12 minute read
Candice – ‘Charles will be back!’
CHARLES – STILL A ROYAL IN CANDICE'S BOOK!
Spare a thought for 2022 L’Ormarins King’s Plate runner-up trainer, Candice Bass-Robinson. Born into horseracing, she was there at the age of 21 when her legendary Dad Mike saddled Counter Action, the first of his six winners of the prestigious weight-forage mile.
On Saturday, at a sun soaked Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, South Africa’s leading lady trainer had to bite the decorum bullet and call on every ounce of her life and stable yard coaching and experience, in a game that, excuse the cliché, really does tame lions.
Candice had to watch the King’s Plate dream unfolding as Charles Dickens unwound down the inside under Aldo Domeyer, looking a winner inside the 200m. But it wasn’t to be the fairytale ending we had all wished for.
The whole world will know by now that the former Mike de Kock resident Al Muthana, in the care of veteran Ricky Maingard, flashed up on the wide outside at 80-1 to snare the hot-pot favourite and budding Bass champion in the shadow of the post to cause the biggest upset most of us can recall in the royal mile – certainly this century. A philosophical and positive sounding Candice spoke to the Sporting Post on Monday afternoon and confirmed that Charles Dickens has pulled up 100% sound and had emptied the manger on Sunday.
While she kicked off by saying that she didn’t enjoy the way that the runners spread across the width of the track in races around turn at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, we asked her to describe the initial feeling in the aftermath of the knockout blow that few of us saw coming.
“I’d be lying if I didn’t say we are extremely disappointed. Along with all the fans, supporters and punters who were shouting Charles home, his defeat is a body blow. But we have been in horseracing 46 years and the Drakenstein team are seasoned racing people. Like winning, getting beaten is a part of the game too. We are dealing with flesh and blood and we take the good with the bad,” she lamented, pointing out that on the day her chestnut champion had encountered an older Gr1 winning miler, who ran out of his skin.
“Al Muthana literally ran the race of his life. He relished the hard pace as he did in the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge last year and ran on powerfully late. We have to congratulate the winning connections on a plan come together.”
Candice added that it was quite ironic that Charles Dickens had beaten two of South Africa’s top-rated older horses comprehensively.
“He beat defending dual champion Jet Dark and multiple Gr1 winner Kommetdieding - the two horses we knew we had to be beat! But I personally never considered Al Muthana as a threat. On the day, the stars aligned for the Maingard team and let’s take nothing away from the winner,” she added.
While it has already been made known that Charles Dickens will not run in the WSB Cape Town Met later this month, there aren’t too many other options for the handsome son of Trippi, other than the SA Champions Season on the East Coast.
“Yes, Durban is a real possibility, but we need to meet with the Drakenstein team to discuss the options and the programme. He is on a break now. Even if we only
“I imagine a race like the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge is a possibility – I really don’t think the Daily News is an option.”
take him up later on into the KZN season– it’s all pretty fluid at the moment,” she confirmed.
When asked about likely target races, Candice seems to consider the mile his best hunting ground at this stage.
“I imagine a race like the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge is a possibility – I really don’t think the Daily News is an option.”
And will her star enjoy Hollywoodbets Greyville?
“It will be his first experience of a right-handed track. But he is a sensible horse and the
Chase Liebenberg shorter straight won’t worry him as he turns it on in a tickey. Other than the course being barrier draw-sensitive, I don’t envisage an issue, I really don’t,” she added.
Drakenstein must be harbouring thoughts of Charles Dickens taking up stud duties in the future? Is he physically and mentally okay at this stage? We put it to Candice that one experienced observer suggested that he looks very big in the neck area and comes down hard on those front legs.
“That’s normal for a colt and we have raced many who were a lot bigger in front. I don’t see any issues at this stage.”
While she has an exemplary elite level record with the likes of past Gr1 winners Marinaresco, Nightingale Russet Air, Zarina and Clouds Unfold (2), where does Charles Dickens rank in the scheme of the best horses she has trained since taking over the business from her Dad in August 2016?
“He’s number 1. I have been fortunate to have great support and train some outstanding horses. But to answer your question - Charles Dickens would be my best.”
DOWN UNDER, ON TOP!
Al Muthana (Deep Field), surprise winner of Saturday's Gr1 L'Ormarins King's Plate, hails from a male line which has made its mark in South Africa.
Now a dual Gr1 winner, and conqueror of Jet Dark in last season's Gr1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge, Al Muthana is one of three Gr1 winners for his sire Deep Field.
The latter, winner of his first five starts in a row including the Gr2 Tab.Com.Au Stakes, has proved a better stallion than his Gr1 MRC Caulfield Guineas winning full-brother Shooting To Win. While Deep Field has been responsible for 23 stakes winners, from 463 runners, his sibling has come up with 8 stakes winners from 282 runners.
Deep Field, already responsible for a number of sire sons, is also responsible for Gr1 Oakleigh Plate deadheater Portland Sky and Gr1 Hong Kong Sprint winner Sky Field.
Deep Field and Shooting To Win, directly descended in female line from the remarkable mare Eight Carat (dam of five Gr1 winners), were sired by short-lived sire sensation Northern Meteor. Despite dying at the age of eight, Northern Meteor more than made his mark while at stud in Australia. He left behind six Gr1 winners, and his sons Deep Field, Shooting To Win, Eurozone and Zoustar have all sired at least one Gr1 winner.
Northern Meteor, in turn, was a son of former Australian Champion Sire Encosta De Lago, a horse who, from relatively small numbers of runners, enjoyed considerable success in South Africa. Among Encosta De Lago's notable South African representatives were dual Gr1 winner, and champion, Delago Deluxe, Gr2 Gold Circle Derby winner Dan De Lago, Gr1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge winner Mac De Lago and Gr2 The Fillies Nursery queen Merlene De Lago. Encosta De Lago was also broodmare sire of South African champion Musir (Redoute's Choice), whose Gr3 winning three-parts brother Moofeed (Duke Of Marmalade) stands at stud in South Africa.
Sired by a son of Northern Meteor, and out of a mare by Redoute's Choice, Al Muthana is bred on similar lines to prominent Australian sire Zoustar. The latter, who like Northern Meteor won the Gr1 Coolmore Stud Stakes, is a son of Northern Meteor and the Redoute's Choice mare Zouzou. Zoustar, Leading First and Second Season Sire in Australia, has also made his mark in the Northern Hemisphere, and is sire of 2022 Cartier Champion Lezoo.
Al Muthana also hails from a high-class female line. His dam El Daana, one of 179 stakes winners sired by multiple Australian champion sire Redoute's Choice, was a smart performer whose wins included a triumph in the Gr2 VRC Edward Manifold Stakes. El Daana has more than made her mark at stud, as she is also responsible for Australian Gr2 winner Wawail (Lonhro).
El Daana, who is directly descended in female line from Futurity Stakes queen Mother Goose (also ancestress of such as Danehill and Northern Dancer), is one of a growing number of Gr1 producing daughters of Redoute's Choice. Other Gr1 winners produced by Redoute's Choice mares include outstanding Australian galloper Anamoe and local racer Linebacker - who, like Al Muthana, contested Saturday's King's Plate.
El Daana had a Lonhro filly make A$625 000 at last year's Inglis Easter Sale.
WHEN THE GOING GETS 16 | 11 JANUARY 2023 TOUGH…
One caller to the Sporting Post offices on Saturday suggested that Bernard Fayd’herbe’s decision to bring longshot Al Muthana down the outside in the L’Ormarins King’s Plate had been the difference between Charles Dickens’ winning and losing.
The perceived better middle to outside going up the Hollywoodbets Kenilworth summer straight course on L’Ormarins King’s Plate day had many of the riders gunning for a run out wide.
However Hollywoodbets Kenilworth’s veteran General Manager Dean Diedericks refuted suggestions that one side should be better than the other as treatment was consistent across the width and breadth of the course.
“We apply the same cultivational processes uniformly and consistently as a rule. Naturally , certain sections drain differently to others, but we deal with those independently. At the end of the day, none of them won hard up the outside and ultimately it is the individual jockey’s call, based on the direction and strength of the prevailing wind conditions amongst others, to place his mount in the position he deems best,” added Diedericks.
Saturday’s rail configuration was 3m out from the 1800m mark with a 5m spur at the 600m. “That gives everybody a fair chance, I believe. As an aside, it should also be remembered that our fields are also a lot bigger on average than they were. And my job is to provide the best quality racing surface possible, with the safety of horse and rider always our top priority” noted Diedericks.
Interestingly, after the running of the final leg of the R6,9 million Pick 6 , the Stipes addressed the riders who participated in this race following incidents recorded.
The jockeys were advised that in the opinion of the Stipes, the circumstances that prevailed in the home straight were as a result of the field making its run on the outside of the racecourse.
They were advised that in the opinion of the Stipes this did not make for competitive racing and that numerous horses were unable to be fully tested as a result of being in restricted galloping room which posed a risk to the safety of riders as well as the welfare of horses.
It was further put to the Riders that the circumstances that prevailed should not be repeated and that the Stewards would not hesitate to sustain a charge against any jockey who was the source or contribution to bunching of the field which makes for uncompetitive racing.
Particular incidents recorded in the ninth race:
• At the 300m, in a tightly bunched field with all riders electing to direct their mounts to the outside of the racecourse, BILLY SPELLBOUND (C Habib) was unable to secure a clear run, was switched inwards and then was held up and switched inwards again at the 100m when close to the heels of NEVADA KING (G van Niekerk).
• Leaving the 300m, while attempting to secure clear running between KAPUZINER (L Mxothwa) and AUS BOB (*RA Venniker), RUN FOR COVER (R Munger) was brushed outwards and made contact with AUS BOB (*RA Venniker).
• NEVADA KING (G van Niekerk) was awkwardly placed on the inside of FUTURE SWING (R Fourie) in the concluding stages.
The thrilled connections lead Make It Snappy in after her second consecutive Gr1 victory last Saturday
AND NOW FOR THE MET!
The Ridgemont Highlandsbred Dynasty filly Make It Snappy endorsed her connections’ recent decision to supplement her for the WSB Cape Town Met when she went all the way to register her second consecutive Gr1 victory in under five weeks, with an eyecatching end-to-end score in Saturday’s R1 million Gr1 Cartier Paddock Stakes.
Ridden by regular pilot Luyola Mxothwa, Make It Snappy raced as the leading 3yo in a field that included an SA Triple Tiara winner, the current SA Horse Of The Year, and a Hollywoodbets Durban July winner.
And the beautiful bay with the ground guzzling stride simply galloped them off their feet with her relentless motion carrying her to a 0,30 length win over the even money favourite and defending champion, Captain’s Ransom, with the runner-up’s longshot stablemate Silver Darling (50-1) rattling late to round off the trifecta. together for the Hollywood Syndicate, whose second Gr1 winner she was, Ridgemont Highlands, and the Crawford Racing team.
Brett Crawford last saddled a Paddock Stakes winner when Shadow Dancing beat her rivals in 2012. Prior to that he had Bad Girl Runs, who won for Sabine Plattner in 2006.
The Philippi trainer was elated: “Now, that was a top-class ride! The filly has improved since the Fillies Guineas and really liked the 1800m. It’s quite remarkable that she has
now won two G1’s from just five starts. She is very good indeed, and the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met is now a possibility,” he added.
Bred by Ridgemont Highlands, from whom she is leased for racing, the winner is by late champion Dynasty (Fort Wood) out of the beautifully-bred Western Winter mare, Icy Winter Air.
Make It Snappy was her late sire’s fourth success in this prestigious race after Beach Beauty (2013, 2014) and Bela-Bela (2017).
Make It Snappy is a winner of 4 races with 1 place from her 5 starts for stakes of R1 359 625.
Final supplementary entries for the 2000m WSB Cape Town Met close at 11h00 on Monday 9 January, when weights will be published.
Met declarations are due by 11h00 on Wednesday 19 January.
Barrier Draws will be done electronically by the NRB on the same day.
Candiese Lenferna
INAUGURAL OKAPI LADIES INTERNATIONAL
INAUGURAL OKAPI LADIES INTERNATIONAL
