Dave The King lands a major for Gary Player

Dave The King has taken Gary Player to an long-desired spot at the top of the South African horse racing tree.

The four-year-old gelding, trained by Mike de Kock, was named Horse of the Year at the 2024 Equus Awards ceremony in Cape Town on Thursday evening.

Dave The King was bred by Gary Player Stud and the golfing legend is a co-owner of the horse – along with other prominent racing figures Larry Nestadt and Kathryn Ralphs.

Two victories at Greyville during the KwaZulu-Natal winter season – in the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge in June and the Grade 1 HKJC Champions Cup in July – clinched the title.

Player – one of only five winners of golf’s modern Grand Slam – has been a thoroughbred enthusiast for decades, breeding many successful horses at his erstwhile stud farm in the Karoo and racing some of them himself.

‘Deserving’ of the honour

He is not always mentioned among the wealthy people who have kept South African racing alive in rocky times, but he has been a stalwart with considerable investment into the game over many years and is one of those who might be said to be “deserving” of such a major honour.

The name Dave The King might have something to do with Player’s good friend Dave King, who is best known for owning Rangers Football Club in Glasgow and for his battles with South Africa’s Receiver of Revenue. King is less known for being Player’s occasional caddie – giving the golfer good material for some hilarious anecdotes and inspiration for naming his best horse.

Dave The King’s groom Lwandiso Jevu was named Groom of the Year.

There was pleasing synchronicity in the gelding being ridden to victory in the Champions Cup by new champion jockey Richard Fourie – giving the ace his 378th and final win of a phenomenal, record-shattering season.

Fourie’s feats saw him collect both Champion Jockey and Special Achievement Equus statuettes on Thursday.

The only serious challenger for the Horse of the Year gong was De Kock yard stablemate Gimme A Nother, the unbeaten three-year-old filly who was recently exported to the US.

Gimme A Nother took the Champion Three-year-old Filly title in a canter.

The awards were decided by a judging panel consisting of Tarquin Norval, Liesl King and Alistair Cohen.

THE WINNERS

Champion Two-Year-Old Filly
Nominees: VJ’s Angel, Quid Pro Quo
Champion: Quid Pro Quo

Champion Two-Year-Old Male
Nominees: Cats Pajamas, Cosmic Speed, Fire Attack, Proceed
Champion: Proceed

Champion Three-year-old filly
Nominees: Gimme A Nother, Beach Bomb
Champion: Gimme A Nother

Champion Three-year-old colt
Nominees: Main Defender, Green With Envy, Oriental Charm, Purple Pitcher
Champion: Green With Envy

Champion Older Female
Nominees: Princess Calla, Humdinger
Champion: Princess Calla

Champion Older Male
Nominees: Dave The King, Charles Dickens, Royal Victory, Thunderstruck.
Champion: Dave The King

Champion Sprinter
Nominees: Thunderstruck, Lucky Lad
Champion: Thunderstruck

Champion Miler
Nominees: Dave The King, Charles Dickens, Main Defender
Champion: Charles Dickens

Champion Middle Distance
Nominees: Royal Victory, Oriental Charm, Dave The King.
Champion: Royal Victory

Champion Stayer
Nominee: Red Maple, Purple Pitcher, Master Redoute.
Champion: Master Redoute

Champion Broodmare
Beach Beauty

Champion Sire
Gimmethegreenlight

Champion Breeders
Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein

Outstanding Breeder
Drakenstein Stud

Outstanding Stallion
One World

Champion Apprentice
Kobeli James Lihaba

Champion Jockey
Richard Fourie

Special Achievement
Richard Fourie

Champion Trainer
Justin Snaith

Champion Owner
Drakenstein Stud

Horse of the Year
Dave The King

Groom of the Year
Lwandiso Jevu

Print Media Award
Charl Pretorius

Photography Award
Chase Liebenberg

Broadcast Award
Vicky Minott