MIKE de Kock had predicted earlier this year that four-year-old Captain Lars (photo) was starting to look like feature material and the gelding by Captain Al pulled off a Listed win in Saturday’s Drum Star Handicap over 1800m at Turffontein.

“He’s progressive and we’ll be looking for a Listed or a Gr3 race for him later in the season,” Mike said after Captain Lars had won at Scottsville on 14 January.

This was the Klawervlei-bred’s third win this year and with that a first Listed success for owner Malih Al Basti, based in Dubai. With five wins from 12 starts, Captain Lars is now on the shortlist for Dubai 2015 and Mike said: “We are very pleased for Malih who is a big supporter of the stable and he will be having more runners coming through the ranks. Captain Lars could be heading to Dubai for the 2015 Carnival.”

Captain Lars, in the lead early, kept plugging away gamely under Anthony Delpech to turn the tables on Halve The Deficit, who had pipped him in the recent Wolf Power Handicap.

Qawaasem, easy debut winner.

Delpech booted home another winner for Sheikh Hamdan of Dubai when newcomer Qawaasem, even-money favourite, romped home 2.75-lengths clear in a Maiden Juvenile Plate for fillies over 1450m.

Qawaasem, like last week’s impressive winners Majmu and Banadeer, was bought at the Ingles Easter Sale.  He’s by Red Ransom stallion Charge Forward, the sire of 12 individual Group or Stakes winners, from a mare by Danehill.

“Charge Forward is outcross magic for mares by Danehill and his sons,” reports the website of Arrowfield Stud, who stands the young stallion.

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