Dean Kannemeyer runs The Real Prince in the Gr 1 HKJC Champions Cup at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday.
Picture: Race Coast/ Candiese Lenferna
David Thiselton
Dean Kannemeyer felt the odds were against The Real Prince running in the Gr 1 HKJC Champions Cup shortly after he had won the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July and the fact he is lining up tells the story of how well he has pulled up from that toughest of races.
Kannemeyer also has a number of other runners with chances on World Pool Gold Cup day on Sunday.
He said about the July hero, The Real Prince, “He took his July run so well. The next morning we trotted him out and it didn’t look like he had had a run and he cleaned up his manger. So we nominated him and we have decided to give it a go.”
He continued, “We had to box smartly to come into the July with the correct weight, that’s why we didn’t race him in other races, because the next thing you run fourth in the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge behind Dave the King and I’ll end up carrying 58kg in the July or something. So we prepared him from home to win in July, which he duly did. He is now drawn one in a Gr 1 weight for age race. It is a different type of race to the July, but it is a very competitive weight for age race, it could be even more competitive than the July and that is what weight for age races are all about. All went well for us in the running in the July. He was perfectly placed in midfield, a nice sedate pace and he turned it on, he has got a helluva turn of foot.”
He said about the opposition on Sunday, “Dave The King has earned his stripes, especially over the 1600m trip, I know this is 1800m. Gladatorian ran a great race in the Gold Challenge. I think Royal Victory ran a great race in the July and others can be mentioned.”
He added, “The Real Prince is not out of place in this race at all. He’s a 125, he’s got the turn of foot and maybe he’ll even be better over the 1800m trip than the 2200m.”
Dean concluded, “Everybody always says third run back after a rest must be the best run and this is his third run after a rest! I say that tongue in cheek of course, but all is good with him. He is in great shape and he took his run exceptionally well.”
Dean has the favourite Princess Of Gaul in the Gr 2 World Pool With Race Coast Debutante over 1200m and said, “Who did she beat on debut? Some of those horses I could have run faster than, but she won by ten lengths, so you can’t do more than that. She’s nicely drawn, but has never been to Hollywoodbets Greyville and they can get lost. These two-year-old races, anything can happen. You have to be cautious first run out of the maidens, but she is a nice type of filly and she’s doing well and she galloped well on Monday morning.”
Dean fancies his other runner in the Debutante, Keukenhof, as much as Princess Of Gaul, but she does have a wide draw of eight to contend with.
He said, “She ran a great race in the Golden Slipper over 1400m on July day from a wide draw, she was flying and another stride she finishes fourth. Before that she was only beaten 1,50 lengths into fourth on the Gr 1 Allan Robertson over this trip. I might have preferred this to be a 1400m, but all is good with her.”
In the Gr 2 Follow @World Pool On X Stake Dean runs the promising Danon Platina colt Aristocratic, whom he put down in trip rather than run from a wide draw in the Gr 1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Champion Stakes over 1600m.
He said, “Last time he was bowled (in the Gr 2 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1400m). He jumped, it was an awkward bounce, and then he got himself into a lovely position, but the bloke outside of him just decided ‘I’m going there’. I don’t know if any action was taken against him but it was terrible riding, so Aristocratic actually clipped and was then suddenly third last. He flew up for fourth. I might have been a little bit more comfortable over 1400m, but he was still inexperienced last time and he’s doing well.”
Dean runs Teflon Man in the Listed Michel Nairac Appreciation Stakes over 1600m.
He said, “It’s the first time I have tried him over a mile, but in his 1200m wins he ran as if he would go 1400m to a mile. His last two runs have been a bit below his best, but his gallop on Monday was nice.”
He runs Outlaw King in the HKIR In December Umngeni Handicap over 1000m and said, “I had him in the Mercury, but he drew wide. He could be more comfortable over 1200 meters. However, he ran a very good race last time. He ran fifth in the Gr 2 Post Merchants. He should have been closer. It didn’t quite work out for him.”
From a fair draw of seven the Rafeef gelding could make amends.
