2 days ago
When Prince takes on King
Battle royal as racing season comes to a climax.
It's a right (or real?) royal battle of the definite articles: Dave The King versus The Real Prince.
The former (the monarch) has his nose in front of the latter (pretender to the throne) in ante-post betting for next weekend's HKJC Champions' Cup at Greyville.
But what will happen on the turf at Greyville on Sunday 28 July?
Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained Dave The King is available at 3.20, with Dean Kannemeyer's The Real Prince at 3.50.
The Grade 1 R1.5-million Champion's Cup is Race 8 on the card of the final major fixture of the 2024/25 racing season.
The super-smart De Kock team have stuck exactly to the plan that was so successful for their gelding in the 2024 Champions; Season: a pipe-opening 1500m Pinnacle Stakes win at Scottsville, then victory in the 1600m Gold Challenge. What they need for a mirror image campaign is another 1800m Champions' Cup.
The Real Prince's build-up to this race has been very different – but that doesn't mean Kannemeyer isn't a canny operator.
The four-year-old's 2025 season was geared to winning the Durban July – which he duly did – with clever dodges around lurking handicappers. A Champs' Cup would be icing on the cake, but no-one would be surprised if he managed it.
With just 10 races on his record, The Real Prince has been relatively lightly raced and he shows every indication of having improvement to come.
Betway's ante-post odds:
Dave The King – R3.20
The Real Prince – R3.50
Fire Attack, See It Again, Gladatorian, Royal Victory – R8.00
Montien, Son Of Raj – R20
Litigation – R51.00
