Public could play vital role in outcome of horse-of-the-year award

In an unusual state of affairs, the public could have a huge influence on the outcome of the Equus Horse of the Year award for the 2022/23 season.

Next month’s award rests between two talented three-year-olds, Charles Dickens and See It Again. At present, the former is favourite to take the trophy.

However, should See It Again win the Hong Kong World Pool Champions Cup on July 29 — he is not yet a confirmed runner — it will reduce the points advantage to just four points in favour of Charles Dickens.

This is where the public vote could be crucial. The award is decided by the points table, an expert panel and public vote.

Though he didn’t run in the Durban July, Charles Dickens has a huge following with racing fans. A survey might prove he is the horse they know best — not See It Again.

Charles Dickens supporters can point to the fact that Candice Bass-Robinson’s star has won two grade 1s, a grade 2 and a grade 3 whereas See It Again has won two grade 1s and a listed race.

For the record, Charles Dickens won the grade 1 Cape Guineas, the grade 1 Gold Challenge and the grade 3 Cape Classic. He has beaten older horses whereas See It Again has not.

See It Again won the grade 1 Splashout Derby and grade 1 Daily News 2000, both restricted to three-year-olds. It was a top performance to finish second in the Durban July carrying 56.5kg. Legislate, a three-year-old at the time, won the 2014 race with 56kg.

Trainer Michael Roberts can book his ticket to Johannesburg for next month’s awards as See It Again is certain to be named Middle Distance Champion.

It won’t be lost on the former top jockey — champion in the UK in 1992 — that the decision he and owner Nic Jonsson make about See It Again’s participation in the Champions Cup will affect the horse-of-the-year award.

Roberts has told Turftalk he will “play it by ear” and decide nearer acceptance time whether the colt had too hard a race in the Durban July and will rest him ahead of the Cape season.

Jonsson is a “hands on” and passionate owner who will put the welfare of the horse first. We saw proof of this when he turned down an invitation to run in the Breeders Cup with his star performer, Jet Dark. It would be no great surprise if he called it a day for the season for the son of Twice Over who cost him just R125,000 when purchased from Drakenstein Stud.

This writer was in the box next to Jonsson at Greyville on July day and there was a clear sense of anticipation among his guests. No surprise he held three cards in his hand in See It Again, veteran Do It Again and Without Question.

If one had suggested to Jonsson before the R5m race that Do It Again would finish seven lengths in front of Without Question (a heavily backed 8-1 shot), he would probably have suggested they needed to visit the course’s medical unit.

Without Question — a R300,000 buy from Cheveley Stud — had finished an excellent third behind See It Again in the Daily News 2000. Little wonder many pundits (happily this column fancied Winchester Mansion and Racallion) rowed in with Richard Fourie’s mount.

One fact is certain — the Equus awards will go ahead in Johannesburg next month. This might not be the outcome for award ceremonies in the US where Hollywood actors are on strike following the breakdown in negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.