High Expectations for Candice and Charles Dickens



Candice Bass-Robinson comes across as a cheerful blonde, but racing fans know that this determined woman is not at all flighty. She inherited a racing dynasty from one of the game’s modern-day legends, but there’s no hint that she doesn’t have the skills, knowledge, or intelligence to be as good a racehorse trainer as her father, Mike.

Bass-Robinson sent the local racing world a reminder of her talent and tenacity at Kenilworth on Saturday when she rode five winners on a nine-race kart, including three.

Five winners

Defining Moment (16-1) won the fourth race, Golden Hostess (12-1) – Prestige Plate, Resonate – Southeaster Sprint, Charles Dickens – Cape Classic and Sun Dazed – the last race.

Most notable was Charles Dickens’ easy win in the 3rd class main event – a performance that extended the three-year-old colt’s unbeaten streak to four and should have seen him start with short odds in the upcoming 1st class event.

ALSO READ: Kenilworth shows Eskom how to do maintenance

“I thought we might have a good day on Saturday, but you never expect that many wins!” she laughed on Monday. “We had some very good runners, but they didn’t do easy races – with the exception of Charles Dickens.”

Marinaresco

Bass-Robinson already had a five-time victory – at the country circuit in Durbanville – but it was her biggest success at the main Cape Town circuit. She quickly recalls another big day at Kenilworth when she won two 1st class trophies a couple of years ago and another Cape Town day race.

Of course her Durban Triumph in July with Marinaresco – that she became the first woman to coach the winner of the biggest race in South Africa – will forever be remembered. But you wouldn’t bet on much more important moments for the 48-year-old Queen of Milnerton.

ALSO READ: How Henry Devine was forced to buy Jet Master

Firstly, she is confident that the 2022/2023 season will be her best season to date: “Now we have a lot of good horses.”

And winning the Western Cape coaches’ championship is “always one of my goals.” Watch your back, Justin Snaith.

Charles Dickens is likely to be a key weapon in the Bass-Robinson offense this season. The coach hopes trippy’s mighty son will prove himself in much more territory than Saturday’s 1400m Cape Classic.

Somerset Maugham

“His sibling Somerset Maugham recently won over 2000m and also over 1800m,” notes Bass-Robinson.

Both Somerset Maugham, bred by the aforementioned Cape High Commander Snaith, and Charles Dickens came from the first-class racehorse of the Demanding Lady, owned by the Dynasty, source of blood endurance. Both were bred and kept in the possession of Gaynor Rupert’s Drakenstein Stud.

Bass-Robinson is considering giving Charles Dickens another outing ahead of the 1600m guinea race on December 17 for a massively increased stake of R2 million courtesy of sponsor Hollywoodbets. The queen’s plate is also on the drawing board afterwards.

“I will play by ear, but I would like to give him a warm-up before the Guineas. In mid-November there will be a 1200m race that I’m looking at.”

“Charles” is clearly the apple of his trainer’s eye and has no contenders for “#1” in the yard, although she mentions a six-time winner of Trip Of Fortune’s four-year-old gelding and a brilliant four-year-old filly. Marina as the horses that will lead the competition this semester.

A serious illness may have sidelined Mike Bass for a while, but he is back at the Bass Racing stables every day doing the work his daughter has done for him for over 20 years. A good stable assistant to have on hand for occasional consultations.