A final field of 13 horses has been declared for the 163rd renewal of South Africa’s premier weight-for-age mile, the R2 million Grade 1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate title at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday, 6 January 2024.
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Australian-bred six-year-old Al Muthana – from the Ricky Maingard yard and to be ridden by Bernard Fayd’herbe – will look to repeat his shock win in the 2023 race when he finished first, defying his 80/1 odds.
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A look at the latest odds suggests that this year’s race will be a two-horse affair between WSB Grade 2 Green Point Stakes winner See It Again and runner-up in this race last time, Charles Dickens.
The Michael Roberts-trained See It Again comprehensively beat Charles Dickens in the recent Green Point Stakes, although there were suggestions that the Candice Bass-Robinson galloper would be a fitter opponent come race day.
The latest Hollywoodbets odds have See It Again at 91/100 with Charles Dickens at 5/4.
Next best are Hluhluwe and Snow Pilot at a distant 16/1.
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Next year’s race sees five runners from the Justin Snaith yard, including recent Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas winner, Snow Pilot, and another Cape Guineas winner in Double Superlative.
The winner of the race – which will be contested over 1 600m – will take home R1 187 500 with second place worth R380 000.
The third place finisher will pocket R190 000, fourth R95 000 and fifth R47 500.
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The race is the seventh on the nine-race programme with the gates due to fly open at 16:10.
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L’Ormarins King’s Plate final field
Under draw, horse, weight, merit rating, jockey and trainer
| 1 | Cosmic Highway | 60 | 111 | Craig Zackey | Dean Kannemeyer |
| 2 | Snow Pilot | 55 | 116 | JP van der Merwe | Justin Snaith |
| 3 | Anfields Rocket | 60 | 117 | Luyolo Mxothwa | Brett Crawford |
| 4 | See It Again | 60 | 132 | Piere Strydom | Michael Roberts |
| 5 | Montien | 60 | 105 | Anthony Andrews | Piet Botha |
| 6 | Countdown | 60 | 108 | Raymond Danielson | Glen Kotzen |
| 7 | Charles Dickens | 60 | 132 | Aldo Domeyer | Candice Bass-Robinson |
| 8 | Speed Machine | 60 | 106 | Craig Bantam | Justin Snaith |
| 9 | King Regent | 60 | 115 | Gavin Lerena | Glen Kotzen |
| 10 | Hluhluwe | 55 | 111 | Grant van Niekerk | Justin Snaith |
| 11 | Double Superlative | 60 | 118 | Richard Fourie | Justin Snaith |
| 12 | Al Muthana (AUS) | 60 | 128 | Bernard Fayd’Herbe | Ricky Maingard |
| 13 | Royal Aussie | 60 | 118 | Muzi Yeni | Justin Snaith |