The Real Prince has impressed in his last two starts. (Picture: Wayne Marks).
The Dean Kannemeyer-trained Red Palace has been scratched from the Hollywoodbets Durban July, but the three time July-winning trainer still has a live July contender in The Real Prince, who was possibly the most eyecatching runner in the Gr 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m on the Champions Season opening day.
Kannemeyer also has the Equus Champion Sprinter Gimme A Prince as a Gr 1 contender for Champions Season as well as the filly Give Me Everything.
Kannemeyer said Red Palace has just suffered a minor setback intraining, “a sprain that should be fine”, and he said he would build her up day by day, but he said it looked like she she would not be ready in time for the Garden Province.
The Real Prince was dropped out from a wide draw in the Drill Hall Stakes and flew home in seemingly effortless style for a 1,35 length fourth.
The connections are still undecided on his route into the July and Kannemeyer admitted he still had to prove he stayed the July 2200m trip. The Gimmethegreenlight gelding is a full-brother to Equus Champion Sprinter Gimme A Prince. He has a lot of other classy sprint-miler relatives close up of the like of his Gr 1 SA Fillies Sprint-winning dam Real Princess, his full-sister the Gr 3 Diana Stakes-winning filly Gimme’s Countess and Gr 1 Cape Guineas winner William Longsword, who is a half-brother to Real Princess. However, The Real Prince’s third dam, Dancing Flower, produced champion older male stayer Kelly as well as useful stayer Flame and also the Gr 2 UAE Derby winner, the top class Victory Moon, who was unlucky in one of England’s top weight for Gr 1 events, the Coral Eclipse (one mile and two furlongs (2000m). The Real Prince has only once tried as far as a mile and that was in the Listed Jet Master Stakes at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth and he won by five lengths. Dean said he had run that day like a horse who was looking for further so that augurs well for his July aspirations.
Dean said The Real Prince had been working very well.
He will be a big runner if taking his place in the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge on June 7, although the Gr 3 Cup Trial over 1800m could also be an option as that might be a better way of keeping his merit rating of 120 down for the July.
