Three months of top-class feature racing kicks off at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday 6 May as Champion Season opens with the traditional Guineas-day trio of the Gr2 World Sport Betting Guineas, Gr2 World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas and the Gr2 Independent on Saturday Drill Hall Stakes.
All three races have attracted top class entries.
The Gr2 Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes, run over 1400m, attracted 32 high-class entries, headed by Gr1 L’ Ormarins King’s Plate winner Al Muthana.
Bernard Fayd’hereb and Ricky Maingard are all smiles after Al Muthana’s L’Ormarins King’s Plate victory (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Ricky Maingard trains the country’s highest rated horse and no doubt he has the Gr1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge at the top of his agenda, the race that he won last year. However, Al Muthana has drawn a wide at gate 23.
DRILL HALL STAKES (Grade 2)
| 24 | After The Rain | Gareth van Zyl | 105 | |
| 23 | Al Muthana (AUS) | Ricky Maingard | 133 | |
| 6 | Astrix | J A Janse van Vuuren | 122 | |
| 2 | At My Command | Brett Crawford | 114 | |
| 26 | Battle Force | Peter Muscutt | 111 | |
| 20 | Bingwa | J A Janse van Vuuren | 123 | |
| 12 | Captain Fontane | Garth Puller | 106 | |
| 5 | Charles Dickens | Candice Bass-Robinson | 132 | |
| 1 | Cosmic Highway | Dean Kannemeyer | 113 | |
| 22 | Cousin Casey | Glen Kotzen | 122 | |
| 29 | Dave The King | Mike de Kock | 111 | |
| 7 | Desert Miracle | Mike de Kock | 124 | |
| 32 | Forever Mine | Mike de Kock | 109 | |
| 27 | Gimme A Prince | Dean Kannemeyer | 123 | |
| 17 | Good Traveller | Michael Roberts | 118 | |
| 28 | Humdinger | Mike de Kock | 108 | |
| 18 | Marina | Candice Bass-Robinson | 117 | |
| 14 | Prophet | Corne Spies | 108 | |
| 15 | Pyromaniac | Sean Tarry | 106 | |
| 31 | Russian Rock | Dean Kannemeyer | 108 | |
| 19 | Safe Passage | Mike de Kock | 124 | |
| 13 | Safe Return | Gavin Smith | 101 | |
| 4 | Seeking The Stars | Vaughan Marshall | 124 | |
| 9 | Shoemaker | Mike de Kock | 114 | |
| 10 | Silvano’s Dasher | Brett Crawford | 110 | |
| 25 | Silver Operator | Vaughan Marshall | 117 | |
| 16 | Smorgasbord | J A Janse van Vuuren | 112 | |
| 11 | Supreme Warrior | M G Azzie/A A Azzie | 119 | |
| 8 | Surjay | Brett Crawford | 117 | |
| 21 | Trip Of Fortune | Candice Bass-Robinson | 125 | |
| 30 | Under Your Spell | Sean Tarry | 114 | |
| 3 | William Robertson | Corne Spies | 125 | |
| (32) | ||||
In contrast, the country’s most talked-about horse Charles Dickens, rated one-pound less than Al Muthana and beaten a head by his rival in the L’ Ormarins King’s Plate, has drawn 5.
Champion Charles Dickens – could be a cracking start (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Candice Bass-Robinson has also entered him for the Gr2 WSB Guineas and a better draw in the Drill Hall could sway her thinking but it would be an exciting re-match. Candice Bass-Robinson told the Sporting Post that her star would ‘more than likely’ run in the Guineas.
GUINEAS (Grade 2)
| 4 | Anfields Rocket | Grant Maroun | 120 | |
| 11 | At My Command | Brett Crawford | 114 | |
| 10 | Boundless Bash | Wendy Whitehead | 96 | |
| 0 | Captain Casey | Tony Rivalland | 103 | |
| 12 | Charles Dickens | Candice Bass-Robinson | 132 | |
| 7 | Cousin Casey | Glen Kotzen | 122 | |
| 1 | Dave The King | Mike de Kock | 111 | |
| 3 | East Coast | Mike de Kock | 112 | |
| 5 | Electric Gold | Tony Peter | 104 | |
| 13 | Imposing | Michael Roberts | 100 | |
| 14 | Melech | Roy Magner | 97 | |
| 9 | Prophet | Corne Spies | 108 | |
| 2 | See It Again | Michael Roberts | 124 | |
| 8 | Shoemaker | Mike de Kock | 114 | |
| 6 | Wiccan Warrior | Gareth van Zyl | 98 | |
| (15) | ||||
In contrast, Cousin Casey, last season’s Champion two-year-old, drew wide at 22 for the Drill Hall and 7 in the Guineas which will have Glen Kotzen pondering his options.
Charles Dickens heads the 14 nominations for the WSB Guineas and, should they stand their ground, he will be up against Gr1 Splashout Cape Derby winner See It Again, Cousin Casey and recent Gr1 SA Classic winner Anfields Rocket.
The latter three are relatively well drawn at 2,7 and 4 respectively. Charles Dickens has pulled the 12 marble but considering his style of racing, a wide draw should not be of too much concern.
Golden Hostess – promising 3yo (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Bass-Robinson’s filly Golden Hostess, winner of The Magnolia at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth is the highest rated nomination in the WSB Fillies Guineas but fared even worse than her stable companion as she drew 13 out of the 14 nominations.
FILLIES GUINEAS (Grade 2)
| 3 | Acacia’s Blossom | Louis Goosen | 93 | |
| 10 | Captain Peg | Stuart Pettigrew | 107 | |
| 13 | Golden Hostess | Candice Bass-Robinson | 119 | |
| 12 | Hold My Hand | Glen Kotzen | 104 | |
| 8 | Lady Of Power | M G Azzie/A A Azzie | 109 | |
| 9 | Let It Snow | Wendy Whitehead | 90 | |
| 4 | Maharanee | J A Janse van Vuuren | 112 | |
| 1 | Miss Cool | Candice Dawson | 103 | |
| 7 | Mrs Browning | Sean Tarry | 94 | |
| 2 | Peach Daiquiri | Alec Laird | 98 | |
| 6 | Saartjie | Andre Nel | 105 | |
| 11 | Shantastic | Dean Kannemeyer | 101 | |
| 14 | Tipsy Tarragon | Tony Peter | 101 | |
| 5 | Winter Greeting | Sean Tarry | 99 | |
| (14) | ||||
Maharanee, now with Johan Janse van Vuuren, has a plum draw of 4 and Mike and Adam Azzie’s entry Lady Of Power, winner of the Gr2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas and third in the Gr2 SA Oaks pulled gate 8.
- Supplementary entries are due by 11h00 on Friday 28 April
- Declarations are due by 11h00 on Tuesday 2 May.
Media release by Gold Circle -additional reporting by SP Editorial staff.
