Picture: Trainer Candice Bass-Robinson and Charles Dickens (Wayne Marks).

Charles Dickens Must Do The Talking – Bass-Robinson

Candice Bass-Robinson is full of admiration for Drakenstein Stud homebred Trippi colt Charles Dickens, the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas favourite whom she has described as the best she has ever trained, but she has never been one to get ahead of herself when rating one of her own.

She first of all emphasised that he was the best she herself had trained, which excludes the great Pocket Power, whom her father Mike trained while she was assistant.

She added, “Charles Dickens is obviously highly talented, everybody has seen that, but he still has to go out and win a Grade 1.”

She said the comparisons to Horse Chestnut and Sea Cottage etc were all “just talk” and added, “He has to now go out and do the talking and then we can talk afterwards.”

She said the talk had not put any additional pressure on her.

She elaborated, “Obviously pressure goes with the territory, but he has been a model horse to train and has done everything I have asked of him. He can only do what we ask him, so we hope he now steps up to the plate and what we think of him comes to fruition.”

There could only be one concern for those who have watched him race and that is his tendency to throw his head around in the running, which some might interpret as him over-racing. It would follow then that the step up in trip could be a concern.

However, Candice explained this was not at all anything to worry about.

She said, “He has a soft mouth, like a lot of Trippi’s and has done that with his head from day one. He is sensitive in the mouth so can be awkward in that area, but it is not over-racing. His full brother Somerset Maughan does the same.”

Somerset Maughan has already won a Listed event over 2000m, so there should be no problem with the step up to 1600m for Charles Dickens.

Bass-Robinson is also not concerned about the strong south easterly breeze forecast or the question of where the pace will come from.

She said the south-easter was normal and predicted the race to be to be run like a normal Guineas.

Charles Dickens had his final work out this morning.

Candice said, “He worked out very nicely, I am very happy with him, he is in a good place and looking well.”

The yard also, among other runners on the day, have their stalwart mare Marina running in the Grade 3 Victress Stakes over 1800m, where she faces a top class old rival in Chansonette.

Candice said it would be a preparation race for the Grade 1 Paddock Stakes.

However, the Silvano mare should have come on from her last race where she gave the subsequent Grade 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas winner Make It Snappy 11kg and was beaten three lengths.

She was a neck clear of Chansonette in that race at level weights, although Chansonette did beat her by a neck in last season’s Paddock Stakes.

Five-year-old Marina receives half-a-kilogram from four-year-old Chansonette on Saturday because she carries a 2kg Grade 2 penalty compared to Chansonette’s 3kg Grade 1 penalty.

Picture: The Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas field will be running into the teeth of a strong breeze at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday.

Garth Puller Explains The Cape Guineas Wind Factor And Strategies

Former jockey great and now KZN’s leading trainer Garth Puller reckoned the cream would rise to the top in Saturday’s Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas, despite the role draws and a strong South Easterly breeze would play.

The south-easter is forecast to be blowing at 23 to 26 knots at race time on Saturday

This wind blows diagonally across the straight from the inside out.

It is thought to be one of the reasons for “The Cape Crawl”, with jockeys reluctant to lead because they would then be running into the teeth of the wind without cover.

However, Puller said, “The south-easter was actually more of a factor at Milnerton and that was the best Guineas … it was an easier course than Kenilworth and was a sprint-miler Guineas. You needed sprinting speed and the ability to see out the mile. It was very seldom that horses who were not in the first five turning for home won the race, although Young England was one who did do it. So you initially needed to go faster at Milnerton and the wind will never worry a top horse.”

However, he added Hollywoodbets Kenilworth was a harder course, so despite the wind not being as big a factor, horses were able to come from off the pace.

He predicted, “The quality will come through. The pace will be on as it as it is a big field and the outside horses will be going forward trying to find positions. The two favourites are both drawn wide and will want the pace to be on as they are both able to come from off them.”

He continued, “Charles Dickens is one of the few horses I have seen who has not settled perfectly yet still kicks on so well. They have also been teaching him to settle. He is a very good horse.”

Puller made his comments about the yard teaching him to settle on the grounds of him being dropped out to last in his most recent race against older horses. He made one or two awkward movements with his head early on before settling very well.

Puller added, “Charles Dickens actually reminds me a lot of a horse I rode in the Guineas called Man Of Property (Royal Prerogative). He broke down a week before the Guineas so didn’t work for a week. He still ran and finished second to Turncoat (beaten a quarter of a length) and never ran again.”

He concluded, “The cream will come through on Saturday.”

Cousin Casey comes out a clear second best to Charles Dickens in the industry survey conducted today (Picture: Wayne Marks).

Industry Players Give Their Guineas 1-2-3

Various people of the SA racing industry were asked to send in their Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas one-two-three and some of them elaborated on their choices.

Charles Dickens was the most popular vote with Cousin Casey second.

Jacques Chowles: I do believe that Charles Dickens has this field beaten. I do think he will be tested, but his racing has looked effortless. I think the second place may well be At My Command at nice odds with Union Square and Cousin Casey fighting it out for third place.

Robin Bruss: Charles Dickens … the rest don’t matter. Charles Faull has rated the horses and thinks what this horse did last time out makes him superior to Horse Of The Year Jet Dark. Charles is the rating king!

Jay August:1st Cousin Casey, 2nd Charles Dickens, 3rd Union Square. Charles Dickens is being compared to Sea Cottage and Horse Chestnut but resembles neither of them in running action or style of racing. Sea Cottage lost for the first time in the Cape Guineas. However, that setback did not diminish his standing or evidence any reduction in his merit. It was simply that all Cape Guineas’ are races of 15 horses over a short 1600m where just about anything can go wrong even with the very best.

Kevin Shea: De Kock is not coming to look at the mountain, he has two big runners, people forget we knocked Dynasty off his perch … (In January 2003 the 1/5 shot Dynasty was beaten half-a-length by the De Kock-trained 5/1 chance Domino Man (Dominion Royale) ridden by Kevin Shea).

Deez Dayanand: 1st Cousin Casey, 2nd Charles Dickens, 3rd At My Command

Stan Elley: 1st Charles Dickens 2nd Cousin Casey 3rd Union Square

Grant Knowles: 1st Charles Dickens 2nd Cousin Casey 3rd At My Command

Ashwin Reynolds: 1st Charles Dickens, 2nd Cousin Casey, 3rd At My Command

Ken Truter: 1st Charles Dickens 2nd Cousin Casey 3rd Dave The King

Brendan Gaillard: 1st Charles Dickens, 2nd Cousin Casey, 3rd At My Command

Andy Williams: 1st Cousin Casey, 2nd Charles Dickens, 3rd Shoemaker

Gavin van Zyl: 1st Charles Dickens, 2nd Cousin Casey, 3rd Money Heist

Craig Eudey: 1st Cousin Casey, 2nd Charles Dickens, 3rd Shoemaker

John Koster: 1st Charles Dickens, 2nd Cousin Casey, 3rd Anfields Rocket

Sean Singleton: 1st Charles Dickens, 2nd Cousin Casey, 3rd Shoemaker

Greg Bortz: 1st Charles Dickens, 2nd Cousin Casey, 3rd At My Command

Joe Soma: 1st Charles Dickens, 2nd Cousin Casey, 3rd Shoemaker

Garth Puller: 1st Charles Dickens, 2nd Cousin Casey … De Kock pair are big runners too

Graeme Hawkins: 1st Cousin Casey, 2nd Charles Dickens, 3rd At My Command

Sally Bruss: 1st Cousin Casey, 2nd Charles Dickens, 3rd Union Square

Devin Heffer: 1st Charles Dickens, 2nd Shoemaker, 3rd Anfields Rocket

Alistair Gordon: 1st Charles Dickens, 2nd Shoemaker, 3rd At My Command

Charles Dickens certainly produced a Messi class finish in his last start! (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Charles Dickens Needs A Messi Finish To Take Cape Guineas

Racing fans believe trainer Candice Bass-Robinson’s unbeaten colt is the new equine star.

David Mollett (Business Day)

Racing needs Charles Dickens to stay unbeaten in Saturday’s Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas at Kenilworth every bit as much as Argentina will need Lionel Messi in Sunday’s World Cup final.

Every sport needs a hero, and racing fans believe Charles Dickens is the new equine star after five successive wins. Trainer Candice Bass-Robinson’s colt is the hot favourite at 5-10.

This means — with the exception of big players — the three-year-old is not going to help the average punter with festive expenses.

So the race needs to be approached in a way that could see backers in the payout queue and here is the suggestion: double float Charles Dickens and Union Square in the quartet with Cousin Casey, Shoemaker, Anfields Rocket, At My Command and Royal Aussie. The bet will cost R240.

While the Cousin Casey camp have made no secret of their view that their Equus award winner can topple the favourite, there is no escaping that the Glen Kotzen inmate is drawn close to the nearby highway.

It sets Grant van Niekerk quite a poser and he has already been criticised by Kotzen for his ride on the three-year-old filly, Hold My Hand, in her penultimate start.

Charles Dickens and Anfield’s Rocket are also drawn deep with the latter making his first appearance in the Hollywood Syndicate colours after they bought the Graham Beck winner from Robert Maroun.

Which brings us to the Mike de Kock duo of Union Square and Shoemaker who have both drawn favourable barriers.

Union Square — surely overpriced at 16-1 — has two big factors in his favour. The son of Rafeef is drawn in barrier four, and he will love the long Kenilworth straight which gives him time to get into top gear.

A win for the De Kock yard would be timely with the trainer’s son, Mathew, having tied the knot 24 hours earlier.

Bernard Fayd’Herbe has ridden in many Cape Guineas races in his illustrious career and will be pleased De Kock has entrusted him with the ride on Shoemaker.

Punters have burnt their fingers on Shoemaker in his past two starts and many will fancy him to turn the tables on his stablemate, but not this column.

With Keagan De Melo in such devastating form, At My Command warrants quartet inclusion especially as he is drawn in pole position. Aussie Banker is at far longer odds of 30-1 yet Richard Fourie might just get him into the placings.

In the final analysis, Charles Dickens is the selection to beat Union Square, Cousin Casey and Shoemaker.

The supporting feature — the Peninsula Handicap — looks as big a minefield as last Saturday’s Grand Heritage but Kotzen has a live hope here in the well-drawn Han Solo.

Happily, the gelding was our selection for the Algoa Cup and — a look at his form figures — reveals he has finished either first or second in his past six starts.

Somerset Maugham, Imelenzeyokududuma and Future Prince will all have their supporters in a competitive handicap in which — once again — the draw may prove crucial.

After her lacklustre performance at the Vaal on Tuesday, Rain In Holland (63-100 to 28-10 — work that one out) will be an absentee from the Victress Stakes leaving the way clear for the finish to be fought out by Marina and Chansonette.

Marina could cap a memorable meeting for Candice Bass-Robinson as last month’s second behind Make It Snappy now looks top form in view of the result of the Cape Fillies Guineas.

KENILWORTH SELECTIONS

CAPE GUINEAS

1 (11) Charles Dickens

2 (4) Union Square

3 (14) Cousin Casey

4 (7) Shoemaker

PENINSULA HANDICAP

1 (4) Han Solo

2 (10) Somerset Maugham

3 (3) Imilenzeyokududuma

4 (11) Future Prince

VICTRESS STAKES

1 (4) Marina

2 (5) Chansonette

3 (3) Silver Darling

4 (7) Bye Bye Bombshell

Picture: Garth Puller (left) leads in a recent winner (Twice Golden (Twice Over)) at Hollywoodbets Scottsville (Candiese Lenferna).

Depleted Puller Yard Could Be Caught In Hollywoodbets Sizzling Summer Challenge

There are only seven meetings left in the Hollywoodbets Sizzling Summer Challenge series for Jockeys, Trainers, Apprentices and Horses.

Garth Puller has a healthy lead in the Trainers Challenge but punters should be wary of taking the 3/10 odds about him, because he has just sold 13 horses to Mauritius.

Puller said he would still like to win the title, but it was not a set goal that he would strategize for.

He felt he had a top two finish in safekeeping and the difference between the prize money for first and second, R50,000 compared to R40,000, would not be as big as what he made from the sale of the horses.

Nevertheless, he emphasised his gratitude to Hollywoodbets for putting on the competition and for their overall input into KZN racing.

Kumaran Naidoo, who is 87.5 points behind Puller, looks to be the only one who can feasibly catch him.

In the two meetings over the weekend, Naidoo has eleven runners to Puller’s nine, so it is still going to be tough to close the gap.

CLICK HERE to see the rules of the competition.

The Leaderboards for the Challenges are pictures below:

Rouvaun Smit (Sporting Post picture)

Commentator Rouvaun Smit Comments On The Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas Meeting

CLICK HERE to watch his big race analysis

Picture: Justin Vermaak (Cape Racing).

Justin Vermaak Gathers First-Timer Comments For Saturday’s Juvenile Races

Justin Vermaak gathered first-timer comments for the two juvenile races at Saturday’s big Hollywoodbets Kenilworth meeting, the Hollywoodbets Summer Coronation Plate over 1000m for fillies and the Hollywoodbets Commonwealth Plate.

CLICK HERE to watch Vermaak’s useful podcast.

The two-year-old races are race 2 (12H05) and race 3 (12H40) at the meeting.

Both are Non-Black Type events for a stake of R200,000 apiece.

Both races are part of the 2 yo R100 000 Win BSA Bonus Series.

Picture: Mark van Deventer

Mark Van Deventer’s Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas Analysis (Interbet)

Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth 17/12/2022 – Preview For Interbet

AT MY COMMAND S/S 108 – Brett Crawford’s entry has twice performed admirably against the track bias/race shape and figures to get the run of the race here from the inside post under top jockey, de Melo. Versatile running style gives him a high probability of at least hitting the board, and can challenge for the winners circle if Charles Dickens and Cousin Casey suffer tough trips.

PORT LOUIS S/S 102 – keeps making steady progress with escalating speed scores of 96 + – 98 + – 100 + but has twice been out finished by stronger rivals, making him a plausible place candidate rather than a possible winner.

CANFORD LIGHTS S/S 95 – in deep here.

UNION SQUARE S/S 103 – was bested by Anfields Rocket in the Graham Beck Stakes, then defeated stable mate Shoemaker in the Dingaans. Trainer de Kock has an excellent record in this G1 race, so U.S. can be taken seriously.

STREET OUTLAW S/S 99 – neat prep when finishing energetically behind subsequent Merchants 2nd We’re Jamming at most recent start in the South Easter Sprint. In good hands (trainer Maingard) but needs to find still more. Could make a marginal case for inclusion in bottom slot of quartets.

ROYAL AUSSIE S/S 100 – should work out a good trip racing handy for top connections (Snaith/Fourie) but will be under threat in deep stretch from the market favorites and needs to boost finishing punch.

SHOEMAKER S/S 105 – carries plenty of upside potential after running on well in both the Graham Beck (when badly blocked) and Dingaans. This one rates a legit contender and is bound to be turned out in fine fettle by de Kock but will need to make a speed figure leap (not out of the question) to have a winning shake.

FAMOUS AND RICH S/S 94 – looks outclassed.

LORD WILLIAM S/S 98 – game colt but with 100 the historic s/s cut off to be a Classic contender, he falls short on what is needed to be a factor, especially given the unusual strength of this year’s race.

MONEY HEIST S/S 101 – ran on from miles back under this jock when 5th in the Selangor. That was a laudable effort, and he could conceivably do the same thing here under hold-up tactics by Strydom and burgle into the single race exotics at a big price.

CHARLES DICKENS S/S 112 – towering performances over shorter make him 5/10 odds-on favourite to stay perfect. Sceptics may query that he’s unproven over a mile, shows a tendency to over-race briefly, whilst the double- digit draw is obviously not ideal. That said, CD is a freakish talent measured either by accurate speed figs or by conventional class/weight handicapping. He looks teed up to provide a first ever Guineas winner for Bass Racing.

DAVE THE KING S/S 99 – could be an important pace influence but has repeatedly run four to five lengths off the principals which puts his chances into context.

ANFIELDS ROCKET S/S 102 – humbly bred but shows heart/ability to just keep on winning on the Highveld. This is his acid test.

COUSIN CASEY S/S 109 – on a winning roll with a great record in KZN and Cape Town. Glen Kotzen’s runner will again try hit the oppo out the park for six, but a very wide draw complicates matters for jockey van Niekerk. Last term’s Champion juvenile is clear second favourite at 7/2.

LE MORNE S/S 104 – very smart, smoothly developing colt who ran on powerfully when just under three lengths off Cousin Casey in the Selangor. A repeat would put him on the premises so he is a must use in single race exotics. However, the extreme outside stall tempers enthusiasm for any winning squeak he may have held.

Mark van Deventer’s Grades:

A = 11

B = 1, 14

C = 2, 4, 7, 15.

Picture: The Roy Magner-trained Melech (William Longsword) made it two wins from three starts and gave Muzi Yeni a double at the Vaal Classic track today (JC Photos).

Yeni, Munger Doubles

Muzi Yeni and Ryan Munger both scored doubles t the Vaal Classic track today.

Yeni goes to joint second place on the log with Richard Fourie on 74 wins, 42 behind Keagan de Melo, and he has done it at a strike rate of 12.23%

Munger’s double took him to 50 wins for the season, done at a strike rate of 11.24%.

Picture: The picture gives a clue to the answer.

Today’s Question

What was noteworthy about the Cape Guineas of fifty years ago (on February 5, 1972, at Milnerton)?

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Click Here To See Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Fields, Saturday

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Picture: In Full Flight

ANSWER TO TODAY’S QUESTION:

In the 1972 Cape Guineas two great rivals, the David Payne-trained In Full Flight and the Joe Joseph-trained Sentinel, dead-heated.

Michael Roberts rode a fine race on Sentinel, making a split second decision to dive for a gap on the inside and this allowed him to steal a narch on In Full Flight.

The pair clashed eleven times in all and the score was In Full Flight 8, Sentinel 2 and one tie.

Turf Talk Newsletter – 15 December 2022

Charles Dickens Must Do The Talking – Bass-Robinson

Garth Puller Explains The Cape Guineas Wind Factor And Strategies

Industry Players Give Their Guineas 1-2-3

Charles Dickens Needs A Messi Finish To Take Cape Guineas

Racing fans believe trainer Candice Bass-Robinson’s unbeaten colt is the new equine star.

Depleted Puller Yard Could Be Caught In Hollywoodbets Sizzling Summer Challenge

Commentator Rouvaun Smit Comments On The Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas Meeting

Justin Vermaak Gathers First-Timer Comments For Saturday’s Juvenile Races

Mark Van Deventer’s Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas Analysis (Interbet)

Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth 17/12/2022 – Preview For Interbet

Yeni, Munger Doubles

Today’s Question

Click Here To See Fairview Poly Fields, Friday

Click Here To See Greyville Turf Fields, Friday Night

Click Here To See Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Fields, Saturday

Click Here To See Hollywoodbets Scottsville Fields, Sunday

ANSWER TO TODAY’S QUESTION: