Dave The King Can Fend Off The Suitors

The Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge has attracted a top class field of milers and will be one of the highlights of the Champions Season at Hollywoodbets Greyille on Saturday.

There looks to be a lot of pace in this year’s race so it will be an intrigung contest and will give the closers a chance to come from off the pace.

Last year’s winner Dave The King started the season with two well below par runs at altitude, but after a layoff in which time a solution was found to his particular issue he bounced back to his best last time at Hollywoodbets Scottsville, easily winning the same 1500m race he won in the build up to last year’s Gold Challenge. He usually jumps well and has a particularly long run in, so his number two draw will suit his style. From a front-running or handy position he is let loose some 800m out and his massive stride then carries him resolutely to the line, so he is hard to catch when at his best.

See It Again is full of class, but was patchy after his gelding at the beginning of the season. However, he proved in his last start over a too sharp 1400m that he is now over the gelding and back to his best as he failed by the shortest of shortheads after breaking well for a change and running on from a handy position. He is ideally suited to 2000m, but has beaten the best over a mile before, albeit in a Gr 2 event. He has drawn well in three and gets on well with his new jockey Raymond Danielson.

Gladatorian beat See It Again in the Gr 2 IOS Drill Stakes over 1400m last time and they face each other on the same terms. He has a tricky draw but relaxes well and runs on well and enjoys this trip. This lightly race five-year-old might well have the race set up for him as there looks to be a lot of pace in the race.

Cosmic Speed beat older horses in the Gr 1 wfa HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes over this trip at Turffontein and has the class to go close. Five times champion trainer Sean Tarry combines with leading jockey Gavin Lerena from a fair draw of five.

Montien is a top class front runner who will probably have no option but to seek the lead from a wide draw and he might give Dave The King a nice tow. However, he stays on resolutely and is ideally distance suited so is a leading player.

William Robertson has had a tremendous season over sprints, but this classy six-year-old packs a devastating finishing kick and has gone close over this trip at the tougher Turffontein track before, althought not in this class. He has won a Gr 2 over 1450m though, so is the dark horse.

Oriental Charm is a courageous handy to front-running sort and although he is at his best over middle dstances he won a Gr 2 over this trip earlier in the season in fine style. His wide draw might make it difficult for him to find a good position.

Great Plains was third in the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas and a narrow third behind Gladatorian and See It Again in the Drill Hall. He is a closer so is also a player especially with champion jockey Richard Fourie up.

Cafe Culture is classy and capable of staying on from handy positions over 1400m, so he is interesting in his fist try at further. His sire Var was a European champion sprinter and his damsire Dynasty was a champion from a mile up to 2200m, so he might take well to the distance.

Royal Aussie has finished third in the Gr 1 wfa L’Ormarins King’s Plate over this distance before and is capable of a strong finish, so will likely be dropped out from a wide draw.

Purple Pitcher is yet another handy to front-running sort and is capable of finding extra when challenged although he would prefer further.

Fire ‘N Flames can produce top class performance, but he is a touch outclassed here.

They are provisionally selected in the order mentioned.