Hollywoodbets Durban July: Charles Dickens the favourite

Charles Dickens has been installed as the early ante-post favourite for the 127th renewal of the Hollywoodbets Durban July to be run on Saturday, 1 July 2023.

According to the Sporting Post website, the 2 200m contest is internationally regarded as the holy grail of South African horseracing.

The 2022 Hollywoodbets Durban July was won at Hollywoodbets Greyville by Mike de Kock’s Sparkling Water, becoming her late multiple champion sire Silvano’s fifth winner of the race.

But all the attention and focus will be on Candice Bass-Robinson’s Charles Dickens, who is currently available at 3/1 and bids to become the third 3-year-old to win the race in the past six renewals.

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 (2 000m) at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday, 25 February.

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 2 200m and Trippi’s record is there for all to see. We will know more after the Cape Derby,” he said.

The latest Hollywoodbets odds show Cousin Casey is second-favourite at 6/1, followed by Pomp And Power (8/1) and Safe Passage (10/1).

Rockpool (25/2) and Puerto Manzano (14/1) are next best.

Sparking Water and Rascallion are both on offer at 16/1.