Charles Dickens to ‘beat em’ at Matchem Stakes

There will be a buzz around Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday as arguably the most talked-about horse of last season, Charles Dickens, makes his return to the racecourse.

This is a horse whose allure has engendered tears of joy from the likes of owner Gaynor Rupert and jockey Aldo Domeyer, both of whom have maintained that this son of Trippi has enhanced their lives.

We last saw him in action at Hollywoodbets Greyville in the Grade 1 Gold Challenge over 1600m on 10 June which he won without too much fuss, rubberstamping his reputation as the best miler in the land.

On Saturday he makes his seasonal debut in the Grade 3 Hollywoodbets Matchem Stakes over 1400m, and is firmly expected to improve his record to nine wins and two seconds from 11 starts.

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Trainer Candice Bass-Robinson is not one to overgilt the lily when talking about her runners but there was no overlooking the enthusiasm she exuded when talking about the stable champion.

“He’s doing really nicely, he’s always doing well at home,” she told Cape Racing. “I took him to Durbanville on Tuesday, he had a nice gallop, a good blow there.

“Obviously, he’s going to have a long season ahead of him so I need him to be quite fresh for the race on Saturday.

“He’s taken his gallop well and he’s nice and fresh. Aldo cantered him in the sand, he’s full of beans and he looks great.

“He’s a much stronger horse this season and I think he takes his work a lot better than he used to. As a young three-year-old they can lighten up a little bit after their races but he’s matured into a really good-looking horse and I expect a really good season from him.”

So, it comes as no surprise bookmakers have priced him up at around 3-10 to win Race 6. Only six runners have been brave enough to oppose him and the runner most likely to issue any sort of challenge is Dean Kannemeyer-trained Gimme A Prince.

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This five-year-old gelding is no slouch and he picked up two Grade 1 wins last season – the Cape Flying Championship and the Golden Horse Sprint. He is quite capable over 1400m but although making up ground hand-over-fist in the Drill Hall Stakes, he was beaten by Trip Of Fortune who has twice proved no match for younger stable companion Charles Dickens.

Bass-Robinson, Domeyer and Drakenstein could make it a feature double one race later when Golden Hostess lines up in the Grade 3 Hollywoodbets Diana Stakes for fillies and mares, also over 1400m.

This Gold Standard filly performed well against some of the best of her sex in the country throughout her three-year-old campaign, including at Grade 1 and Grade 2 level.

In KwaZulu-Natal she held her own during the winter in three starts, all from wide draws.

Golden Hostess, despite the strength and consistency of that form, returns to action off a two-point lower mark but is still the best-weighted runner in the race on official ratings. She is versatile, effective from 1000m to 1600m, and has a good record racing fresh after a break.