The highest rated three-time winning 4yo in South Africa, the ever consistent Dave The King put it all together with a convincing victory in a R150 000 1500m Pinnacle Stakes at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday.
Running off a rating of 126, the versatile Graduation Plate winning son of Ascot kingpin Global View (Galileo) ran a perfect prep for the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge on 8 June, but then it’s all up in the air whether he actually goes for the Hollywoodbets Durban July.
Craig Zackey has Dave The King in command (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
It’s not rocket science that he probably doesn’t see out a true-run 2200m, and Sunday’s winning rider Craig Zackey confirmed that a mile is his game.
Starting an 18-10 favourite in a race that looked a giveaway for him, Dave The King slipped into the lead under the in-form Craig Zackey after Itsrainingwilliam had done the donkey work, and drew away at the 250m to beat The Shepherd (9-2) by 3 lengths in a time of 88,75 secs.
Dual Highveld Feature Season Award winner Royal Victory (9-2), the second of the Hollywoodbets Durban July entries to run on the day, arrived on the scene too late in third, a further half length back, with the pacemaker Itsrainingwilliam (6-1) plodding into fourth, and clearly in need of it.
The third of the Hollywoodbets Durban July entries to make an appearance on the afternoon, Mike de Kock’s Shoemaker made little impact, running a 4,70 length fifth.
Raced by Larry Nestadt, Gary Player and Ralphs Racing (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Miss K Ralphs), the Gary Player Stud bred Dave The King is a son of Global View out of the one-time winning Jet Master mare, Touche.
A R175 000 Cape Premier Yearling Sale purchase, Dave The King started his career with Vaughan Marshall in the Cape, before transferring to Mike de Kock.
A winner of 4 races with 8 places from 19 starts for stakes of R2 296 550, Dave The King is a victim of his own lionhearted nature, and puts in cracking performances over any trip. He’d probably place in the Gold Cup!
He is an interesting likely inclusion in the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge, for which the entries close at 11h00 on Monday 27 May.
Enjoy the Sunday replay:
The Hollywoodbets Durban July second declarations close at 11h00 on Monday 3 June. Final declarations close at 11h00 on Monday 24 June.
So there is still time.
Dave The King finished sixth and 5,50 lengths behind Winchester Mansion in the 2023 renewal. One can’t blame the owners for feeling he always has a shout if things go his way.
