One Stripe Takes It To A New Level

One Stripe enjoys a superbly judged ride from Gavin Lerena (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)

The Gr 1 R2 million Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas was a thriller at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth today and more history was made in the iconic event when the Vaughan Marshall-trained One World colt One Stripe converted odds on favouritism under Gavin Lerena.

Marshall had not only won his sixth Cape Guineas but he had also now done it with three generation of the same sire line.

He won it with Captain Al (Al Mufti) in 2000, did with with Captain Al’s sons William Longsword and Tap O’ Noth in 2016 and 2017 respectively, and has now done it with a paternal grandson of Captain Al’s One Stripe, who is by Captain Al’s sensational son One World.

Marshall’s other two Cape Guineas wins were with Sea Warrior (Complete Warrior) in 1986 and with Face North (Northfields) in 1990.

One World was a record-breaking freshman sire and today’s resuly saw him move top of the standings for sires of three-year-olds this season.

The Sporting Post reported on the race (read below):

Drakenstein Stud bred the trifecta as Vaughan Marshall saddled his sixth Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas winner courtesy of champion One Stripe, who asserted his authority in dramatic style to win the prestigious and time-honoured R2 million Grade 1 classic at a sun-drenched Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.

Backed into 6-10, One Stripe enjoyed a superbly judged ride from national log-leading rider Gavin Lerena, who rode a peach of a race, drifting to the centre off the heels of Great Plains around the turn, before allowing his mount to drift wide out to hug the outside rail up the summer course home straight.

The visual deception of having the favourite wide out with Richard Fourie setting Eight On Eighteen alight down the inside had the One Stripe supporters holding their breath momentarily.

But the astute Lerena grabbed his personal first Cape Guineas trophy as he clearly knew what he had under him and it was plan come together as One Stripe endorsed his prospects as South Africa’s most exciting 3yo, powering home in a time of 97,74 secs.

Having only his second start this term, Eight On Eighteen stamped his Cape Derby prospects with a big effort over the mile to hold second.

His stablemate Great Plans (20-1) ran a cracker in third, with Plattner Racing’s O’Tenikwa (80-1) staying on for fourth, after fighting Corne Orffer around the turn in his first try at a mile.

Mike de Kock’s formerly undefeated raider Heather’s Boy looked a picture in the pre-race, and only ran out of steam late in the race to run fifth. Alongside runner-up Eight On Eighteen, he is a 2025 WSB Cape Town Met entry.

One Stripe’s victory marked a maiden Grade 1 success for owner Rikesh Sewgoolam, who watched the action from Australia, as well as for SA Freshman champion sire of last season, One World – a son of Captain Al who was saddled by Vaughan Marshall to win this race in 2000.

One Stripe took his stakes bank to R2 380 513 with his fifth win and a place from seven starts.

The R1,4 million sales-topper at the 2023 Cape Racing Ready To Run And Unbroken Two Year Old Sale, One Stripe is out of the three-time winning Silvano mare Silver Stripe, who stayed well and won up to 2450m.

More interesting times ahead!