The Queen’s Plate Festival puts the royalty into the Sport Of Kings

The Queen’s Plate Festival puts the royalty into the Sport Of Kings

By Gary Lemke, supplied by GGGaming.bet
There are 18 races contested over two days on Friday and Saturday at Kenilworth.
Friday’s eight-card meeting is an appetite for what’s to come on Saturday, although there is no shortage of high-class action, writes Gary Lemke
In terms of trying to find winners, let’s break from this column’s “tradition” and see what we can do for the punters out there. Remember, that a lot of the horses on this meeting are wound up for their races and thereafter will probably be seen out again on Cape Met day in a couple of weeks.

FRIDAY
Race 1: Justin Snaith introduces two well-bred first-timers in Act Naturally and Pacific Green, while Glen Kotzen has four runners in the eight-race field. Candice Bass-Robinson sends out the current favourite Philosophise, who should go close but keep your eyes on Pacific Green. He races in the colours of Gaynor Rupert’s Drakenstein Stud and this Queen’s Plate Festival is largely made possible due to her influence and sponsorship.
Betting advice: Exactas Pacific Green and Philosophise

Race 2: A tough, competitive maiden. Navy Strength has been expensive to follow but has been gelded and returns to sprinting up the straight. He is a 3-1 favourite. There’s plenty of opposition though, with King Of Colts and Bluff Of Bluff having form, while the first-time Axl is well-bred.
Betting advice: Swingers Bluff On Bluff and Navy Strength

Race 3: Another tough maiden. Raising Quinn looks ready to win and jumps from the No1 gate. Snaith’s Peut Etre Moi is badly drawn, so preference is for Zippy Over.
Betting advice: Swingers Raising Quinn and Zippy Over

Race 4: Only five runners in this Pinnacle Stakes field. Zarina is the favourite and a Gr1 winner, but carries 61kg. She’s still well in at the weights though.
Betting advice: Exactas Zarina and Really Royal

Race 5: Some good form lines and decent middle-distance runners here. I like Waiting For Summer, around 11-2 in the betting. He’s not far behind the best three-year-old milers and will be looking for further as he matures. Very well weighted with 54kg.
Betting advice: Each way Waiting For Summer

Race 6: The Jamaica Handicap (Listed). A black-type race for fillies and mares but really tough to sort. I’m not confident in offering betting advice here, but don’t leave the outsider Scented Mistress out.

Race 7: Cracking Grade 2 sprint for fillies and mares over 1200m. A big field of 16 and Snaith and Bass-Robinson has 13 of them combined. The favourite is the Gauteng raider Sound Of Warning and she looks a worthy favourite and is weighted to win, with 55.5kg and the highest MR in the field. I like the look of the 14-1 shot Santa Maria.
Betting advice: Each way Santa Maria. Quartet floating bankers Sound Of Warning and Santa Maria, with 1,2,5,7,9,13,15,16

Race 8: Another very tough F&M Handicap. Something sticks out about Bye Bye Bombshell who has been racing in tougher company and gets the 2.5 allowance with promising Rachel Venniker up.
Betting advice: Swingers, exactas Bye Bye Bombshell and La Folie Douce

SATURDAY
Race 1: Work Riders’ maiden plate, very tough

Race 2: Maiden juvenile plate, with eight of the 10 runners unraced. having said that, the two with experience, Smith And Wesson and We’re Jamming can feature.
Betting advice: Swingers Smith And Wesson and We’re Jamming

Race 3: Another tough competitive maiden plate. Bon Boyage, Pomodoro’s Jet and Tchaikovsky top the betting, but really interesting that Zum Zum looks to be the chosen mount for Louis Mxothwa ahead of Pomodoro’s Jet and he’s at 8-1.
Betting advice: Swingers, exactas Zum Zum and Bon Boyage

Race 4: Pinnacle Stakes over 1000m. Real Gone Kid is short-priced favourite and looks to have this race at his mercy, considering top-weight Kazimir is now 7yo and has lost that five-furlong speed.
Betting advice: Real Gone Kid, banker

Race 5: Premier Trophy, a competitive Grade 2 event over 1800m. Double July hero and people’s champion Do It Again is weighted to win and is likely to be right on his game for this race. Hard to look past him.
Betting advice: Do It Again wins, and swingers/exactas with Firealley

Race 6: The first of the Grade 1s and maybe the best race across the two days! Captain’s Ransom is a superstar and short-priced favourite but might be vulnerable over 1800m. She’s A Keeper has been aimed at this race, while Princess Calla and Marina should be right there. The three-year-old Chansonette beat Desert Miracle last time in the Fillies Guineas and if Desert Miracle was in this field she might even be favourite.
Betting advice: Boxed quartet: She’s A Keeper, Captain’s Ransom, Princess Calla, Marina, Chansonette

Race 7: The big one – the R1.5m L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate over 1600m, the premier mile race in the country! Super competitive, with the older horses taking on the best of the three-year-olds. Perhaps go for the older ones this time around, although last year Jet Dark won at age three.
Betting advice: Swingers, exactas and quartet floaters Warrior and Linebacker (pictured)

Race 8: Really tough MR 96 handicap, go wide in exotics. Look at the draws – as I wrote in last week’s column, they count most in 1400m races.
Betting advice: Go wide, but don’t leave out Bush Tracker, the biggest outsider in the field at 25-1

Race 9: Sixteen runners in this MR80 Handicap. The draw should play a big part – it’s over 1400m – so you’d think that Gem King, Sun Dazed and Path Of Choice wouldn’t be winning factors – but it’s a tough race. Have a look at the rank outsider Surjay, who was considered good enough to run in the Cape Guineas, while Dragonfly is a deserved favourite.
Betting advice: Be cautious, but places Surjay and swingers Surjay and All Lit Up

Race 10: Wide open Chairman’s Cup for stayers over 2500m. Pace will play a part and it’s open.
Betting advice: Swingers, exactas Crimson King and Black Knap