The Drakenstein Stud-bred sons of Trippi, Jet Dark and Charles Dickens, are set to clash in the prestigious Grade 1 weight for age L’Ormarin’s King’s Plate on January 7 (Pictures: Wayne Marks).

Charles Dickens/Jet Dark LKP Clash Is On!

An epic clash will happen between Charles Dickens and Jet Dark on January 7 at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth over 1600m as Kevin Sommerville, the racing manager of Drakenstein Stud, has confirmed the former is all set to take his place in the Grade 1 weight for age L’Ormarins King’s Plate.

Sommerville said, “Charles Dickens’ next target is likely to be the L’Ormarins King’s Plate. He pulled up well from the Guineas and both Gaynor (Rupert) and Candice (Bass-Robinson) are happy for him to take his place in the King’s Plate.”

Sommerville said a discussion about overseas ambitions or a stud career for Charles Dickens had not happened yet.

He said, “We will be taking it one step at a time.”

He continued, “He is a special horse and Gaynor is at present just enjoying every moment of his career.”

Gaynor will be especially looking forward to the King’s Plate.

She has sponsored this premier weight for age event for some twenty years and has famously turned it into a meeting with its own special atmosphere. It has become known as “The Royal Ascot” of the South African racing circuit thanks to her meticulous and innovative marketing efforts.

Her Drakenstein Stud have never before won this race as owners, although they did breed Jet Dark, who has won the last two renewals.

Both Jet Dark and Charles Dickens, a Drakenstein homebred, are by the stud’s outstanding stallion Trippi.

Gaynor described last Saturday, where Charles Dickens put up a performance for the ages to win the Grade 1 R2 million Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas in effortless fashion, as her best ever day on a racecourse.

Kevin said, “He is a very, very smart horse, but we don’t yet know quite how far he can go. Each step is a graduation to the next class. The King’s Plate is a huge step up from the Guineas and will give him his best chance yet of showing his true ability.”

Jet Dark put up a performance for the ages himself in last year’s L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate (the name of the race has changed to King’s Plate since King Charles III ascended to the throne after the passing of Queen Elizabeth II).

Jet Dark’s finishing burst in the last 200m of last year’s race showed him to be a world class race horse.

In the previous year’s race Jet Dark became only the second three-year-old since Yataghan in 1973 to win the Queen’s Plate (the other three-year-old being Gimmethegreenlight in 2012).

So that is what Charles Dickens is up against.

A win will see his stardom rise to a new level.

Kevin spoke of the impact Charles Dickens had had on the racing public.

He said, “It was wonderful to see so many people on course on Saturday to witness this really outstanding horse and hopefully he can continue his career in similar vein.”

The inspiration for the mating which produced Charles Dickens was his full brother, called Charles, fetching R6 million at the sales.

The latter went on to finish second in the Grade 1 Cape Derby, second in the Grade 3 Track And Ball Derby and second in the Grade 2 Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile.

Another full-brother, four-year-old Somerset Maugham, recently won the Listed Settlers Trophy over 2000m at Durbanville.

Charles was an eye-catching individual, as his sales price bears testament to, and Kevin confirmed Charles Dickens had also been a fine looking foal.

He said, “He was always an outstanding individual right from the beginning. He is not big and not small, but is incredibly well balanced and well proportioned. His physical make-up works well for him. He is very much in his father’s mold. His mother is an exceptionally beautiful daughter of Dynasty. She is a classic, high class mare and Trippi/Dynasty is turning out to be a good cross.”

Other examples of the cross are Grade 2 KZN Guineas winner Wild Coast and Grade 2 Western Cape Fillies Championship winner Amanzimtoti, who are both by Trippi out of the Dynasty heroine Beach Beauty.

Trippi is now 25 years old and, although still covering a few mares, is in his twilight years as a sire.

Charles Dickens is a natural successor to the great stallion, as is Jet Dark, although the latter is owned by Nick Jonsson and Tommy Crowe.

However, for now, both the connections and the racing public can’t wait to see Charles Dickens in action on the racecourse again.

Jet Dark produced a world class performance to win last season’s L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate (Picture: Wayne Marks).

Top Class Entry For L’Ormarins King’s Plate

This year’s L’Ormarins King’s Plate is set to be a vintage renewal and could possibly have its best field this millennium.

Jet Dark will be going for a third win in succession and also among the entries are the highly acclaimed Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas winner Charles Dickens, the Equus Horse Of The Year and five-times Grade 1-winner Captain’s Ransom, the Grade 1 wfa Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge winner Al Muthana, the Durban July and Met hero Kommetdieding, dual Grade 1 winner Golden Ducat, dual Grade 1 winner Linebacker, Grade 1 winner Safe Passage and another Grade 1 Cape Guineas winner in Russian Rock.

Of the remainder of the field, Trip Of Fortune, Zapatillas, Waterberry Lane and Cosmic Highway have all won at Grade 2 level and Universal has won a Grade 3, At My Command has been a bridesmaid to the two outstanding three-year-olds Charles Dickens and Cousin Casey, while Speed Machine and Surjay are sprint-miler types who might play a role in the pace of the race.

This millennium Pocket Power won the Queen’s Plate a record four years on the trot and Legal Eagle won it three times in a row.

Jet Dark will be out to emulate the latter on January 7.

See the list of first entries below:

Royal Aussie (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Royal Aussie On Top Of The Gold Rush Log

The Justin Snaith-trained Royal Aussie (Royal Mo) has gone to the top of the WSB R7.5 million Gold Rush log after his fine fourth place finish in the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas. He will represent popular owners Suzette and Basie Viljoen in the lucrative race.

The Vaughan Marshall-trained Dave The King (Global View) ran on for an excellent fifth in the Cape Guineas after finding cover and settling, as opposed to his run in the Grade 2 Punters Cup when taking too strong a hold early. He is merit rated just one point below Royal Aussie on 108 and remains in second place on the log.

His owners Larry Nestadt, Gary Player and Ralphs Racing do not hold a ticket for the Gold Rush.

However, there are sure to be enquiries from ticket holders about him.

The Marshall-trained Time Fo Orchids (Time Thief), rated 107, drops down to third place.

The full log and the various movements made since the last log can be seen below:

The Doug Campbell-trained Sea Cruise (Capetown Noir), seen here winning last Wednesday, helped Serino Moodley score 58 points in one meeting in the Hollywoodbets Sizzling Summer Challenge Jockeys league (Candiese Lenferna).

Serino Moodley Could Catch Suspended De Melo in Hollywoodbets Sizzling Summer Challenge

The respective winners of the Hollywoodbets Sizzling Summer Challenge series’ leagues looked cut and dried after Monday’s racing, except for the horse league, which is still wide open.

That was until it was announced Keagan de Melo would sit out a suspension between Christmas and New Year.

That has opened the door for Serino Moodley.

There are only three meetings left and there is a yawning 92,5 points gap between De Melo and Moodley.

However, it is in fact quite feasible for Moodley to overhaul De Melo.

In the Wednesday meeting of last week, Moodley gathered 58 points.

Therefore, if clear skies were forecast, he might even be made favourite by Hollywoodbets in the betting for the jockeys league.

However, the forecast does not look bright and the weather might have the final say.

Hopefully, all three meetings will take place because Moodley’s quest to do it will certainly add plenty of intrigue to the racing.

First prize for the jockeys league is R60,000 and second prize R40,000, so Moodley has plenty to gain.

Garth Puller and Rachel Venniker look to have wrapped up the Hollywoodbets Sizzling Summer Challenge trainers’ and apprentices’ leagues respectively.

The league tables can be viewed by CLICKING HERE

Bravemansgame and Harry Cobden jump to victory in the Charlie Hall Chase (Picture Skysports.com)

Paul Nicholls Has Bravemansgame Ready For ‘Big Boys’ League On Boxing Day

Bravemansgame is 6/4 general favourite for the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day after winning the Charlie Hall Chase in October; Nicholls set to saddle three in the race with Sam Twiston-Davies booked on Hitman and Bryony Frost hoping to be fit for ride on Frodon

Skysports.com

Paul Nicholls is happy Bravemansgame is as prepared as he can be for his next step into the “big boys’ league” in the King George at Kempton.

The star chaser has been aimed at the Boxing Day feature ever since he beat Ahoy Senor in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase on the same card 12 months ago.

An impressive display in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby in October cemented his place at the top of the market and he is now a general 6/4 favourite.

The champion trainer said: “Bravemansgame probably deserves to be favourite as he has won this year and he has won the Kauto Star around the track and he seems to be progressing, but at the end of the day they don’t know what price they are.

“He won at Kempton last year and the track suits him well, a flat right-handed track. I’ve always thought this would be Bravemansgame’s target ever since he won the Kauto Star last year. He has always been prepared for it.

“It probably is his toughest test as he gone through his novice races and he has won his first race out of novice company this year. He is now into the big boys’ league in the biggest race there is over Christmas.”

Twiston-Davies in for the ride on Hitman

Nicholls has confirmed Sam Twiston-Davies will ride Hitman in the race with stable jockey Harry Cobden preferring the claims of favourite Bravemansgame.

With Twiston-Davies, a former stable jockey at Ditcheat himself, having stepped into the breach to ride Clan Des Obeaux to win the 2019 King George when Cobden rode Cyrname, connections of Hitman, many of whom are involved with Clan Des Obeaux and include Sir Alex Ferguson, have reached out for a familiar pair of hands.

There will be a third runner from the Somerset yard in the race, a previous winner in Frodon. His usual partner Bryony Frost is currently on the sidelines with a broken collarbone. While she hopes to be fit, Nicholls has nominated Lorcan Williams as her replacement if not.

Nicholls said: “Harry will ride Bravemansgame, Sam Twiston-Davies will ride Hitman and Bryony will ride Frodon assuming she is fit, if not Lorcan Williams will ride Frodon. He is sitting there as a first reserve.

“Lorcan rode Hitman last season, but Sam has won big races for Ged (Mason) and Sir Alex. Harry, at the moment, wouldn’t get off Bravemansgame to get on Hitman as he has won those Grade Ones on him and he is very happy to ride him.

“He only wouldn’t ride him if he didn’t run. Hopefully everything goes right next week and we look forward to the big day. If it is good to soft ground or soft ground it will be perfect.”

While Hitman’s class is not in doubt, his stamina perhaps is and Nicholls said: “It is the unknown [going three miles], of course it is. We know Bravemansgame gets the three miles well at Kempton and he hasn’t yet, but he got the trip well at Haydock the other day and I think he is crying out for this trip.

“I think up to now he probably hasn’t been man enough or strong enough to get the trip, but he is ready now.”

As for Frodon, one of the most popular horses in the yard, Nicholls said: “He won the race two years ago, but he is not getting any younger.

“He was never right last season after he ran at Down Royal, but a lot of ours were not right in the spring. He got injured in the Ultima as he got jumped into.

“He had a nice break, came back and won the Badger Ales Chase at Wincanton. I ran him too soon in the Betfair Chase but we went up there to pick up some prize money.”ht there.

HWPA (Derby Awards) photographs of the year taken by Alan Crowhurst.

Alan Crowhurst’s Picture Of The Year

The HWPA (Horserace Writers and Photographers Association Awards) were held recently and Alan Crowhurst was awarded Picture of the year for the above photograph.

These British media awards are commonly known as “The Derby Awards.”

Interestingly, Equus Still Photograph awards winner for the last two years, Candiese Lenferna, took a picture in similar vein recently at Hollywoodbets Greyville (see below).

The name of this winning horse is Sea Goddess.

Fittingly, she is trained by Louis “The Goose” Goosen!

Flightline checks out his new surroundings at Lane’s End the morning after his Breeders’ Cup Classic triumph.

Lane’s End Sets Flightline’s Initial Stud Fee At $200,000

Undefeated Flightline, who retired to stud at Lane’s End in Versailles, Ky., following his 8 1/4-length victory in the Grade 1, $6-million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 5, will stand the 2023 breeding season for $200,000

A 4-year-old son of Tapit out of the Indian Charlie mare, Feathered, Flightline was bred in Kentucky by Jane Lyon’s Summer Wind and sold for $1 million at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale, where he was consigned by Lane’s End consignment.

Winner of four Grade 1 races – the Malibu at Santa Anita, Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont, Pacific Classic at Del Mar and the Classic run at at Keeneland – Flightline was trained by John Sadler and ridden by Flavien Prat. He raced for a partnership of Hronis Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds, Summer Wind, Siena Farm, and Woodford Racing.

Flightline retired with a record of six wins from six starts by a combined margin of 71 lengths and earned $4,514,800.

The $200,000 stud fee is identical to the announced fee for 2015 Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner American Pharoah when he retired to Coolmore’s Ashford Stud. In American Pharoah’s case, the farm offered breeders an opportunity to send two mares to the son of Pioneerof the Nile for the price of one.

Ghostzapper, the 2004 Horse of the Year, also had a first-year fee of $200,000 when he retired to Adena Springs the following year. The previous high for a first-year fee was $150,000 for Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus in 2001. Horse of the Year Point Given entered stud for a $125,000 fee in 2002 and 2004 champion 3-year-old Smarty Jones stood for $100,000 his first year in 2005, the latter two standing initially at Three Chimneys.

Flightline is rated No. 1 on the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings on a figure of 139, the highest rated dirt horse since those rankings began.

By comparison, Shadwell’s six-time Group 1 winner Baaeed, the world’s highest-rated turf horse, will enter stud at Nunnery Stud in Norfolk, UK, for 80,000 pound sterling (approximately US$91,000).

The picture above gives a clue (Daily Racing Form).

Today’s Question

What is the highest stud fee ever for a thoroughbred stallion?

Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.

Click Here To See Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Fields, Wednesday

NB Please wait a few seconds for fields to appear.

Picture: Galileo (Coolmore).

ANSWER TO TODAY’S QUESTION:

Storm Cat (February 27, 1983 – April 24, 2013) was an American Thoroughbred stallion whose breeding fee during the peak of his stud career was $500,000, the highest in North America at the time.

However, Galileo stood as a private stallion at Coolmore and off the record reports suggested his fee hovered around the €600,000 (US$636,000) mark. However, he was for a long time the domain of Coolmore and its associates, with those bred outside the partnerships often the result of foal share agreements.

Turf Talk Newsletter – 21 December 2022