Charles Dickens has been priced up an early favourite in the Hollywoodbets ante-post market for the 127th renewal of the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July to be run at its traditional home on Saturday 1 July.
This article first appeared in the Sporting Post.
A 2200m contest that is internationally regarded as the holy grail of South African horseracing, the Hollywoodbets Durban July was won last year at Hollywoodbets Greyville racecourse by Mike de Kock’s Sparkling Water, who became her late multiple champion sire Silvano’s fifth winner of the great race.
Sparkling Water failed to fire behind the now-retired Jet Dark in last Saturday’s WSB Cape Town Met and has been priced up at 16/1 in defence of her Hollywoodbets Durban July title.
But all the attention and focus will be on Candice Bass-Robinson’s Charles Dickens, who is currently at 7/2 and bids to become the third 3yo to win the race in the past six renewals.
The son of Trippi’s trainer won her first and only Durban July in 2017, when the Silvano gelding Marinaresco won under Bernard Fayd’herbe.
Charles Dickens has shown tremendous pace and top-class ability up to a mile so far, and is pencilled in to line up in the Cape Derby (2000m) on 25 February. That was something of a surprise move for many.
We were unable to reach the chestnut’s trainer on Thursday morning, but she has said previously that her charge is likely to travel to KZN a bit later than the rest of her string.
Drakenstein Racing Manager Kevin Sommerville said that he felt that the Cape Derby would be a good indicator as to where they were going with their star.
“Charles Dickens’ dam won up to 2200m and Trippi’s record is there for all to see. We will know more after the Cape Derby,” he said.
