Back In Business makes it a full house for William Longsword’s progeny in the first three races at Thursday’s Vaal meeting and the Captain Al sire later made it a four-timer. (JC Photos).
The nine-race Vaal meeting today was opened with a treble by the progeny of William Longsword.
Later another William Longsword won to make it four winners at the meeting for the son of Captain Al.
The Sean Tarry-trained maiden colt, Longsword, is a typically rangy and progressive son of Willam Longsword and came from strong formlines.
In his fourth career start today he was sent off at 46/100 odds in the first race. After loping along in front in the six horse Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1400m, Calvin Habib shook him up at about the 250m mark and he won hands and heels by 1,25 lengths.
He won’t stop there and will likely get better as he goes further. He is a half-brother to the promising Tarry-trained Twice Over colt Turbo Power, who won second time out over 1400m. This pair are out of Jet Master mare Off The mark, who counted the Gr 3 Acacia Handicap among her five career wins.
The second race saw the Candice Dawson-trained William Longsword filly Just Be Lekker going off at generous odds of 7/2 after impressing on debut, although not as generous as the 100/1 odds she returned in that first win. She sat in second place in the five-horse 1200m contest and responded when the odds-on favourite Bavarain Beauty ranged up to her. She kicked away and galloped on strongly to win by 2,25 lengths under JP van der Merwe.
Just Be Lekker is out of the Judpot mare Polly Wolly Doodle, who won over 1800m on debut but went on to win three more times over 1400m to 1450m.
The Joe Soma-trained William Longsword colt Back In Business is highly regarded and he showed why today. Returning from a three month layoff and gelding he was send off at 2/1 odds in the third race. S’Manga Khumalo was content to drop him out to the back of the six horse field. He moved inward from the highest draw in order to keep tabs on the main danger, Power Broker, who was the other two-time winner in the Graduation Plate over 1200m and thus the joint-topweight. Khumalo used Back In Business’s long stride to creep up within striking range. He gave the three-year-old his head at the 400m mark and this saw him drawing up to Power Broker. He then drew the stick at the 200m mark and Back In Business quickly mastered his market rival to win by 1,25 lengths.
Back In Business is out of the three times-winning Fort Wood sprinter Nikki.
Later, the useful Roy Magner-trained William Longsword thee-time winning gelding Melech, who was last seen finishing just 4,95 lengths behind Charles Dickens in the Gr 2 WSB Guineas, was sent out 9/4 favourite in a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1700m. He sat behind the leader Ndlamu and Muzi Yeni sent him for home at the 400m mark. He slowly wore down Ndlamu, but the courageous one-eyed horse fought back and Melech only just held on.
Melech is out of Greys Inn Mare Pippi and is thus a half-brother to the useful six-time winning sprinter Captain Oupie (Captain Of All).
Longsword, owned by Bernard Kantor and Sean Tarry Racing, was bred by Klawervlei Stud.
Back In Business, owned by ANOA (Pty) Ltd-owned, was also bred by Klawervlei.
Just be Lekker is a Ralphs Racing homebred, while Melech was bred by Riverton Stud and is owned by John Finlayson.
It was a fine day for Captain Al sires because Captain Of All mare, the Stephen Moffatt-trained Meet The Captain, won the last race under Yeni after being backed.
William Longsword has had 64 individual winners this season of 96 races and has a winners to runners percentage of 41.6%. He has had three stakes winners of three races.
