Dean Kannemeyer’s lightly raced 4yo The Real Prince is happy and healthy and on track for a run in the R5 million Hollywoodbets Gr1 Durban July.
“He will be fighting fit on the big day!”
That was the confident word from Kannemeyer in response to a Sporting Post enquiry after the son of Gimmethegreenlight was not accepted to run in Saturday’s Hollywoodbets Gr1 Gold Challenge, which on the face of it appeared to be a potential final start before 5 July.
The Real Prince – classy sort and will be tested on 5 July (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
An eyecatching winner of the City Of Cape Town Listed Jet Master Stakes at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth at his first try at a mile in late February, The Real Prince made his first appearance on the East Coast in the IOS Gr2 Drill Hall Stakes and dashed through late off a wide draw to be beaten 1,35 lengths at level weights by Gladatorian. A decent effort!
See It Again carried the same weight and was only 0,05 lengths behind the winner.
That means that The Real Prince will come into the Hollywoodbets Durban July off a nine week break.
Dean Kannemeyer – walked this road before (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
A three-times Durban July winning trainer, Kannemeyer said that lengthy discussions had been held with Khaya Stables racing manager Jehan Malherbe and his team, and all options had been weighed up.
“In an ideal world, I would have liked to have given him a run in a Pinnacle Stakes, but there was no race that suited him. We had considered the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge and the Cup Trial as options. In the last mentioned race, he would have come in with a big weight. The reality is that we had to weigh up, excuse the pun, the chances of running a few lengths off the big guns in the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge and getting a penalty which knocks his July prospects. Or get him fit at home and go straight into the big race. We eventually decided on the latter.”
Kannemeyer said that he would gallop The Real Price in about ten days from today (Wednesday 4 June) and then give him his final work in the official Hollywoodbets Durban July gallops on Thursday 26 June.
“We have considered all factors and the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge is a prestigious contest that we’d love to have tried to win. But we will go with our collective experience and expertise, and I’m confident we will have him ready.”
A question mark against The Real Prince is also the unknown of his ability to see out the 2200m.
“The first time we ran him at a mile, he won the listed feature on Cape Derby day and ran away from his opposition. The Real Prince is a full-brother to champion sprinter Gimme A Prince and their dam Real Princess was a champion sprinter in her own right. But the second dam, Fort Wood daughter Pagan Princess, is a source of stamina. In fact The Real Prince’s 2yo full-brother is in training with me and is a fellow that looks like he will go a trip. This is a genuine high-class family!” enthused Kannemeyer.
Regular pilot Craig Zackey said in a chat earlier this year that The Real Prince had started his career late. “The mile was what he was looking for. He’s an exciting horse for the SA Champions Season.”
The Real Prince is currently quoted at 25-1 in the Hollywoodbets Durban July ante-post market.
Rated 120, he would carry 56,5kgs in the big race with See It Again on topweight of 60kgs.
The Real Prince was at 12 on the first log, with the publication of the next Hollywoodbets Durban July standings due on Tuesday 10 June. Second declarations close at 11h00 on Monday 9 June.
Final supplementary entries close at 11h00 on Tuesday 17 June, on which date the weights will be published.
The final field and draw announcement will take place on Tuesday 24 June, with a final field of 20 horses to be carded (18 plus 2 reserves).
The reserves are to be scratched by 08h15 on Friday 4 July. Elimination will be at the sole and unfettered discretion of Gold Circle.
Save the date for the official public gallops on Thursday 26 June!
