No Justin – But Charles Will Be Major Drawcard

After a flying start to their KZN winter campaign courtesy of the very progressive Winter Cloud’s victory in Sunday’s Gr3 Strelitzia Stakes at Hollywoodbets Scottsville, a powerful Cape team take their next step at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday as the stakes boosted Champions Season of 2023 gets underway.

It must be the first Champions Season opener in close on twenty years without a Justin Snaith runner to add some spice, but Milnerton resident Candice Bass-Robinson, with a mini string of eight at Summerveld, could surely carry the Cape flag.

Charles Dickens – makes his Hollywoodbets Greyville debut on Saturday (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)

Three Drakenstein raced home-breds, trained by Candice Bass-Robinson and ridden by Aldo Domeyer, will be key players at the Theatre Of Champions on Saturday with the running of the Independent On Saturday Gr2 Drill Hall Stakes and the World Sports Betting Gr2 Guineas and Gr2 Fillies Guineas.

While recent HF Oppenheimer Gr1 Horse Chestnut Stakes winner Trip Of Fortune, and the smart Golden Hostess, who ran fourth at this track behind Gobsmacked in the Prosport Gr2 The Debutante at the end of last season, could make it a treble for the team, there is no question that Charles Dickens is the horse that everybody will be turning up to see.

The son of Trippi reeled off six straight wins, culminating in a thrashing of contemporary Cousin Casey in the Hollywoodbets Gr1 Cape Guineas in December.

Remember that race?

He subsequently had his colours lowered by our now highest rated horse in the older Al Muthana in the L’Ormarins King’s Plate in early January and then by the rampant See It Again, who he meets again on Saturday, in the Splashout Gr1 Cape Derby at the end of February.

The son of Trippi makes his KZN debut and has his first outing on a right-handed track on Saturday.

He is drawn 8 and will clearly not be at his peak, like many of his opposition. But  fellow Capetonian Cousin Casey has the ground experience advantage and the benefit of a prep run, when pipped by Strawberry Bear in the Gr3 Byerley Turk a month ago.

Anfield’s Rocket wins the WSB Gr1 SA Classic – will he adjust to the short run-in? (Pic – JC Photos)

While well beaten in the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas behind Charles Dickens and Cousin Casey, the Hollywood Syndicate racer Anfield’s Rocket redeemed his prospects as a leading 3yo with a smart victory in the Gr1 SA Classic, followed by a gallant third behind Trip Of Fortune in the HF Oppenheimer Gr1 Horse Chestnut Stakes at his last start.

While the son of Coup de Grace won a stunning 1000m dash at Turffontein in under 56 secs on his return from the Cape in January, he runs like a horse who could find the Hollywoodbets Greyville home straight a challenge. But he is clearly very classy and has a terrific turn of foot!

The story doesn’t end there!