Charles Dickens’ reputation was restored in the Grade 2 WSB Guineas at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday (Picture: Candiese Lenferna)
Candice Bass-Robinson was pleased with the way both of her Grade 2 winners, Charles Dickens and Trip Of Fortune, had come out of Saturday’s IOS race meeting at Hollywoodbets Greyville.
Both horses are by Trippi and are Drakenstein Stud homebreds, so it was a magnificent day for Gaynor Rupert and her staff.
Charles Dickens’ reputation was restored when he displayed his exhilarating turn of foot to shoot clear down the inside in the Grade 2 WSB Guineas, having found cover in midfield from his wide draw in the nine horse field.
See It Again can be deemed to have been unlucky and was closing fast in the latter stages, but Aldo Domeyer, rider of Charles Dickens, was looking around for dangers and it was not necessary for him to attempt to extract any more from the superstar three-year-old Trippi colt.
Earlier, Domeyer had made up ground approaching the turn on Trip Of Fortune in the Grade 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m.
Having been just forward of mid-pack he turned for home handy and got first run on the fancied trio Gimme A Prince, Al Muthana and Desert Miracle.
The four-year-old Trippi gelding kept going well to win his fourth Graded feature of the the season.
He has won a Grade 3 and a Grade 2 in Cape Town over 1400m and 1600m respectively, a Grade 1 weight for age event in Johannesburg over 1600m and a Grade 2 in Durban over 1400m.
Two of his other three runs this season have yielded third place finishes including in a Grade 2. His only non-earning run was when ill in the lead up to the L’Ormarins King’s Plate and Candice admitted she had taken a chance and in retrospect should not have run him.
Trip Of Fortune is likely to go back to the top of the Equus Horse Of The Year points table having lost the lead to Puerto Manzano when the latter won the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge.
However, he will now have to clash with his ultra classy stablemate Charles Dickens in the Grade 1 wfa Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge over 1600m.
Charles Dickens will be a tough nut to crack in that race, bearing in mind he needed it when thrilling the crowds on Saturday.
Candice did not completely dismiss a tilt at the Hollywoodbets Durban July for Charles Dickens when asked the question, but said it had not been put on the table as an option yet.
After the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge the two options for both him and Trip Of Fortune at this stage will be the Grade 1 wfa Mercury Sprint over 1200m or the Grade 1 wfa Hong Kong World Pool Champions Cup over 1800m.
In the Grade 2 WSB Fillies Guineas on Saturday the Bass-Robinson-trained Golden Hostess was bumped sideways by fellow Drakenstein homebred Hold My Hand just when reaching full momentum in a dangerous looking run down the outside.
The bump cost her some ground and momentum and although she did rally she began hanging inward and was 1,10 lengths shy at the line.
An objection against Hold My Hand was unsuccessful, because the stipendiary stewards deemed she was unable thereafter to get past Hold My Hand despite carrying the latter inward.
The Gold Standard three-year-old filly’s next two targets might be the Grade 1 SA Fillies Sprint (1200m) and the Tibouchina (1400m).
The Bass-Robinson yard’s crack two-year-old filly Winter Cloud, a Drakenstein Stud-homebred by What A Winter, will be going for the Grade 1 Allan Robertson (1200m).
The Charleston (The United States) is also being targeted at the Allan Robertson, but had suffered a setback and she was not sure she would have her ready in time.
Silvano mare Marina will be targeted at the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 as well as the Grade 1 Garden Province Stakes and Grade 2 Gold Bracelet.
Six-year-old What A Winter gelding Arctic Drift will be aimed at all the staying events.
