He came, he saw, he conquered!
Drakenstein flagbearer Charles Dickens confirmed his status as a superstar in the making when he slammed a nationally representative quality field to maintain his unbeaten record and win the R2 million Hollywoodbets Gr1 Cape Guineas at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.
Aldo Domeyer salutes as Charles Dickens coasts to his sixth victory (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
On a day when the crowds came back in their numbers to savour the new spirit and life of Cape Racing, Trippi colt Charles Dickens established himself as surely the most exciting thoroughbred prospect of the century, when he overcame an unfavourable gate and beat the odds from off the gallop to make it six wins from six starts.
While the much anticipated match race between the Drakenstein home-bred and Equus champion Gr1 winner Cousin Casey largely failed to materialise, Charles Dickens became the stuff of dreams as he stormed home amid cheers from the enthusiastic crowd.
Flashing his magnificent stride up the outside, Charles Dickens (4-10) had them all under pressure 250m out and stormed clear to beat his media rival Cousin Casey (11-2) by 4,25 lengths in a 97,69 secs.
On her birthday, Lady Christine Laidlaw’s consistent Querari colt At My Command (10-1) stayed on a neck back into third.
WSB Gold Rush candidate Royal Aussie (80-1) rounded off the quartet.
Now undefeated in six 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 R1 625 930.
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