Charles Does It The Hard Way But Still Wins
It takes a gifted horse to be caught wide in South African racing and still win, but the Candice Bass-Robinson-trained superstar four-year-old Trippi colt Charles Dickens did it on Saturday in his seasonal reappearance in the Gr 3 Hollywoodbets Matchem Stakes.
South African horse are trained to suit the way we tend to race, which is to go along at a steady pace and then sprint for home. Horses who are caught wide without cover tend to over race and perhaps it is because they have learned that being switched outward into space in the straight is a signal that it is time to speed up.
Charles Dickens is not a difficult ride, despite a sometiimes awkward head carriage giving the impression he is pulling.
His draw of three on Saturday was always going to be tricky, because the natural front-runner After The Rain was drawn one inside of him, while the 1/5 favourite’s chief rival Gimme A Prince was drawn in pole and was likely to hold his position.
However, Aldo Domeyer decided to have Charles Dickens up there. It looked initially to have been a good plan because Royal Aussie came around him from a wide draw and he was likely going to have to sit outside of After The Rain, thus providing cover for Charles Dickens.
But it did not pan out like that because Craig Zackey, maybe by design, allowed Royal Aussie to slot in front of him. This meant there was a line of three on the rail with Charles Dickens caught out wide.
However, Charles Dickens showed he has a champion temperament, on top of his ability, by remaining relaxed.
His head did come up a bit, but trainer Candice Bass-Robinson has said before that he does not pull and rather just carries his head a bit awkwardly in the running sometimes.
Charles Dickens is probably at his most effective if left alone for as long as possible, because his exhilarating turn of foot can make up lengths in a matter of strides and if used to soon it will require him to dig down in the latter stages.
Domeyer left Charles Dickens alone until about the 250m mark, at which point he must have spotted Gimme A Prince out of the corner of his eye making a run inside of him.
Charles Dickens duly took off but Gimme A Prince showed his class by going with him.
Charles Dickens always looked to have the latter’s measure though and prevailed by 0,30 lengths.
It was a weight for age (wfa) plus penalties race, but the pair faced each other on wfa terms, both being Gr 1 winners.
Charles Dickens did hang inward and carried Gimme A Prince in a bit, but it was not an incident worthy of an objection and none was forthcoming.
Charles Dickens was defeated twice last season, the first being a narrow one in the Gr 1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate, a race which is notoriously difficult for three-year-olds to win and, without taking anything away from the winner Al Muthana, he possibly had a couple of excuses too.
His other defeat was over 2000m in the Gr 1 Splash Out Cape Derby, where the distance might have been a touch too far as a three-year-old.
However, an obvious aim will be to see him undefeated this season and he has made a good start.
He is not a certainty to be tried over 2000m again, but the WSB Cape Town Met will obviously be a big temptation for the connections.
Gold Standard Gets First Graded Stakes Winner
Golden Hostess wins the Gr 3 Hollywoodbets Diana Stakes with ease (Picture: Wayne Marks).
The Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Drakenstein Stud-homebred Golden Hostess became former Drakenstein-based stallion Gold Standard’s first Graded Stakes winner and second bold black type runner when easily winning the Gr 3 Hollywoodbets Diana Stakes under Aldo Domeyer over an ideal trip of 1400m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday.
Gold Standard, who is an ideal stallion for small breeders as his record proves he is outstanding value, was moved last week from Drakenstein to the famous Vogel Vlei stud farm of the Birch Brothers near the Eastern Cape Karoo town of Dordrecht.
Mrs Geriatrix Remains Princess, Danon Platina Proves His Worth
The Sean Tarry-trained champion Vercingetorix filly Mrs Geriatrix stamped her claim to be the leading Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas candidate in the country when winning her seasonal reappearance in the BSA Sales Cup over 1450m at Turffontein Inside on Saturday under regular pilot Richard Fourie.
However, the race also gave a foretaste of what the sire Danon Platina’s first crop could do as three-year-olds because two of his progeny finished first and second and one of them, the Mike de Kock-trained White Pearl, was beaten just a head at level weights.
The Clifton Stud-bred Mrs Geriatrix was keen early and pulled a bit when restrained as White Pearl came around her to take the lead.
Mrs Geriatrix ambled in to the lead in the straight and it looked like it would be another rout.
However, the grey pacemaker then fought back and Fourie had to work hard in the end to maintain Mrs Geriatrix’s unbeaten record.
It was Mrs Geriatrix’s sixth win, so there was yet more to celebrate for the Magical Lady Synicate, who were as usual dressed in their pink outfits in support of Mrs Geriatrix, who runs in the pink silks of the syndicate
Talk might soon start about the 1965-born Home Guard’s 54 year old SA record of eleven unbeaten wins being under threat by Mrs Geriatrix.
The last to horse threaten it was the Paul Peter-trained Summer Pudding, who won her first nine starts before tasting defeat for the first time when unplaced in the Gr 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes in January 2021.
Summer Pudding was by Silvano, who is of course the sire of Vercingetorix.
Meanwhile, Mauritzfontein stallion Danon Platina is yet to have a black type runner, but he is being widely tipped as a future champion stallion, because his first crop performed well as two-year-olds, despite being types who were expected to improve with age and over distance.
White Pearl’s performance backed up that claim as he is merit rated only 101, compared to Mrs Geriatrix’s 123, and was beaten only a head.
The Stuart Pettigrew-trained Danon Platina filly Betula finished third, albeit beaten 5,60 lengths.
Betula won the Durban leg of the BSA Sales Cup over 1300m on Hollywoodbets Durban July day, beating the Dunchan Howells-trained Danon Platina filly Oriental Bouquet by a short-head.
Main Defender Franks The 3yo Highveld Form
Main Defender comes home lonely in the Gr 2 Betway Jo’Burg Spring Challenge (JC Photos).
The Tony Peter-trained Pathfork gelding Main Defender had the option of winning the Johannesburg leg of the BSA Sales Cup to add to his Durban leg, but opted instead to run in the more lucrative R550,000 Gr 2 Betway Joburg Spring Challenge and the decision paid dividends as he came home lonely.
Main Defender beat the Sean Tarry-trained 118-rated Gr 1 winner Thunder Struck by 6,50 lengths on weight for age terms.
The race will have posed an interesting question for the handicappers.
In 2020 the Mike de Kock-trained Australian-bred Mount Pleasant won this race by a length from the Sean Tarry-trained hard-knocking 127-rated Gr 1 performer Cirillo.
The handicapper reacted by awarding Mount Pleasant, who had faced Cirillo on weight for age terms, with a 127 merit rating, a massive 15 point raise from his previous 112.
De Kock did not disagree with the raise on that occasion, but the horse did become problematic and extremely disappointing. He has in fact only won one more race and is currently rated 81.
So what will they give Main Defender?
Thunderstruck’s best performances have been over sprints, but he did beat last year’s winner of this race, the 121-rated William Robertson, who finished fourth, by three lengths on Saturday. Thunderstruck also had the like of Gr 1 winner Anfield’s Rocket (rated 120) and hard-knocking Gr 1 performer Dave The King (rated 126) well beaten, suggesting he was not compromised by the trip of 1450m.
If Thunderstruck is used as the line horse, Main Defender might be given as much as a 131 merit rating.
Main Defender’s win was particularly exciting for Highveld fans because he was comfortably beaten by another Highveld horse, the David Nieuwenhuizen-trained Sandringham Summit, at the end of last season in the Gr 1 HKJC Moment Of The Day Champion Stakes over 1600m.
There is also the Sean Tarry-trained Gr 1 winner Lucky Lad, who defeated Sandringham Summit on debut and who has only been defeated once, to look forward to.
Both Sandringham Summit and Lucky Lad are by champion sire Gimmethegreenlight.
The strength of three-year-old crop usually comes chiefly from Cape Town, but nothing of extraordinary note has emerged from there yet, although the Justin Snaith-trained Trippi colt Hluhluwe strikes as a progressive sort who could become a classic contender.
Meanwhile, in KZN, the Frank Robinson-trained pair Sovereign State (Visionaire) and Mexican Pete (Master Of My Fate) strike as classic contenders.
Sean Veale Out For Six Weeks After Nasty Fall
Sean Veale has been discharged from hospital (Picture supplied to the Sporting Post)
Sean Veale is due to fly home to Durban on Tuesday this week having been discharged from hospital.
He and his wife Maxine opted to stay an extra night in the mother city as a precuation after Sean was discharged from hospital on Monday.
His broken jaw has been wired and his broken nose redone after the nasty fall he had at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday.
The fall was caused by a stirrup strap breaking.
Sean was then galloped over by a horse he fell in front of.
Thankfully, he escaped without serious injury.
Princess Calla’s Silvano Half-Brother Set For Debut Over 3250m In Ireland
Star To Perform At Hollywodbets Durbanville
Candy Town has been selected to make it a hattrick of victories (Picture: Wayne Marks)
by Jack Milner (Tab4Racing)
If form is anything to go by, trainer Vaughan Marshall and jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe should get bettors off to a great start at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Tuesday.
They team up with Star Performer and this What A Winter colt looks a stand-out bet on the card.
While this will be his first run in the Cape, Star Performer started his career in KwaZulu-Natal where he raced twice, both at Hollywoodbets Scottsville, over 1100m and 1000m respectively.
He found betting support on both occasions but finished a 1.10-length third on debut and then a 0.40-length second.
But, wow, did he find some potent opposition!
First time out he bumped Main Defender, who has now gone on to win three more races – all of them features – and run second in the Grade 1 Premiers Champion Stakes.
It was no better second time out where he was beaten by Frank Robinson-trained Sovereign State, who is unbeaten in three starts.
While this will be his first start at Durbanville and he has not raced since 13 August, Star Performer is fully expected to live up to his name. He is perfectly drawn in stall No 4 for this Maiden Plate over 1000m.
Querari filly Candy Town caught the eye on debut in soft conditions at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth where she finished third behind two experienced rivals – and the promise of that introduction was enhanced by no fewer than four winners to have come from that form line.
Candy Town made the expected improvement with that experience under her belt to win her next start from start to finish over 1250m at Durbanville with ease and then grab a second win over 1000m, the course and distance of Race 9, a Class 4 for fillies and mares.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 4 Star Performer, 2 William West, 7 Barnbougle, 13 Great Cat
Race 2: 2 Red Sash, 1 My Flower Fate, 8 Lady Silvano, 4 Supreme Dream
Race 3: 11 Love Shack, 12 Look Forward, 10 Vix Princess, 1 Simply Beautiful
Race 4: 9 King Viserys, 5 Tambourine Man, 14 Rainbow Colours, 12 Analytic
Race 5: 4 Kelp Forest, 2 Winter Pearl, 10 Liketheclappers, 11 Numzaan
Race 6: 6 Katsu, 1 Miss New York, 5 Exceeder, 7 Tothemoonandback
Race 7: 7 La Divina, 5 Double Grand Slam, 1 Glee Club, 11 Nordic Quest
Race 8: 9 Misty Cliffs, 5 Rainbow Lorikeet, 1 You Win Again, 3 Seeking Peace
Race 9: 6 Candy Town, 9 Winter Rainfall, 7 Lady Look Alike, 1Montelena
Race 10: 9 Teflon Man, 6 Oriental Charm, 1 Lines Crossed, 7 Masked Vigilante
BEST BET
Race 1 No 4 Star Performer
VALUE BET
Race 8 No 9 Misty Cliffs
BEST SWINGER
Race 1 2×4
BIPOT
R324
Leg 1: 1, 2, 8
Leg 2: 10, 11, 12
Leg 3: 5, 9
Leg 4: 2, 4, 10
Leg 5: 1, 6
Leg 6: 1, 5, 7
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R162
Leg 1: 10, 11, 12
Leg 2: 9
Leg 3: 2, 4, 10
Leg 4: 6
Leg 5: 1, 5, 7
Leg 6: 1, 5, 9
Leg 7: 6, 9
PICK 6
R1620
Leg 1: 5, 9, 14
Leg 2: 2, 4, 10, 11
Leg 3: 1, 5, 6
Leg 4: 1, 5, 7
Leg 5: 1, 3, 5, 9, 12
Leg 6: 6, 7, 9
JACKPOT 1
R180
Leg 1: 2, 4, 10, 11
Leg 2: 1, 5, 6
Leg 3: 1, 5, 7
Leg 4: 1, 3, 5, 9, 12
JACKPOT 2
R225
Leg 1: 1, 5, 7
Leg 2: 1, 3, 5, 9, 12
Leg 3: 6, 7, 9
Leg 4: 1, 6, 7, 9, 12
Today’s Question
Which horse won a race on all four days of one particular Melbourne Cup Carnival (Flemington Spring Carnival)?
The horse in question is pictured winning the Melbourne Cup (stuff.co.nz)
TUESDAY FIELDS
Today’s Question Answer
Phar Lap’s 1930 Flemington Onslaught
Bernborough won two great races with huge weights in a week at Doomben in 1946 and Tulloch won twice in a week plenty of times by huge margins. Carbine on two occasions won three races in one day but that was a long time ago. The below description is without a doubt the greatest achievement by a thoroughbred in the history of the Australian racing industry.
Melbourne Cup week 1930: Phar Lap’s Flemington onslaught
Derby Day. 1 November 1930.
On this day, a week after winning the Cox Plate, Phar Lap backed up in the Melbourne Stakes over a mile and a quarter. Today this race is the 2000m Mackinnon Stakes. This race was at WFA and Phar Lap beat another champion and second favourite in the race Amounis (Amounis ran third) and a horse named Tregilla that ran second. This race since almost the dawn of time has been used to warm up a horse for the Melbourne Cup; so the fact that Phar Lap won this race was no real surprise. Well actually it was a little bit of a surprise because the day before the Melbourne Stakes, gangsters or bookies had tried to kill Phar Lap to avoid the huge Melbourne Cup payouts that they were facing. Phar Lap jumped at 5-1 on ($1.20) and won untouched in what was a training gallop by three lengths.
Melbourne Cup Day. 4 November 2013.
We all know that Phar Lap won the 1930 Melbourne Cup, and it was a stunning win. The champ won effortlessly by three lengths while carrying what today equates to 62.5kg and Phar Lap started odds on; he is still the only horse ever to start odds on in the Melbourne Cup. Consdiering the amount of people who bet on the Cup, it is still amazing that despite the big weight and the Great Depression, this horse started odds on. The weight of money behind him to get him to odds on must have been huge. This shows that the public support was simply huge; the Great Depression was raging, but people still found a little money to all to a man back Phar Lap. The Cup win makes it two for the week for Phar Lap and he was not even half done. The champ again won by three lengths and was again untouched. He paid 11-8 on ($1.72).
Oaks Day. 6 November 2013.
After winning the Melbourne Stakes and the Melbourne Cup (with a record weight for a four-year-old) Phar Lap was not sent for a spell, but rather the connections kept him running. Harry Telford’s theory was if you want a pet get a dog. Racehorses are born to run. With this in mind, Phar Lap took on a crack field of hard and fit milers over the mile in the Linlithgow Stakes. This race has now been reduced from 1600m to 1200m and moved to Emirates Stakes day. It is called the VRC Classic. We cannot estimate how hard it is for a horse to comeback from 3200m to run in a 1600m race two days later. On the Tuesday Phar Lap had effortlessly carried a weight that would have killed Atlantic Jewel, to victory over 3200m. Now he was lining up in a 1600m race just for the sake of it. And of course he won. He was 7-1 on ($1.14) and won accordingly untouched by 4 lengths. This made it three wins in Cup week 1930 and he still had one more to go.
The Final Day; today known as Emirates Stakes Day. 8 November 1930.
On the 4th and final day of the carnival Phar Lap was entered in the mile and a half C.B. Fisher Plate (2400m) and betting for one of the only times in the history of Australian racing was stopped due to everyone accepting that Phar Lap was over the line. He had won three races in the week already but the bookies still felt he was unbeatable and as such they did not take bets on the champ. That basically means he jumped at $1.00. If you bet ten dollars and he wins you get back your ten and nothing else. Not really worth the risk is it? Well the bookies were right and Phar Lap won untouched by 3.5 lengths thus giving him four wins in Melbourne Cup week 1930. One win per day for the four day carnival. Extraordinary. The C.B. Fisher Plate is no longer run but for arguments sake we will compare this race with the Queen Elizabeth.
Therefore Phar Lap alone won the races in Cup week that were won ten years ago, for example, by Side Glance (the Mackinnon), Fiorente (Melbourne Cup), Buffering (Sprint race) and Precedence (Queen Elizabeth). As earlier mentioned… this is the greatest achievement ever by a Thoroughbred in Australia. Considering how most trainers protect their horses these days, it is highly unlikely a horse will ever race on all four days again.
Four wins in a week. Sensational stuff.
By Zeb Armstrong
