Klawervlei Stud’s Captain Al has deservedly added the South African Champion Sire title to his glittering CV.

Klawervlei will go down as the first stud in the country to have stood a champion stallion that they themselves bred since Henry Nourse’s Dwarsvlei Stud achieved this with Dignitary in 1934. Klawervlei were also champion breeder for the second time and Captain Al was champion sire of two-year-olds for the seventh consecutive season.

Captain Al (pictured), a son of the 1999 champion sire Al Mufti, was a Vaughan Marshall-trained sprint-miler who won the Gr 1 Cape Guineas as well as two Gr 2s over 1200m and a Gr 3 and a Listed race over 1400m. He set a new South African record as a freshman sire in the 2004/2005 season with 22 individual two-year-old winners, although Jet Master raked up more earnings to land the freshman sire title. Captain Al broke his own record in 2009 when siring 30 individual two-year-old winners of 40 races. He also set a two-year-old earnings record of R3,02 million.

John Koster, the original owner of Klawervlei who is now a partner in the farm with Markus Jooste, Chris van Niekerk and Bernard Kantor, believed in Captain Al from day one. “You sometimes have to put your head down and I put all my faith in him.” His optimism increased after seeing his first two foals. “They were like peas in a pod and looked like their sire, well balanced, athletic and they had a bit of white on them.”

When Jooste became a partner in Klawervlei he not only brought another exceptional sire in National Emblem but also overseas buying power. Koster recalled being at the Newmarket Tattersalls December Sale in the UK looking for broodmares when Captain Al had his first two runners. “His first runner came second and the second one won.”

An intriguing ding-dong battle ensued between Captain Al and Jet Master for freshman sire. Later when Captain Al produced the Gr 1-winning fillies Captain’s Lover and Captain’s Gal in his third and fourth crops respectively and the Gr 1-winning colt Exhilaration in his fifth crop, Koster knew “we were on to something.”

Captain Al has to date produced 10 individual Gr 1 winners from eleven crops to have raced, four males and six females, and between them they have won Gr 1s from 1200m up to 2450m.

Koster said, “He is one of the most versatile stallions around and is a real Mr Fixit. He improves maiden mares, bad-legged mares and gives substances to mares that lack it. He is phenomenal because he also produces good looking foals that sell well. Ask any trainer, they would fill their yards with Captain Als. They are honest, sound, can win over any distance and when you pay proper money for them you usually get results and could get a Gr 1 winner. There are very few hard luck stories with Captain Als. You can also sell Captain Als on and at present they are cleaning up in Mauritius.”

Captain Al is this year lying second in the world on the Gr 1 list behind Dubawi, courtesy of two Gr 1s with Captain Of All, one with Captain America, one with Carry On Alice and one with Pine Princesss. Captain Of All, on 126, is the second highest merit rated horse in South African history, together with Jet Master, and has joined his father on Klawervlei’s stallion band.

Captain Al’s mother Off The Wall (Complete Warrior), is still at Klawervlei at the age of 32 resting in the “old age home”. She has two daughters on the farm and her Gr 1-winning granddaughter Thunder Dance has “a belter” of a Silvano filly at foot and is in foal to Var.

Captain Al has produced two Gr 1s as a broodmare sire, the brilliant filly Same Jurisdiction (Mambo In Seattle) and the colt Potent Power (National Emblem). There are about 30 Captain Al broodmares currently at Klawervlei Stud.

Klawervlei could have a long run as champions, but Koster is by no means complacent. “Micky (Goss of nine-times champions Summerhill) gave us a good run. The stallions which  covered our mares last season are of a better quality than ever before. We are firm believers of bringing in bloodstock from overseas and Markus and Chris also race good fillies which they can bring to stud. But it’s ok getting to the top, it’s staying there that is tough. There is also Wilgerbosdrift, Mauritzfontein, Drakenstein, Varsfontein and others. I don’t think there has ever been a time in South Africa when breeding has been boosted by such a wide range of people. This is great for all breeders in the country, including small breeders. In my early days I welcomed big farms bringing in expensive overseas broodmares because it would give us the opportunity to later buy into these families at affordable prices.”

Captain Al is now 19-years-old, but both his results and the quality of mares he is being sent are improving. He is also one of the few stallions in the world still keeping the once influential Roberto line alive.

Captain Al would have lost out on the Sires Championships to Dynasty if the postponed Super Saturday meeting had fallen in July instead of August 1. However, Futura’s win in the Champions Cup will bolster Dynasty’s chances this season.

Koster also spoke of “the rub of the green” having once cost Captain Al when eight Cape meetings were washed out and he ultimately lost the title to Jet Master by a mere R90,000.

Koster concluded by recounting the story of the famed Springbok rugby forward ‘Boy’ Louw, who was asked to comment after a lucky three point win by the Boks over the All Blacks. Louw simply said, “Looks at the score board.”

By David Thiselton