In an emotional moment for the Soal family, the very promising Kiss Me Captain found her best form to register an emphatic victory in the R150 000 Listed Swallow Stakes at Turffontein on Sunday.
After the devastating recent loss of popular owner and breeder Kevin Soal, his daughter and part-owner Courtney marked a first stakes victory for the speedy daughter of Captain Of All (Captain Al), who turned on the jets late to put a disappointing last effort in the Joburg Tourism Gr3 Magnolia Handicap behind her.
Diego de Gouveia shows his delight as Kiss Me Captain cruises to victory (Pic – JC Photos)
Tucked off the pace as Maharanee and Sweet Pepper led the charge, Diego de Gouveia produced Kiss Me Captain (15-2) with an electrifying turn of foot to beat the smart Maharanee (11-2) by 2,25 lengths in a time of 65,86 secs for the 1160m.
The runner-up’s stablemate and race favourite Southern Skies (28-10) was well beaten a further length away in third.
“She blew me away today and that clearly wasn’t her run in the Magnolia last up,” enthused De Gouveia.
Trainer Adam Azzie said that Kiss Me Captain’s late owner and breeder Kevin Soal was looking down from above and would have been proud.
The winner has now won 4 races from 6 starts with 1 place for stakes of R270 000.
A daughter of champion sprinter Captain Of All (Captain Al), she is out of the one-time winning Caesour mare, Bearing Strait.
Watch the replay here:
