The Real Prince has all the class

THE Hollywoodbets Durban July is always the highlight of the South African horseracing season, but as it is a handicap the winner often doesn’t get an Equus Award.

- DAVID THISELTON

However, the winner will remain in racing fans’ memory banks forever, so in the season's aftermath some space should be allocated to this year’s winner The Real Prince as well as to trainer Dean Kannemeyer, jockey Craig Zackey and owner-breeder Lady Christine Laidlaw.

The first ingredient a Hollywoodbets Durban July winner needs is class.

Laidlaw

Lady Christine Laidlaw as well as her racing manager Jehan Malherbe and trainer Dean Kannemeyer must all take bows for that score.

Malherbe and Kannemeyer identified The Real Prince’s mother Real Princess (Trippi) and Laidlaw was willing to splash out a Sale-topping R2.7 million to secure her.

She has been a wonderful broodmare, as is well documented, and she was named Equus Champion Broodmare at this year’s awards.

The trio also identified Gimmethegreenlight as the stallion to send Real Princess to and Laidlaw boarded her mares at the top class and professional Varsfontein Stud, where Real Princess and her foals were always going to get the best care money can buy.

The next ingredient for a July winner is to be well handicapped and Kannemeyer and Malherbe ensured that would be the case by putting The Real Prince away after his eye-catching running on fourth in the Gr 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m.

That decision also included their belief that the horse would stay the 2200m trip of the July and, despite not many pundits agreeing with them on that score, they were ultimately proven correct.

Sufficient stamina capacity is a vital ingredient of a Hollywoodbets Durban July winner.