See It Again (speed score 107) produced a career best in the Cape Derby to provide former legendary jockey, Michael Roberts with his first G1 victory as a trainer. The horse started at 50/1, upsetting 1/5 odds on favorite Charles Dickens, who ducked in badly after taking the lead inside the final stages, only to succumb to See It Again’s rally, under an inspired Piere Strydom ride.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Roberts quipped, “but I haven’t had the horses till this one came along. After he beat Canadian Summer in November over a mile, I said that he would win a G1. People thought I was over-rating the horse, but I knew he could do it. He needed his first run in the Cape and had to get used to the left-handed Kenilworth course. I rate Rachel Venniker highly, but she just got too far back on him at his next start in the Gold Rush.” continued Roberts, who applauded Strydom’s wizardry in the big one.
For his part, the canny veteran, Strydom joked, “Each time I’m getting all set to retire another good opportunity comes along – there’s Lady of Power up in Joburg next week and See It Again here! In this race, my only chance to beat Charles Dickens was to use wind resistance, cover my mount up, then make a late run.”
Indeed, it was a master class by Strydom, who judged the come home sectionals off a fast pace to perfection – 47.42 for the final 800m and 35.2 for the 600m to finish.
What can one say about Charles Dickens, at one stage running numbers suggesting he was up with the best in SA’s rich thoroughbred history? The harsh assessment is that after the Cape Guineas tour de force where he hit a truly outstanding speed score of around 118, he has noticeably regressed.
It is churlish to be critical of such a brave and magnificent horse just edged out in successive G1’s – the King’s Plate (s/s 107) and Cape Derby (s/s 105). There is no disgrace in that, after all. But his figures have dropped off, both since that remarkable Guineas performance, as well as the thrashing whilst conceding weight he meted out to older Cape Guineas winner Russian Rock in November when scoring a tremendous 114 +.
In mitigation, he’s had a tough summer campaign and could probably do with a proper pause/refresh to revitalize physically. It will be interesting to see how Charles Dickens develops into his four-year-old season….