Mike de Kock's charge named Equus Horse of the Year 2024.
Dave King has taken Gary Player to the long-awaited top of the South African racing tree.
The four-year-old gelding, trained by Mike de Kock, was named Horse of the Year at the 2024 Equus Awards in Cape Town on Thursday evening.
Dave King was bred at Gary Player Stud, and the golf legend is a co-owner of the horse – along with fellow racing greats Larry Nestadt and Katherine Ralphs.
Two wins at Greyville during the KwaZulu-Natal winter season – the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge in June and the Grade 1 HKJC Champions Cup in July – secured the title.
The player, one of only five winners of golf's modern Grand Slam, has been a thoroughbred enthusiast for decades, breeding many successful horses at his former stud farm in the Karoo and racing some of them himself.
“Deserving” of this honor
He is not always mentioned among the wealthy individuals who have supported South African motor racing through tough times, but he has been a stalwart who has invested heavily in the game over the years and is one of those who could be said to be 'worthy' of such a high honour.
The name Dave King may have something to do with Player's good friend Dave King, who is best known as the owner of Glasgow's Rangers Football Club and his battles with revenue-earner South Africa. King is less well known as Player's occasional caddy, which provides the golfer with good material for some funny anecdotes and inspiration for the name of his best horse.
Dave King's fiance Lwandiso Jewu has been named Groom of the Year.
There was a pleasing synchronicity as new champion jockey Richard Furie rode the gelding to victory in the Champions Cup, giving him his 378th and final win of a phenomenal, record-breaking season.
For his achievements, Fury was awarded the Equus Champion Jockey and Champion Equestrian statues on Thursday.
The only serious contender for the Horse of the Year title was her stablemate at De Kock, the unbeaten three-year-old mare Gimme A Nother, recently exported to the United States.
Gimme A Nother won the title of champion three-year-old filly at the gallop.
The awards were judged by a panel of judges including Tarquin Norval, Liesl King and Alistair Cohen.
WINNERS
Champion, two-year-old mare
Nominees: Angel VJ, quid pro quo
Champion: Quid pro quo
Champion, two-year-old male
Nominees: Cat Pajamas, Space Velocity, Fire Attack, Sequel
Champion: Continue
Champion Three-Year-Old Mare
Nominees: Gimme A Nothing, Beach Bomb
Champion: Give me another one
Champion Three-year-old colt
Nominees: Head Defender, Green With Envy, Oriental Charm, Purple Pitcher
Champion: Green with envy
Senior Women's Champion
Nominees: Princess Calla, Humdinger
Champion: Princess Calla
Champion, Senior Man
Nominees: Dave Korol, Charles Dickens, “Royal Victory”, “Thunderstruck”.
Champion: Dave the King
Champion Sprinter
Nominees: Thunderstruck, lucky man
Champion: Struck by thunder
Champion Miller
Nominees: Dave King, Charles Dickens, The Chief Defender
Champion: Charles Dickens
Middle distance champion
Nominees: Royal Victory, Oriental Charm, Dave the King.
Champion: Royal Victory
Champion Stayer
Nominee: Red Maple, Purple Jug, Master Redoubt.
Champion: Master Redoubt
Champion Breeding Mare
Beach Beauty
Champion son
Give me the green light
Champion Breeders
Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritsfontein
Outstanding breeder
Drakenstein Stud Farm
Outstanding stallion
One World
Disciple of the Champion
Males James Lihaba
Champion jockey
Richard Fourie
Special Achievement
Richard Fourie
Champion Trainer
Justin Snaith
Champion Owner
Drakenstein Stud Farm
Horse of the Year
Dave the King
Groom of the year
Lwandiso Jevu
Print Media Award
Charles Pretorius
Best Photo Award
Chase Liebenberg
Broadcast Award
Vicky Minott