SA Horse Of The Year Dave The King returned to winning ways and capped a good weekend for the De Kock yard and Australian returnee Callan Murray when he went all the way to break the ice at his third start this term, winning a R185 000 A Stakes in facile fashion.
After a double at Turffontein 24 hours earlier, Dave The King made it a three-timer for the reunited combination.
Callan Murray steers Dave The King to a welcome first success this season (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
This was also a happy return to KZN for Murray, who rode his last winner in the province on 4 July 2020 when Warrior’s Rest beat Ultra Magnus to win the Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint at Hollywoodbets Scottsville for Chris van Niekerk and Sean Tarry. That was the forgettable year when covid-19 devastated all before it and the Durban July, won by Belgarion, was run on 25 July.
But back to our Horse Of The Year!
Dave The King reeled off a three win streak that started in the very same race, then a Pinnacle Stakes, a year ago, and culminated with Grade 1 victories in the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge and the HKJC Gr1 Champions Cup, and the 5yo son of Ascot stallion Global View toyed with his ten opponents and led them a merry dance to beat fast-finishing Hollywoodbets Durban July entry Royal Victory (9-2) by 3,20 lengths in a time of 89,05 secs for the KZN Capital City 1500m
“He simply just doesn’t like Johannesburg. We were really hoping he was going to win here as we know how good he is,” said trainer Mike de Kock after lauding his staunch owners Larry Nestadt, Gary Player and Lindsay Ralphs for their patience.
Dave The King, who started his career with Vaughan Marshall out of Milnerton, has now won 7 races with 8 places from 24 starts for stakes of close on R4,6 million.
He will defend his crown in the R2 million Hollywoodbets Gr1 Gold Challenge on 7 June. Entries for the prestigious mile close at 11h00 on Monday 26 May, while declarations are due by 11h00 on Friday 30 May.
Beyond Royal Victory, who is at 5th on the big race log, and ran a decent second for Nathan Kotzen, the Snaiths also sent out Hollywoodbets Durban July entry Pacaya, who was having his first jump since a cracking low-flying fringe run in the WSB Cape Town Met.
The son of Trippi was clearly in need of the outing and gave little away, running seventh and 7,60 lengths off the winner.
At 18th on the official Hollywoodbets Durban July log, Pacaya will now look to make good improvement when he contests the Gr3 Cup Trial to be run over 1800m on Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge day.
Declarations are due on Monday for the Gr1 Daily News 2000 and the Tote Gr2 Woolavington 2000, to be run at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday 24 May.
