose sire is also responsible for 2011 Cape Premier Yearling Sales Cape Guineas winner Variety Club, is out of the stakes placed Western Winter mare Barberton Daisy and is directly descended in female line from arguably history’s greatest thoroughbred broodmare, La Troienne.
Var was a grandson of Storm Cat, and Storm Cat mares enjoyed plenty of success when mated to Danon Platina’s sire Deep Impact. The Deep Impact/Storm Cat has produced a legion of stars including champions A Shin Hikari, Loves Only You, and Kizuna. Real Steel, sire of this year’s G1 Kentucky Derby third Forever Young, is another bred on the Deep Impact/Storm Cat cross.
Boundless Energy: c Vercingetorix -Bella Spumante, by Dynasty
The promising Boundless Energy shares his star Vercingetorix with 43 stakes winners. This total includes ten G1 winners, including former Cape Guineas runner up finishers Pomp And Power and champion Cousin Casey.
Other notable gallopers sired by Vercingetorix include G1 Hollywoodbets Durban July winner Oriental Charm, Equus Champions Mrs Geriatrix and Nebraas, and G1 winning sprinters Alesian Chief and Surjay.
Vercingetorix has a number of promising three-year-olds this season including the aforementioned Boundless Energy, Garrix Greaterix, and I’m So Pritti.
His son Boundless Energy is out of Dynasty’s Listed Milkwood Stakes winning daughter Bella Spumante, herself a half-sister to Listed Betting World Somerset 1200 winner Cool Zone (by Captain Al). Bella Spumante has already produced 2023 Listed Christmas Handicap winner Bella Siccome (a Silvano 3/4 sister to Boundless Energy), as well as Boundless Energy’s classy full-sister Bevvies Delight. The latter won three and ran third in the 2023 G3 Dennis Drier Poinsettia Stakes.
This is also the family of G1 winning Equus Champion Canadian Summer (by Oratorio), whose dam, like Vercingetorix, was sired by Silvano.
While he had to settle for second place in the 2003 G1 Cape Argus Guineas, the wonderful Dynasty made amends for his defeat through his offspring. Not only is Dynasty sire of 2014 G1 Cape Guineas winner Act Of War, the champion also ranks as broodmare sire of 2022 G1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas victor Charles Dickens.
All Out For Six: One World -Howl, by Trippi
By one of South Africa’s most exciting young stallions and from one of the most powerful female lines in the stud book, All Out For Six has plenty to recommend him in terms of pedigree.
His G1 Sun Met winning sire One World has made an exceptional start to his stud career, with One World’s first crop having unleashed 40 winners, headed by dual G3 winner One Stripe, G1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Premiers Champion Stakes third place getter Grand Crescendo and the first two home in last season’s Listed Somerset 1200. Recent G3 HSH Princess Charlene Starling Stakes runner up World Of Alice is another high-class member of this crop.
Langerman runner up All Out For Six is out of the winning Trippi mare Howl, a three-parts sister to Trippi’s G2 Cape Punters Cup winning son Hluhluwe, who ran third in the 2023 G1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas. The regally bred Howl is a half-sister to G3 Victress Stakes winner Fresnaye (by Western Winter) and the stakes placed Quick Breeze.
Howl’s own dam Gulf Breeze (by Dubai Destination) is a half-sister to G1 Racing Post Trophy winner, and former SA sire, Medaaly (by Highest Honor) and G2 Queen Anne Stakes winner Charnwood Forest (by Warning), and Gulf Breeze’s dam Dance Of Leaves is a full-sister to late South African champion sire, and G1 Grand Prix de Paris winner Fort Wood (by Sadler’s Wells). The latter has had a considerable influence on the Cape Guineas with his offspring including the brilliant 1999 G1 Cape Argus Guineas winner Horse Chestnut and Fort Wood is also broodmare of past Guineas winners Capetown Noir, Noah From Goa and William Longsword.
Artist’s Model: g Buffalo Bill Cody -Milk And Honey, by Belong To Me
Classy galloper Buffalo Bill Cody, who shares his outstanding sire Redoute’s Choice with the likes of Snitzel, The Autumn Sun and Rafeef, has made a bright start to his stud career, despite only having a handful of runners.
At the time of writing, Buffalo Bill Cody had been represented by 13 runners, of which seven have won, and this tally includes Listed HKJC World Pool Event 6 April Storm Bird Stakes winner Pistol Pete, G3 Betway Graham Beck Stakes runner up Wolf Mountain and the exciting Artist’s Model.
Artist’s Model, closely inbred to Danzig, is a half-brother to useful performers Tamarisk Tree (by Ideal World), and Maple Syrup (by Silvano), and is out of the high-class racemare Milk And Honey. A granddaughter of Danzig, Milk And Honey won five times including the G3 Acacia Handicap, and was beaten just a length, by multiple champion Dancer’s Daughter, in the 2009 G1 Empress Club Stakes. (Milk And Honey’s beaten rivals in the Empress Club Stakes included subsequent US G1 winner Gypsy’s Warning among others).
In turn, Milk And Honey is a half-sister to G2 Gold Circle Derby runner up Happy Valley (by Alphabet Soup), as well as to the classy Baby It’s You. The latter finished second on debut before going on to win her only two other outings, and, at stud, produced G2 Gold Circle Oaks winner Sweetie Pie (by Fort Wood) and Listed Queen Palm Handicap Treaj Pots (dam of high-class East Cape stayer Onesie).
Belong To Me, sire of Milk And Honey, is broodmare sire of more than 80 stakes winners, including US classic winner and dual champion Lookin At Lucky. The latter, a multiple champion sire in Chile, has himself sired more than 70 stakes winners including G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Accelerate.
Eight On Eighteen: c Lancaster Bomber -Sempre Libre, by Captain Al
This colt is bred to win a Cape Guineas, with Eight on Eighteen bred on very similar lines to last year’s winner Snow Pilot. Not only was Eight On Eighteen sired, like Snow Pilot, by the much missed Lancaster Bomber, but his dam Sempre Libre (by Captain Al) is a three-parts sister to Snow Pilot’s dual G1 winning dam Snowdance. Short-lived G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup winner Lancaster Bomber left behind four stakes winners in his first crop, including dual G1 winner and recent G1 Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf contender Beach Bomb.
The blue blooded Eight On Eighteen is out of Sempre Libre, a half-sister to the ill-fated Rabiya, victorious in the G1 Bloodstock SA Cape Guineas of 2005 and fellow Equus Champion Bela-Bela.
A full-sister to the Captain Al sired G2 KZN Guineas winner Secret Captain, Sempre Libre is out of the magnificent Royal Academy mare Mystic Spring. The latter produced 11 winners, of which seven were stakes races.
Sempre Libre also numbers graded stakes winners and high-class producers Secret Of Victoria (by Goldkeeper) and Spring Lilac (by Joshua Dancer) as half-sister. The former produced the Captain Al sired G1 winners All Is Secret and The Secret Is Out, while Spring Lilac’s 11 winners include the Captain Al sired star Snowdance as well as Snowdance’s stakes winning full-sisters Victorian Secret and Juniper Spring.
