Drakenstein champion Charles Dickens made a winning start to his 4yo season at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday, but also received a timeous reminder that there won’t be any easy pickings in the heat of the summer season that lies ahead.
Returning from a rest of over three months since registering his second career Gr1 victory in the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge, Equus champion Charles Dickens was deep in the red to win the R300 000 Hollywoodbets Gr3 Matchem Stakes and delivered – but probably not quite in the fashion that his supporters may have anticipated.
Charles Dickens (Aldo Domeyer) puts his head down as Craig Zackey and Gimme A Prince loom large on the inside (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
In a race where all, bar two, of the field of seven were returning from breaks, there was always a chance that there could be a curved ball, and that came in the shape of Dean Kannemeyer’s dual Gr1 winning sprint star, Gimme A Prince.
With Charles Dickens looking to go on and win his race, Craig Zackey unleashed Gimme A Prince (5-1) and the Kannemeyer star gained rapidly, with Charles Dickens lugging in slightly and joining him in the dash for the line.
Charles Dickens got the verdict by 0,30 lengths in a time of 84,63 secs.
While Aldo Domeyer said that he always felt that he held the upper-hand, Craig Zackey, who rode runner-up Gimme A Prince, said that his mount had not had the advantage of a gallop – as Charles Dickens enjoyed 17 days previously – and that he was looking forward to a possible return match.
Kannemeyer has indicated that he may have the L’Ormarins King’s Plate on the radar for Gimme A Prince. So some interesting prospects for the months ahead!
Enjoy the replay:
The Bass-Robinson stable enjoyed a happy afternoon at the country course, winning four races and repeating their feature double of 2022, where Santa Maria and subsequent Gr1 hero Trip Of Fortune grabbed the honours – the latter in the boardroom after interference from Vaughan Marshall’s Silver Operator.
Now a winner of 9 races with 2 places from 11 starts for stakes of R3 875 313, Charles Dickens is a Drakenstein home-bred son of past SA Champion sire Trippi (End Sweep) out of the five-times stakes winner Demanding Lady (Dynasty), who scored up to 2200m.
Ed – Jockey Sean Veale had a shocking fall from the Snaith-trainer Sun Spectacular in the third race. He is in hospital undergoing an MRI scan for a suspected broken jaw. A lucky escape by all accounts, and we wish him well.
Charles Dickens is currently ante-post favourite for the WSB Cape Town Met.
