#Charles Dickens

Racing in the Western Cape reverts to the Southern Suburbs venue on Saturday where the Gr3 Cape Classic for three-year-olds over 1400m tops the nine-race card, with three minor features presenting some testing options. The Hollywoodbets Punters' Challenge has proven a hit since being introduced in the Cape and on Wednesday one desperately unlucky…

Below are detailed notes on the individual lots: Lot 3: Cadenza - colt by Rafeef out of Casadesus: By the same sire as Gr1 winners Aragosta, Master Archie and Thunderstruck, as well as recent G2 Dingaans winner Union Square, Cadenza hails from a truly exceptional female line. She is out of the smart race mare Casadesus, who won three times up to…

With Charles Dickens out of the equation, the WSB Met, scheduled for January 28, could end up being one of the best races of the season from a betting perspective. The sponsors of the grade 1 race, World Sports Betting, have Jet Dark (7-2) and Kommetdieding (4-1) at the top of the market. This column's advice - don't touch these prices, for the…

It may be more than a coincidence that both these crack 3yo's chose to challenge themselves in open company, before taking on the best of their own year. Tony Mincione writes that anyone wondering if Brett Crawford's young filly, the rated 85, was being over-faced in the Summer Bowl (a stepped handicap for Fillies and Mares which capped horses 110…

Jockey Bernard Fayd'Herbe's delight in winning Saturday's L'Ormarins King's Plate at Kenilworth was just a tad diminished when he copped a stinging R40000 fine for misusing his crop on 80-1 upset winner Al Muthana. It might be a record-high fine for a crop miscalculation and one wonders whether the stipendiary stewards were as shocked at everyone…

Lovely Ride wins Saturday's Pippin Stakes at Oaklawn Park Coady Photography, courtesy of Oaklawn Park Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Trainer Bob Baffert saddled the first three finishers in Sunday's $100000 Grade III Sham Stakes at Santa Anita, a "Road to the Kentucky Derby" race, while the other weekend qualifier went to a colt who might find the Derby distance…

The Breeders' Cup Challenge series heads to Kenilworth racecourse in Cape Town, South Africa on Saturday with two qualifying races - one of which has a new name. With the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the former Queen's Plate is reverting to its previous name of the King's Plate (G1). Its winner will have automatic entry to the Breeders' Cup Mile…

The first Group 1 event of the year gets underway this Saturday as the running of this year's L'Ormarins King's Plate takes place at Kenilworth racecourse. Race 3 - Rascova Rascova offers great value in Race 3 on the card at Kenilworth. The 2-year-old filly was an impressive winner on debut over this course and distance at hefty odds. The form line…

Over 15000 people, dominated by groups of happy families, thronged through the newly painted gates of Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday to enjoy a day of top notch horseracing against the carnival backdrop of the local favourites, Die Kaapse Klopse, also known as the Hollywoodbets Cape Town Street Parade. It was a day that had even the…

The classic of kings boasts an honour roll of the very best of the sophomore crop over decades and the 2022 renewal promises a vintage contest, with stakes boosted substantially, and local boom horse Charles Dickens making his Gr1 debut as he takes on Gr1 winning fellow Capetonian Cousin Casey, and Mike de Kock's recent Gr2 Jonsson Workwear…

Candice Bass-Robinson comes across as a bubbly blonde, but racing folk are well aware this determined woman is anything but ditzy. She inherited a racing dynasty from one of the modern legends of the game, but there's no hint that she doesn't have the skill, knowledge and nous to be every bit as good a trainer of racehorses as her father…

As good as Sea Cottage and Horse Chestnut? That is hallowed turf that pundits are venturing onto in their assessment of a young horse called Charles Dickens. These are not racetrack BS artists, but respected people who know the game inside out - like Charles Faull, who described Charles Dickens's victory in a strong Allowance Plate at Kenilworth on…

Charles Dickens from the Candice Bass-Robinson yard takes his place in Race 7 and he is the best bet on the card. He is unbeaten from four starts to date. He was super-impressive when winning the Grade 3 Cape Classic over this distance on the winter course last time. It must be noted that the form of that race has been franked. This is a prep run…

Taking on five accomplished older campaigners and giving 9 kgs to a promising, albeit less experienced peer, the handsome chestnut never came off the bit as he cruised home to win the R130000 Allowance Plate over 1400m with contemptuous ease under regular pilot Aldo Domeyer. He is now undefeated in five starts and has been described by his…

The R150000 Listed Hollywoodbets Settlers Trophy ended well enough for most punters with the tote favourite winning it to save those that included the fancied Baratheon who kicked the back gates of the starting stalls and caught his leg in the back gates, before being withdrawn. It was a terrific day on the racing and social front, with the feature…

Friday September 2, 7.50pm AEST MCG, Melbourne The reigning premiers facing off against one of the most consistently dominant teams of the 21st century? Charles Dickens might've written'A Tale Of Two Cities' over a few cold froths a couple of centuries back, but Friday night looks to write a new chapter in the storied Melbourne-Sydney…