Dave is King at Equus Awards

Dave The King was crowned South Africa’s Champion Horse Of The Year at the 2024 Equus Awards Banquet held at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Racecourse last night.

Owned by Messrs Lindsay Ralphs, Gary Player and Larry Nestadt and trained by Mike de Kock, Dave The King showed tremendous improvement after being gelded back in November and was the only horse through the course of the season to pick up victories in two Super Grade 1 events.

The first came in June when scoring in the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge (WFA) over 1600m, and then seven weeks later the son of Global View trounced a high-quality field when taking out the Hong Kong Jockey Club Champions Cup (WFA) over 1800m.

Dave The King was bred at the Gary Player Stud.

Dave The King’s stable companion, Gimme A Nother, was a strong contender for the title having remained unbeaten throughout the season, but she did not take on the males and was an obvious winner of the Equus Champion Three-Year-Old Filly title for owner-breeders Mauritzfontein Stud.

Sensational juvenile filly Quid Pro Quo, owned and bred by Gerald Kalil and trained by Barend Botes, was a dominant winner of the Champion Two-Year-Old Filly category but the equivalent for the juvenile Colts & Geldings was somewhat more competitive, with the Trophy being awarded to Gold Medallion (G1) winner, Proceed, from the stable of Sean Tarry and sporting the silks of the Wernars family.

Dual Grade 1-winning Green With Envy was voted Champion Three-Year-Old Colt ahead of fellow nominees Purple Pitcher, Main Defender, Lucky Lad and Hollywoodbets Durban July hero Oriental Charm.

Trained by Dean Kannemeyer and racing in the colours of Christine Laidlaw’s Khaya Stables, Green With Envy was born and raised at the Varsfontein Stud.

Lucky Lad was also a nominee in the Champion Sprinter category but was upstaged by stablemate Thunderstruck who has now gone on to take up stud duties at Ridgemont South Africa.

The judging panel were divided when it came to debating the Champion Sprinter Award, but Thunderstruck got the “split-vote” winner.

Charles Dickens was voted Champion Miler following his victory in the L’Ormarins King’s Plate, Royal Victory Champion Middle Distance Horse as a result of his successes in the Betway Summer Cup (G1) and World Pool Premier’s Champions Challenge (G1) at Turffontein, while Master Redoute walked off with the Champion Stayer title having won both the New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers over 2800m and the World Pool Gold Cup over 3200m on the final day of the Season.

Dave The King was also voted Champion Older Male (any distance) while the Equus trophy for Champion Older Female went to recently exported Princess Calla.

COMPLETE LIST OF AWARD WINNERS

Equine awards

Champion Two-Year-Old Filly – QUID PRO QUO

Champion Two-Year-Old Colt – PROCEED

Champion Three-Year-Old Filly – GIMME A NOTHER

Champion Three-Year-Old Colt – GREEN WITH ENVY

Champion Sprinter – THUNDERSTRUCK

Champion Miler – CHARLES DICKENS

Champion Middle Distance Horse – ROYAL VICTORY

Champion Stayer – MASTER REDOUTE

Champion Older Female – PRINCESS CALLA

Champion Older Male – DAVE THE KING

Horse Of The Year – DAVE THE KING

Human Awards

Champion Apprentice – Kobeli James Lihaba

Champion Jockey – Richard Fourie

Champion Trainer – Justin Snaith

Champion Owner – Drakenstein Stud

Champion Breeder – Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein

Champion Sire - Gimmethegreenlight

Champion Broodmare – Beach Beauty

Outstanding Breeder – Drakenstein Stud

Outstanding Stallion – One World

Media Award (Broadcast) – Vicky Minott

Media Award (Print) – Charl Pretorius

Media Award (Photographic) – Chase Liebenberg.