The highest rated three-year-old in the country, Charles Dickens, will not be among the entrants for the Hollywoodbets Durban July this year. Photo: Chase Liebenberg
Cape Town Met: Charles Dickens WON’T run
Charles Dickens will not take his place in the 2023 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday, 28 January.
The highest rated three-year-old in the country, Charles Dickens, will not be among the entrants for the Hollywoodbets Durban July this year. Photo: Chase Liebenberg
Unbeaten three-year-old Charles Dickens will not take his place in the 2023 World Sports Betting Grade 1 Cape Town Met at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday, 28 January.
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The favourite for Saturday, 7 January’s R2 million Grade 1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate is on the verge of his seventh straight victory after winning the Hollywoodbets Grade 1 Cape Guineas last month.
Charles Dickens faces his sternest test this weekend in the prestigious weight-for-age mile (1 600m).
But he won’t take to the starting gates in the Met three weeks later.
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“He has done magnificently well this season and we don’t feel it is fair to push him by running him in the Met. He can always come back for the 2024 renewal,” trainer Candice Bass-Robinson told the Sporting Post on Monday.
The only supplementary entry to date for the Met is WSB Grade 1 Cape Fillies Guineas winner Make It Snappy.
Final supplementary entries for the 2 000m contest will close on Monday, 10 January at 11:00 when weights will be published.
Met declarations are due on Wednesday, 19 January at 11:00.
Barrier draws will be done electronically by the National Racing Bureau (NRB) on the same day.
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With Charles Dickens no longer taking part, the latest Hollywoodbets ante-post betting shows Jet Dark has been installed as the 5/2 favourite, followed by Kommetdieding (28/10), Golden Ducat (7/1) and Universal (8/1).
CAPE TOWN MET PROVISIONAL ENTRY LIST
| Jet Dark | (5H) | 130 | Justin Snaith | |
| Kommetdieding | (5H) | 129 | HWJ Crawford/M Rix | |
| Charles Dickens | Scratched | (3C) | 128 | Candice Bass-Robinson |
| Do It Again | (8G) | 126 | Justin Snaith | |
| Al Muthana (AUS) | (5G) | 125 | Ricky Maingard | |
| Golden Ducat | (6G) | 125 | Eric Sands | |
| Linebacker | (5G) | 124 | Vaughan Marshall | |
| Safe Passage | (4G) | 124 | Mike de Kock | |
| Rascallion | (5G) | 122 | Vaughan Marshall | |
| Sparkling Water | (5M) | 122 | Mike de Kock | |
| Belgarion | (7G) | 121 | Justin Snaith | |
| Rain In Holland | (4F) | 118 | Sean Tarry | |
| Zapatillas | (4C) | 118 | Brett Crawford | |
| Marina | (5M) | 117 | Candice Bass-Robinson | |
| Chansonette | Scratched | (4F) | 116 | Andre Nel |
| Pomp And Power | (4G) | 116 | Justin Snaith | |
| Universal | (4G) | 116 | Adam Marcus | |
| Waterberry Lane | (4G) | 116 | Dean Kannemeyer | |
| Cousin Casey | (3C) | 115 | Glen Kotzen | |
| $Make It Snappy | (3F) | 115 | Brett Crawford | |
| Airways Law | (5G) | 112 | Andre Nel | |
| Silvano’s Timer | (5G) | 109 | Dean Kannemeyer | |
| Senso Unico | Scratched | (4G) | 106 | Vaughan Marshall |
| Gem King | (4G) | 104 | Piet Steyn | |
| Winchester Mansion | (4C) | 99 | Brett Crawford | |
| Pacaya | (4G) | 98 | Justin Snaith | |
| Baratheon | (4G) | 96 | Piet Botha |
