Almost two years to the day since making a winning 40-1 debut for Vaughan Marshall in the winter mud over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, the lionhearted Dave The King finally cracked a highly deserved feature victory – and that in cavalier style when sweeping home to win the R2 million Hollywoodbets Gr1 Gold Challenge.
Muzi Yeni guides Dave The King to victory (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
It was also a momentous moment for Dr Ashley Parker and the Ascot Stud team as it marked an overdue first Grade 1 strike for their Galileo stallion, Global View.
Hollywoodbets Greyville was buzzing on Saturday, as the innovative and energetic Hollywoodbets team marked their fourth year of sponsorship of the prestigious mile.
With most of the attention deservedly focused on the recordbreaking superhuman achievements of Richard Fourie, who scaled new heights when shattering Anthony Delpech’s 25 year old season winner record, Muzi Yeni somehow managed to wrest some of the limelight away from his friend.
This came courtesy of a polished ride on the gutsy 4yo gelding Dave The King to win the SA Champions Season’s premier weight-for-age mile with an emphatic performance that would have wiped the slate clean after 24 frustratingly patient months for his connections.
With six Hollywoodbets Durban July entrants in the line-up of what was widely labelled a vintage 53rd renewal of the magic mile, the relentless galloper was allowed to start at 10-1 and he made a mockery of some serious sophomore reputations in the 96,15 seconds that he took to register his pinnacle victory.
After the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas winner Snow Pilot had led briefly, Dave The King pulled Muzi Yeni into contention at the 700m, and it was race over thereafter.
With challenges coming from all sides, Yeni celebrated his third Grade 1 winner of the term as Dave The King enjoyed the roars of the crowd to hold off the improved again Cousin Casey (25-2), whose winning turn can’t be far off either!
See It Again (6-1) ran a cracking Hollywoodbets Durban July prep, coming from some way off to stay on smartly for third, a neck in front of the first 3yo home, Sandringham Summit (28-10).
The expectation from Main Defender (5,45 lengths) and Lucky Lad (11,65 lengths) failed to materialize and both failed to fire – but one could find reasonable excuses for both.
Di de Kock and the MDK Racing Team lead Dave The King and Muzi Yeni in after a sensational win (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
It was the first time that Muzi Yeni had ridden Dave The King in a race, and the competitive Johannesburg jockey conceded that he had endured a quieter season than usual.
Mike de Kock, who previously won this race with Al Muthana (2022) and Golden Hoard (1998), said that the owners deserved every credit and he thanked them for consenting to the unkindest cut of all, which has clearly enhanced Dave The King’s focus on matters of winning.
In a touching gesture, Mike de Kock also dedicated the victory to Oupa Lucas Mosala, a longserving member of his team who passed away suddenly from a heart attack at Summerveld last week. Lucas was 55 years old.
Raced by Larry Nestadt, Gary Player (what a day the legend enjoyed after Double Grand Slam’s win earlier!) and Ralphs Racing (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Miss K Ralphs), the Gary Player Stud bred Dave The King is a son of Global View (Galileo) out of the one-time winning Jet Master mare, Touche.
The proud 2024 Hollywoodbets Gr1 Gold Challenge hero (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
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 early in 2023.
A winner of 5 races with 8 places from 20 starts for stakes of R3 547 550, Dave The King is a high-class miler whose heart and class carries him into the realms of Grade 1 competition at 2000m, and beyond.
He ran sixth (5,50 lengths) behind Winchester Mansion in last year’s Hollywoodbets Durban July.
It will be interesting to see what the connections decide to do when the gate closes on the big race entries on 24 June.
