Dave The Kings lands his first Gr 1 win, the wfa Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge, under Muzi Yeni (Candiese Lenferna Photography)
Larry Nestadt described the former Equus Horse Of The Year Dave The King as one of the best racehorses he had owned.
He has owned many top horses over the years and ranked Dave The King in the top bracket.
The unfashionably-bred Global View gelding was the second Horse Of The Year he has owned following the 2009/2010 Horse Of The Year, Irish Flame, who ran in his colours.
Dave The King is a huge bay whose stride covers an enormous amount of ground and he became famous for his long run in.
When at his best as a four-year-old he was able to go for home 800m or even 1000m from home.
After getting into a rhythm in front he was resolute and his giant stride made him difficult to overtake.
He won three Gr 1s, all wfa events at Hollywoodbets Greyville, taking in the Gr 1 wfa Hollywodbets Gold Challenge over 1600m twice and the Gr 1 HKJC Champions Cup over 1800m.
Doing the Gold Challenge/Champions Cup double secured him the Equus Horse Of The Year Award in the 2023/2024 season.
Dave The King won his first two starts for his first trainer Vaughan Marshall, both over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, at which stage he was still a two-year-old.
He finished a half-a-length second in the R7.5 millioin Gold Rush over 1600m in his last start for Marshall halfway through his three-year-old career.
He was then moved to the Mike de Kock yard and stayed there for the rest of his career,
He won seven races for the De Kocks, including those three Gr 1s and also won the Gr 2 Ridgemont Green Point Stakes over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.
Dave The King will forthwith be living a quality life at the Lourensford Wine Estate on the slopes of the Helderberg Mountains near Somerset West, Western Cape.
Nestadt owned Dave The King in partnership with the man who bred him, Gary Player, and also with Ralphs Racing, in whose colours he ran.
Meanwhile, Larry was sad to announce the retirement of one the best of his Australian-based horses Alalcance, who is also part-owned by Gary Player and others.
The British-bred Mastercraftsman mare won two Gr 2s and Two Gr 3s in Australia, where she was trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
Her last win was an impressive five length victory in the Gr 2 Brisbane Cup at Eagle Farm and that put the Melbourne Cup on her radar.
However, she was subsequently injured and has been retired to stud.
