Get set for Greyville thriller

AL MUTHANA and Trip Of Fortune, winners of the Grade 1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth and the Grade 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes at Turffontein respectively, face off against three-year-old Charles Dickens on Saturday with the winner in line to potentially be crowned Champion Miler for the season.

The three top 1 600m equine athletes line up in the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge at Hollywoodbets Greyville.

The three mentioned races are the only Grade 1 races over 1 600m around the country that are open to all horses.

It is, however, the youngster which tops the World Sports Betting board at 9-20 for the win.

That he deserves favouritism is undeniable after his victories in the Grade 1 Cape Guineas and the Grade 2 WSB Guineas for three-year-olds.

Trained by Candice BassRobinson, Charles Dickens will be the runner to beat.

Al Muthana, now trained by Ricky Maingard, will not give up his title without a fight and is one of only two horses in the country to have beaten Charles Dickens, the other being See It Again, who is currently the favourite for the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

Considering that Charles Dickens and Al Muthana are the two highest rated runners in South Africa with a rating of 132, racing aficionados are in for a thriller.

Cousin Casey, another three-year-old in Saturday’s line-up, has the benefit of jumping from pole position, so cannot be disregarded.

Also run at the meeting is the Grade 2 East Coast Radio Tibouchina Stakes for fillies and mares over 1 400m.