The Justin Snaith-trained 2021 Langerman winner Pomp And Power (left) went on to be a Gr 1 Cape Derby winner (Chase Liebenberg Photography)
Sarah Whitelaw
Saturday sees the running of the G3 Langerman (1500m) at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. The Langerman has a long and proud history of uncovering future equine stars of the South African turf, and a number of past Langerman winners have also gone on to make their mark at stud.
Remarkably, of the eight two-year-old 2024 Langerman, three were sired by a previous Langerman winner. Langerman hopefuls Gnarly, One Stripe, and All Out For Six are all progeny of One World.
Former Langerman winner One World has made a blistering start with his first two-year-olds this season, and he is on course to set a new South African record for the number of two-year-old winners for a first season sire.
On track to be crowned both South Africa’s Champion First Season Sire and Leading Sire of 2YOs for 2023-2024, One World has already made his presence felt in juvenile feature races this season. His son One Stripe has won both the G3 City Of Cape Town Cape Of Good Hope Nursery and G3 Winter Nursery, while One World runners Lion Rampart and Miss World filled the first two placings in the Listed Somerset 1200.
One World, who won the Langerman in 2018, went on to prove himself a top-class racehorse. A winner of ten of 14 starts, the son of Captain Al was crowned Equus Champion Older Male in 2019-2020 following a campaign which saw One World win the G1 Sun Met, G3 Matchem Stakes, and Cape Mile and finish second in both the G1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and G2 World Sports Betting Green Point Stakes.
However, One World, whose paternal half-brother Tap O’ Noth won the 2017 Langerman before going on to win the G1 Cape Guineas the following season, is by no means the only champion to have won the Langerman, with this Cape feature boasting an impressive honour roll of past winners. From Excise and Prince Florimund, to the likes of Variety Club and Sword Dancer, the Langerman has been won by some of the best thouroughbreds to grace the South African turf.
One World is not the only current Drakenstein Stud resident stallion to have won the Langerman. In 2020, Jet Dark won the G3 Langerman -beating subsequent dual G1 winner Linebacker into second place.
The Justin Snaith trained son of Trippi went on to enjoy a tremendous racing, winning the 2023 G1 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met, the G1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate in both 2021 and 2022, and back to back runnings of the G1 HKJC World Pool Champions Cup.
A five time Equus Award winning champion, Jet Dark currently stands alongside One World at Drakenstein Stud.
Last year, eventual G1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas winner and third place finisher Snow Pilot and Hluhluwe ran fourth and second respectively in the G3 World Sports Betting Langerman.
One trainer to have enjoyed notable success in the Langerman over the years was Joey Ramsden. Ramsden won the Langerman seven times in 11 year years, and nine times in total. (The Ramsden streak included the half-brothers Subastador and Act Of War, victorious in the 2006 and 2014 Langerman renewals respectively with Act Of War going on to win a further six black type races including the 2014 G1 Cape Guineas).
This tally included Variety Club, victorious in the 2011 G3 Betting World Langerman when downing stablemate Master Mascus by a neck. The brilliant chestnut, subsequently named South Africa’s Horse Of The Year in both 2011-2012 and 2012-2013.
A six time Equus Award winner, Variety Club won 14 of 19 starts in South Africa, with his victories including the 2011 G1 Cape Premier Yearling Sale Cape Guineas, 2013 G1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and back to back runnings of the G1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge.
Sent overseas, Variety Club won both the G2 Godolphin Mile and G3 Firebreak Stakes, before going on to land the G1 Champions Mile in Hong Kong.
It is not just this century, however, that the Langerman has unveiled future equine stars. In 1956, Excise won the JWS Langerman Handicap before going on to enjoy a superb career which saw win Excise win over sprint and staying trips while enjoying success in some of South Africa’s top middle distance races.
Among Excise’s notable victories were the 1957 Gold Cup, 1958 Durban July and 1958 Champion Stakes. His dam Sweet Wine had been born with a deformed leg and lost her own dam when just two and a half months old. Turned out into the veld to survive, Sweet Wine was later bought into the stable, as wild as they come, but grew into a strong and healthy mare.
One of the greatest fillies to grace the South African racetracks, Renounce, was another top performer to win the Langerman. She won two of three starts at two, and romped home to a four and a half length win in the 1964 JWS Langerman Handicap, despite having top weight to contend with.
Renounce was magnificent at three, winning the Cape Of Good Hope Paddock Stakes by five lengths and the Cape Mellow Wood Guineas by over three lengths. She would go on to land the 1966 Metropolitan Handicap by two lengths, before landing the Paddock Stakes for a second time. She would go on to add the 1966 Garden Province Stakes to her formidable record. Stanley Amos recalls, “she was the greatest filly I ever rode. Because of her great actin you never knew how fast you were travelling. She had a big, free-flowing stride and was a formidable galloped”.
Prince Florimund was yet another champion to win the Langerman. A son of Dowdstown Charley and the St Cuthbert mare Fluorescent, he won three of four starts at two, and won the 1981 G3 J.W.S Langerman, despite having the worst of the draw and racing green. Famed for his rivalry with the mighty Wolf Power, Prince Florimund would go on to be named Horse Of The Year in South Africa and Champion 3YO Colt of 1981. During his three-year-old campaign, Prince Florimund won three prestigious races in less than three months. Following a facile win in the G1 SA Guineas, he went on to capture both the G1 South African Two Thousand and G2 Clairwood Winter Handicap.
After winning the G1 Champion Stakes at four, Prince Florimund was sent to the USA, where he acquitted himself with credit and won the G3 San Gabriel Handicap.
At stud, Prince Florimund left his mark through his daughter Stormsvlei, dam of triple South African Horse Of The Year Pocket Power and the latter’s G1 J&B Met winning globetrotting sister River Jetez.
John William Stuckeris (Willie) Langerman was a chairman of the Milnerton Turf Club while his elder brother James W. also played a prominent role in forming the Milnerton Turf Club. “Uncle” Willie raced a number of outstanding performers himself including 1927 July winner Hussein, who is one of only seven horses in history to win both the July and the Met.
