Long Way Yet – But Jet Dark Heads Horse Of Year Log

Six months into the 2022/23 season, and with the Cape high-season almost complete, Gr1 WSB Cape Met winner Jet Dark (70 points) leads the Equus Horse of the Year log from two three-year-olds, Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas and Gr1 Cartier Paddock Stakes winner Make It Snappy (64), and Gr1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas winner Charles Dickens (64).

Gr1 Pongracz Cape Flying Championship winner Gimme A Prince (56), and Gr1 Betway Summer Cup and Gr3 London News Stakes winner Puerto Manzano (50) are in fourth and fifth spot respectively.

Hello Jet Dark our old friend…Richard Fourie poses with the WSB Cape Town Met winning saddle-cloth after Jet Dark pipped Kommetdieding to win the Met (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)

Gr1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate winner Al Muthana (48), and Gr1 Schweppes Majorca Stakes winner Desert Miracle (46) make up the table.

Thanks to Form’s Charles Faull for these two strips of the WSB Met run-on:

With Jet Dark likely to have run his last race in the WSB Cape Met and with racing action returning to the Highveld in the next three months, Highveld-based Puerto Manzano and Desert Miracle will have an opportunity to strengthen their position on the Horse of the Year log.

Champion Three-Year-Old Colt

The exceptional Charles Dickens (64 points) has opened a big lead in this category, with Gr2 Cape Punters Cup winner Cousin Casey (32) and At My Command (22) trailing. The Mike de Kock and Highveld-based pair of Gr2 Jonsson Workwear Dingaans winner Union Square (16) and Shoemaker (12), make up the table.

Charles Dickens looks difficult to oppose in the 3yo colt category (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)

The top three will have another opportunity at the end of February to accumulate points in the Gr 1 Cape Derby, while Shoemaker returns to action in the Saturday’s Gr2 WSB Gauteng Guineas. The Highveld based three-year-old males will have opportunity to close the gap on their Cape rivals with the first of the three legs of the Triple Crown starting on Saturday.

Champion Three-Year-Old Filly

Make It Snappy (64 points) holds a large lead on her closest rival, Grade 2 Western Cape Fillies Championship winner, Ciao Bella (32 points), in this category. Grade 2 Betway Ipi Tombe Challenge winner, Gimme A Shot (22), and Golden Hostess (12) make up the table.

Gimme A Shot returns to action in the first leg of the Highveld Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara, the Gr2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas, this Saturday, and will be looking to make inroads into the lead of Make It Snappy.

Champion Older Male and Female

Jet Dark (70 points) leads the Champion Older Male category from Gimme A Prince (56), Puerto Manzano (50), Al Muthana (48) and now-retired Kommetdieding (36).

Desert Miracle (46 points) leads the Champion Older Female category from dual Graded fillies-sprint winner Princess Calla (32), Captain’s Ransom (32), Gr2 Topbet Joburg Spring F&M Challenge winner Humdinger (16), and Silver Darling (14).

Distance Categories

Gimme A Prince (56 points) leads the Champion Sprinter category from Princess Calla (32), Rio Querari (20), Stiptelik (12), and Isivunguvunghu (10).

Gimme A Prince – impressive Gr1 winner on WSB Cape Town Met day (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)

Al Muthana (48 points) is in the lead in the Champion Miler category from Desert Miracle (40), Grade 2 WSB Green Point Stakes winner, Trip Of Fortune (34), Charles Dickens (24) and Jet Dark (21).

Jet Dark (48 points) leads the Champion Middle Distance category from Puerto Manzano (42), Make It Snappy (32), Gr 2 Peninsula handicap winner, Nexus (32), and Kommetdieding (24).

Grade 2 New Turf Carriers Cape Stayers winner Salvator Mundi (23 points) heads the Champion Stayer category from dual Listed stayers’ winner Arumugam (12), Nebraas (10), and Senso Unico (10) and Grade 3 Chairman’s Cup winner Chrome Yellow (10).

Equus Awards 2023 – Points Tables to 30 January 2023