Al Muthana Earns BC Mile Berth With King's Plate Score

Al Muthana was overlooked by the bettors but came flying on the far outside Jan. 7 to defeat the previously unbeaten Charles Dickens by a neck in the R1.5 million King's Plate (G1) at Kenilworth Racecourse in Cape Town.

With the victory, the 80-1 shot earned an automatic berth into the $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

One race prior to the King's Plate, Make It Snappy held off defending winner Captain's Ransom  to take the R1 million Cartier Paddock Stakes (G1), earning a free berth into the $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1).

Now in its 17th season, the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race in the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.

Al Muthana, a 5-year-old Deep Field gelding out of the Redoute's Choice  mare El Daana , is trained by Ricky Maingard for owners D.K. Bundhoo, P.G. Joubert, K. Kathapermal, M.H. Maingard, and Mrs. T.R. McCrow. He won his second group 1 while scoring his eigth triumph in 18 starts, completing the mile in 1:38.22 over a course listed as good with Bernard Fayd'herbe in the irons.

Ten horses broke from the gate in the 162nd running of the King's Plate, which was headlined by the 4-5 favorite Charles Dickens, a 3-year-old winner of all six of his prior starts, and two-time defending winner Jet Dark . Al Muthana settled towards the rear of the field through the first quarter-mile, just behind Jet Dark, while Charles Dickens also stayed near the back, saving ground along the rail. Russian Rock set the pace until Charles Dickens made his move, edging closer to the front on the turn for home. At this point, Al Muthana was hitting his best stride and mounted a furious drive to the wire on the far outside ahead of a fast-moving Jet Dark. Charles Dickens hit the front inside the final sixteenth, and battled strongly to initially hold off Al Muthana, but was passed in the final yards.

Jet Dark finished third, followed by Kommetdieding . Waterberry Lane was scratched.

Al Muthana won his first top-level event last season, the June 11 Gold Challenge (G1) at Greyville, but finished off the board in two group 1 stakes in July to close out the year. He opened his new campaign with a 15th-place finish in the Dec. 11 Cape Merchants Stakes (G2) at Kenilworth. 

In the Paddock Stakes, Hollywood Syndicate's 5-2 Make It Snappy, ridden by Luyolo Mxothwa, led wire-to-wire and defeated seven rivals, holding off 4-5 favorite Captain's Ransom, the 2021-22 South African Horse of the Year, by a neck. Trained by Brett Crawford, Make it Snappy, a 3-year-old daughter of Dynasty  out of the Western Winter mare Icy Winter Air, completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:52.07.

Make It Snappy won her fourth consecutive race and improved her record to four wins in five starts. In her previous start, she captured the Dec. 3 Cape Fillies Guineas (G1) at Kenilworth.

As a part of the benefits of the Challenge series, the Breeders' Cup will pay the pre-entry and entry fees for the winners of Saturday's races to start in the World Championships. Breeders' Cup will also provide a $40,000 travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the Championships. The Challenge winners must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of Oct. 23 to receive the rewards.