March was another great month for Captain Al. Not only was he represented by a number of promising winners, but his daughter, Tullynally topped the recent Equimark Vintage Sale. She was purchased by Michael Roberts for R500,000. Captain Al
Long renowned as a top filly sire, Captain Al’s daughter, Mana Mou, has really come good of late. The half-sister to champion Mythical Flight won twice last month, both times blitzing her field. Mana Mou’s latest victory came in the Gr3 Man O’ War Stakes, giving her sire his eighth individual stakes winner this season.
Trained by Sean Tarry, Mana Mou looks capable of winning at the highest level, and a match race with the unbeaten Val de Ra looks on the cards.
Captain Scott had been holding his own against some of the best horses in training. After being placed in both the Summer Cup and London News Stakes, he was sent off an odds on chance to land a conditions race. He duly did so, easily accounting for subsequent Listed winner Lochlorien by two lengths. A flashy grey, Captain Scott is out of the Badger Land mare Utah Hoo-Ha, and is thus bred on the same lines as champion Captain’s Lover.
Joey Ramsden has some smart juveniles this season, and Flaming Alice looked like one of the better ones when scooting clear of her field to win at Durbanville. A beaten odds on shot on debut, Flaming Alice is held in high regard and should win her fair share of races. Her dam, Flamme de Paris, is by leading sire and broodmare sire Elliodor.
Flaming Alice – Durbanville, 24th March
Play Nice gave in form owner, Hassan Adams, yet another winner when she hacked up at Greyville over 1300 meters.
Play Nice had run well in both the Odessa Fillies Championship and Cape Fillies Guineas, and on her latest win should play a prominent role in some of the bigger 3yo filly races this Durban season. She is out of the Elliodor mare Global Reach.
Play Nice – Greyville, 26th March
Cool Zone was a very smart juvenile, where he won the Somerset Plate, defeating the top performer Captain’s Secret. He has bounced back to his best form recently when winning at Kenilworth, and made it back to back wins when scoring at Durbanville, when conceding weight all round. The Dean Kannemeyer trained gelding is out of a full sister to former top juvenile Ghostly Galleon.
Kissing Cousin began her racing career in great fashion, winning two in a row, before she lost her way. The Dominic Zaki trained filly bounced back to best when defying top weight to win over 1200 meters. Now a three time winner, she is unlikely to stop here, although the handicapper has treated her harshly. Her dam, Royal Ruler, won three races over 1000 meters.
Justin Snaith has done exceptionally well with daughters of Captain Al, and in Ribbons For Thee he has another very useful filly. After breaking her maiden in game fashion, the filly made it back to back wins when
Ribbons For Thee is out of the Gr1 placed race filly, Main Emblem, and looks a decent prospect.
Other winners for Captain Al last month include Al On the Run, CaptainJackSparrow, Cappie, and On The Bluff.
Casey Tibbs, long regarded as a reliable source of winners, was represented by a pair of winners last month. His son Sports Coupe reeled off his fifth career victory when thrashing his field by four lengths over 1600 meters. The model of consistency, Sports Coupe has won three of his last four starts, and shouldn’t stop here. His dam, Corn Dodger, was a smart racefilly, who was third in the Gr3 Diana Stakes.
Charles Laird trains Newtown Abbey, who showed plenty of heart when winning at Turffontein last month. Under a fine ride from Anton Marcus, the son of Casey Tibbs fought off his rivals to score his third career win. His dam, Faithful Spirit, is a winning daughter of champion sprinter Phantom Earl and a half-sister to smart stayer The Badger.
National Emblem’s daughter, Golden Secret, looks a filly with a future. The Mike Azzie trained filly made it back to back wins with a convincing win over 1000 meters at Turffontein. A three time winner, at the time of writing, Golden Secret looks like she could well feature in some black type events down the road. Her dam, Spring Rites, is a daughter of Natal Oaks winner Spring Wonder.
