Veteran trainer Mike Bass was never a vintage protagonist of prepping Cape Guineas winners. But his daughter Candice Bass-Robinson sent out an ominous warning of pending classic success when Charles Dickens stormed to victory in Saturday’s Gr3 Grade Classic at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.
Charles Dickens takes off to maintain his unbeaten record under Aldo Domeyer (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
After Trip Of Fortune’s victory in the same race in 2021, Charles Dickens registered a double for the Drakenstein-Trippi-Domeyer-Bass Robinson combination.
“We have just witnessed the 2022 Cape Guineas winner in action,” said veteran commentator Rouvaun Smit as Aldo Domeyer unleashed the unbeaten Charles Dickens to yet another impressive victory.
Facing his biggest test to date and stepping up to the 1400m for the first time in his brief but impressive career, the handsome chestnut produced his customary turn of foot as he came right away from his opposition to record an impressive three length victory. No time was recorded and, despite drifting marginally in the betting, his backers had no cause for concern.
The consistent At My Command (5-1) led for much of the journey but had no answer for the superior victor. Dave The King (16-1) was a further length back in third.
Now undefeated in four starts, 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. He took his stakes earnings to R361 250 on Saturday.
On a superb day, the Bass-Robinson stable saddled 5 winners.
The Hollywoodbets Gr1 Cape Guineas will be run for a boosted stake of R2 million at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on 17 December.
