Trainer Comments Queens plate by David Thiselton

Sean Tarry, speaking about the crucial question of pace in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate to be run over 1600m at Kenilworth on Saturday, reckoned it might be forced by jockeys wishing to keep the top two in the betting, Variety Club and Jackson, out from their wide draws.



His Vodacom Durban July winner, the ever-improving Pomodoro, has drawn nicely in seven and looks to be a major threat to Variety Club, who holds the unofficial crown of South Africa’s top miler.



Pomodoro, a four-year-old Jet Master colt, is unbeaten since a shoulder niggle was discovered before his famous Vodacom Durban July victory.



The niggle might have explained why he shifted badly late when dead-heating in the SA Derby and almost certainly explained why he cantered down to the start so poorly before staying on for fifth in the Daily News 2000.



However, since then Pomodoro is unbeaten, winning the July by a whisker from an impossible draw and then being most impressive in his two comeback races this season. He flew at the finish to beat some good sprinters over 1200m on November 13 and then toyed with some useful sorts over a mile in his last start.



Those wins have left people questioning whether he might just be something special and Saturday’s race will likely answer the question.



However, Tarry erred on the side of caution, “He is better as a four-year-old and did nothing wrong as a three-year-old. The distance of the Queen’s Plate won’t be a problem as he won a 1200m race and won the Tony Ruffel over 1450m of the Turffontein inside track as a three-year-old. But I think Variety Club might just be a better miler.”



Variety Club, however, has to overcome a draw of 15 in the 15 horse field.



Tarry said, “I can’t see much pace in the race, so Variety Club will probably overcome the draw with ease, unless Jackson keeps him out. Jackson is a top horse in his own right.” Jackson is drawn two berths inside of Variety Club in 13.



Tarry continued, “We have no complaints about our draw.”



He mused, “The pace might be forced by the jockeys wanting to keep Variety Club and Jackson out.” However, in Variety Club’s favour is his phenomenal gate speed, which should allow him to get to the front virtually for free.



Also, due to the use of false rails in South Africa, jockeys out here are not as tactically aware as their overseas counterparts. They don’t have to worry about getting a run in the straight and can afford to sit on the rail behind horses.



This is a contributory factor to the generally slower pace of races out here, especially at Kenilworth where jockeys are reluctant to lead due to the prevailing South Easterly headwind.



Pomodoro is due to arrive in Cape Town today, together with his stable mate, the Grade 1 Maine Chance Paddock Stakes contender Happy Archer. They will stay in pre-quarantine conditions at the Kenilworth racecourse.



Tarry will give them a canter on the grass before the big day, although he is not concerned about having to show them the course as they have both proven themselves on left hand turns.



Pomodoro won his maiden over 1600m at Clairwood and followed up by winning the Listed Guineas Trial over the same course and distance.



Happy Archer won over 1600m at Clairwood in comfortable fashion last season and the season before finished a narrow second in the Grade 2 Tibouchina Stakes over 1450m at the same course. She should handle the 1800m trip on Saturday as she won the weight for age Grade 2 Gold Bracelet over 2000m at Greyville at the end of last season, fighting back courageously in the closing stages under Anton Marcus.



Against her is that she has drawn very wide at 13 in the 15 horse field and, furthermore, has occasionally been headstrong.



The latter tendency was her undoing last time out when pulling in soft going over 1800m at Turffontein and duly finding nothing in the finish.



The five-year-old Dubawi mare’s class is not in doubt as she already has two Grade 1 wins to her name. Tarry said, “Her race will depend on how she reacts from that wide draw. But, if it doesn’t pan out at least she will still be down there already for the (Klawervlei) Majorca Stakes (run over a mile on J&B Met day.)”



Piere Strydom, who leads the National Jockey’s log at present, rides both Pomodoro and Happy Archer.

Brett Crawford said jockey Karis Teetan’s tactics on Jackson in Saturday’s prestigious L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate over 1600m at Kenilworth would likely depend on his initial perceptions of the pace.



The four-year-old Dynasty colt was dropped out from a wide draw in his last start in the Grade 2 Green Point Stakes over the 1600m of the tighter Kenilworth Old Course and had too much to do in the straight, so was never going to catch Variety Club, although he ran on strongly for a 2,5 length second.



However, Crawford did not discount a repeat of those tactics and said, “Saturday’s race is on the new course (which has a considerably longer straight) and obviously on the Old course it was harder to make up the ground.”



Crawford also pointed out that Variety Club had drawn wide this time, as opposed to pole position in the Green Point, which brought about the possibility of a change in tactics with Teetan’s initial reading of the pace likely being the key factor in how the horse’s race would pan out.



He confirmed Jackson to be in great shape having come through his final gallop very well. Jackson is drawn at 13 in the 15 horse field, with his chief rival Variety Club drawn on the very outside. Pomodoro, who is seen as the biggest danger to the top two, has drawn nicely at seven.



Jackson is known for his superb turn of foot and is able to maintain his finishing speed all the way to the line, so is sure to be right there on Saturday.



Crawford had better luck with the draw in the Grade 1 Maine Chance Paddock Stakes.



Thunder Dance, the defending champion, has drawn four and Frequent Flyer is drawn two. Crawford was bullish about their chances and said both were “very, very well.”



He said, “Thunder Dance is a proven Grade 1 winner so would have to be the pick.”



However, Frequent Flyer is ultra consistent and can be relied on to do her best. She has a Grade 1 second over 1600m to her name as well as two Grade 2 thirds over 1450m and 2000m respectively.



In her last start she finished a fighting 0,7 length fourth in the Grade 3 Victress Stakes from a wide draw over the Maine Chance Paddock Stakes course and distance. Before that she won in fine style over 1600m of the Kenilworth Old Course under Karl Neisius, who is back aboard again.



Thunder Dance, meanwhile, bounced back to her best last time when winning the Non-Black Type Jet Master Stakes over 1600m. Her Champions Season campaign in Durban, which followed her Paddock Stakes win, was blighted with problems and she never got going.



The superbly-bred Jet Master filly, who is out of a Fort Wood mare, oozes class and is likely to be a better horse than when winning last season’s Paddock Stakes.



She used her fine turn of foot and finishing speed to get the better of Beach Beauty in that race, which was run at an absolute crawl.



Karis Teetan received wide praise for a brilliant tactical ride back then, but is unlikely to have to deal with a crawl this year. There is a field of 15 runners, compared to only six last year, and one of them is Viva Maria, who galloped the field into the ground when winning the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 at Greyville last season.



Thunder Dance’s great draw will not make it easy for the gallant Beach Beauty, who comes off a fine win of the Grade 2 Premier’s Trophy over course and distance against the boys, to gain revenge.



Crawford runs the three-year-old Stronghold colt, Patriotic Rebel, in the Listed Breeder’s Cup Politician Stakes over 1800m, the race in which Jackson announced his arrival last season before going on to an equally brilliant win in the Grade 1 Investec Cape Derby. Crawford said, “It’s his first test, but he’s a very nice, progressive horse and I’m sure he will run a good race.”

Gavin van Zyl was highly impressed with a gallop that his L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate contestants Slumdogmillionaire and Bulsara put up on the Summerveld beach sand on Saturday under their respective big race pilots Brandon Lerena and MJ Odendaal.



“Slumdogmillionaire has improved lengths with that last run,” said Van Zyl. “I think he is going to put his hand up on Saturday and say I’m here. I’m not sure where he will finish. The 1600m is his minimum trip. I have a lot of respect for Variety Club. He is a great horse. But if Slumdogmillionaire finishes within two lengths of him in the mile race he is going to say ‘I’m here’ for the Met.”



Bulsara finished upsides Slumdogmillionaire on Saturday in an equally good gallop and Van Zyl said, “Everything is ideal for him in the Queen’s Plate. I think that’s his best trip and I think he will finish in the first four.”



Van Zyl had amazing luck in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate draw, landing berth one for Slumdogmillionaire and berth two for Bulsara.



The pair travel to Cape Town on Tuesday (8 January 2013).



Van Zyl admitted that how well they travelled would have some bearing on their performance and mentioned the prevailing hot weather as a negative in that respect.

However, he was not too concerned about the journey and reminded, “Mike de Kock’s horses have been able to do it. Horses are able to travel.”



Slumdogmillionaire, a four-year-old Strike Smartly colt, won the Grade 1 SA Classic over 1800m at Turffontein in March, but was subsequently found to have a small chip in a fetlock joint that required surgery.



His comeback was in the Grade 3 Christmas Handicap over 1600m on Boxing Day.



After chasing a strong pace he was caught late, but rallied to finish fourth just 0,65 lengths behind the winner Silver Age, to whom he gave 10kg.



Bulsara, a six-year-old Silvano gelding, had his third run of the season in that race and finished strongly for second, just 0,5 lengths behind the winner.



However, he was receiving 3,5kg from his stable companion and beat him by only a neck.

Dennis Drier’s Grade 1 Maine Chance Paddock Stakes contenders, Beach Beauty and Bambina Stripes, put up pleasing gallops at Kenilworth on Saturday and are in prime condition for the big race over 1800m at Kenilworth this Saturday.



However, they both have tough draws of 12 and 14 respectively to overcome. “I’m very happy with both of them,” said Drier, “but they will need a lot of luck in running from those draws.



Beach Beauty finished second in this race last year off a farcically slow pace. She pulled the riders arms out for much of the journey after being caught in front. She also over-raced in her next start in the J&B Met.



From a wide draw on Saturday there is always the danger of a repeat of those antics. However, on the upside she appears to have got on very well with jockey Sean Cormack who managed to settle her on two separate occasions when she had fresh air in front of her in the early stages.



When winning the Grade 2 Betting World Greyville 1900 he got her to the front and she remained settled until he tucked her in behind the pacemaker and the same happened when she won the Grade 2 Premier’s Trophy over the Paddock Stakes course and distance in her last start.



Furthermore, with the out and out galloper Viva Maria in the field, there is a chance that Cormack can repeat his ride in the Greyville 1900 where he got her over and found cover from a similarly wide draw.



Beach Beauty quickens well and has a resolute finish, so will actually be suited by a slow pace if she manages to get cover in a handy position, as she is hard to catch once she hits the front. However, if dropped out in a faster run race, her turn of foot and her ability to stay 2000m will also see her in with a big shout.



The bookmakers don’t appear to be concerned about her draw and have priced her up as the 16-10 favourite.



Drier said that a new tactic tried with his Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic winner, Bambina Stripes, had not worked. “We tried to run her handy but she didn’t enjoy it and needs to be given a chance,” he said.



She found no extra in that race and finished a four lengths fourth to Paddock Stakes contender Frequent Flyer, despite receiving 4kg. In her previous start she ran on well over 1400m to finish 2,35 lengths to Capetown Noir, a potential superstar following his comfortable win in the Grade 1 Cape Premier Yearling Sales Guineas.



Bambina Stripes came from near last when winning the SA Fillies Classic over 1800m at Turffontein, so with a return to those tactics it would be no surprise to see her running better than her recent form on Saturday.



She is a big horse who needs a while to get going, so will be suited to the long Kenilworth straight and a further bonus to her chances is that champion jockey Anton Marcus will be aboard. The bookmakers currently have her at 20-1.



Drier runs easy debut winner Platimum Ruler in a Juvenile Plate over 1000m. “She is a small filly and we will see how she runs here before deciding whether she runs in the Met day Juvenile race,” he said.



His four-year-old filly Miss Ipanema lines up in a Conditions Plate over 1400m where she is the best in at the weights. However Drier said, “Princess Victoria will be hard to beat even at the weights.”

Can Jackson turn the tables with VC or am I looking for trouble trying the beat VC again??

Pomodoro different horse was not a fan. But ill be with him on saturday:)-D

Einstein "If you continue to do the same thing then you will continue to get the same result".

Variety Club, gatespeed again, will lead them turning into the bend again, will open up by a length and a half into the straight again, will run them into the ground at the post again.

Help yourself to the current price. Dont waste yr hard earned money trying to get "value".

Mac Wrote:

---

> Einstein "If you continue to do the same thing
> then you will continue to get the same result".
>

Ahh, but remember that the variables in this case will change. IE, tactics of other horses.. The same tactic by VC may remain constant, but how will Jackson or Pomodoro place themselves to run him down, only the race will tell () Its going to be a great race!

The wind should also be a factor - not sure what the forecast is ?

Press Wrote:

---

> Mac Wrote:
>

---

>

---

> > Einstein "If you continue to do the same thing
> > then you will continue to get the same result".
> >
>
> Ahh, but remember that the variables in this case
> will change. IE, tactics of other horses.. The
> same tactic by VC may remain constant, but how
> will Jackson or Pomodoro place themselves to run
> him down, only the race will tell () Its going
> to be a great race!

If Variety Club bring his best form, the rest can bring whatever tactic, they will just not be good enough.
If Im a jockey on one of the other horses, I will run at them at the end to make my horse look good. Think that if someone try to go with VC from the start they will not place.

Justin Snaith has scratched Changingoftheguard from Saturday’s prestigious Grade 1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate over 1600m at Kenilworth as he was not doing well in the build up, but he said conversely that his other contender Run For It had been his usual self.



“The mile is on the short side for Run For It, but he can be relied on to run well. He will run to his 110 merit rating, but whether that is good enough is the question.”



There are some who believe that Run For It does not enjoy winning as he has many Graded places to his name, but is yet to register a win at that level.



Snaith, replying to this perception of the five year-old Dynasty entire, said, “It looks that way. But the blinkers have made him keener and if he ever gets a good pace in Cape Town he will be the horse to beat. Like Jackson he is a high quality horse who needs a good pace.”



Run For It is drawn well in four and should be running on strongly for in form Sean Cormack, who rides him for the first time.



Snaith has two runners in the Grade 1 Maine Chance Paddock Stakes over 1800m, Cause To Believe and Alvilda.



He said, “They are both doing well, but will likely be outgunned in that field.”



He has a strong hand in the Listed Breeder’s Cup Politician Stakes over 1800m, a conditions event for three-year-olds that has become a good pointer to the Grade 1 Investec Cape Derby.



His six contenders are the Lundy’s Liability colt Parker, the Dynasty colt Unencumbered, the Jet Master colt True Master, the Casey’s Tibbs gelding Cigar Boy, the Dynasty colt Dynamic and the Greys Inn colt Grey’s Inn Control.



He said, “They are all high quality, up and coming horses and are hard to separate.”

The two he did give special mention to were True Master and Dynamic, but at the same time he lamented their very wide draws.



He said Cigar Boy had not travelled well when disappointing in Port Elizabeth in his last start, but he added that he faced a very tough task on Saturday.



Snaith said he was expecting a good day overall.



He has multiple contenders in the first nine races and was loath to separate them.



He said that his five Juvenile runners on the day were not the ones he would be running in the Listed Summer Juvenile Stakes on J&B Met day.

Joey Ramsden admitted the superb gate speed of Variety Club enabled him to overcome tough draws easier than most horses, but he was still concerned about the Champion Var colt’s wide draw ahead of his bid to add the prestigious Grade 1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate to his ever increasing trophy collection.



“The draw stinks,” said Ramsden of the barrier 15 position, adding that even with his gate speed it would cost him “five or six lengths.”



He continued, “Looking at the draws, the man who did them appears to have handicapped the race.”



Variety Club’s chief market rival Jackson has also drawn very wide.



On the plus side, Ramsden said that Variety Club had enjoyed a good preparation and was in very good shape.



Another plus is that his regular pilot, champion jockey Anton Marcus, will be aboard.



Variety Club is also a stronger and better horse than he was last year when a wide draw of ten might have been his undoing as he was unable to hold off the late charge of Gimmethegreenlight.



Ramsden’s other contender Bravura has drawn well in six and will have Glen Hatt, who knows him well, aboard.



Bravura finished a 1,8 length fourth in this race last year from draw 11 with Hatt up.



Ramsden said, “He has not been sounder or in as fine a fettle since he won the Cape Derby.”



That augurs well for his chances of earning a stake cheque.



Ramsden said that his Listed Breeder’s Cup Politician Stakes contender Silvano’s Jet had an excuse for his below par last start.



“He finished lame,” he said.



If he bounces back to his best he would have a chance from a good draw in an ultra competitive race.