How good is Pocket Power?

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Pocket Power put up a brilliant performance in defeat in the WPOTA Diadem Stakes at Kenilworth on Saturday, won by stable mate Blue Tiger.

The runner-up now looks nailed-on for his bid to win the both the Queen's Plate and the J & B Met for an unprecedented third time.

The dual Horse of the Year has never won over less than a 1m but raced only a few lengths off the leaders in this sprint and really turned on the style in the final furlong. Finishing like a train to snatch second on the line, jockey Bernard Fayd'herbe never picked up his stick.

Trainer Mike Bass, who also trained the winner, said: "I feel that the Kenilworth tracks are faster and firmer than they used to be, and I used this race to get Pocket Power to lie a lot handier than normal.

"A few times he has been beaten by coming too late and I don't want that to happen in the Queen's Plate here on January 10.

"I've always said that Blue Tiger is a sprinter and he was spot on today. There wasn't much that Pocket Power could do about him, but it was still a tremendous run."




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Immagine what joy this horse has given to its well deserved owners,i still believe its the best in S A.

Seldom has a horse looked so impressive in defeat. Such a special horse.

I think it will be very interesting to see the next clash with Dancer's Daughter though since she's younger and likely improving.

I think by now we should know how good Pocket Power is. He's better than Jay Peg and Sun Classique who have won International Grade 1's. I would put him up there with Eagle Mountain and in my book must be one of the top horses in the world.

The question should be how good is Le Drakkar? The way he turned on the afterburners from a 16 draw to win going away against the Guiness Field suggests he is something really special. He will probably be better over further and I hope he enters the Met. I think with the weight allowance he can give PP a good run...

Why do you say he will probably be better over further?

Interesting assumptions you make Sasky....lets hope he now goes overseas in 2009 to compete in some international grade 1's to prove your point...

JD, a few reasons why I think he could be better or at at least as effective over further.

a. He's an inexperienced 3 year old and will probably strengthen as he gets older
b. Trainer reckons he needs a galloping track with a longer run in, suggests he's a big striding horse so the further the better
c. Can switch off and settle during a race, a sign he can go further
d. The pace seemed decent in the Guiness and he still had plenty in the tank to accelerate and leave the field standing still with 150 to go
e. Nominated for the Met so distance is obviously not a big concern of the trainer

I haven't investigated the breeding very hard but Champion fillies Goldikova and Lush Lashes are progeny of Anabaa, Le Drakkar's sire. I may be wrong about the distance so lets wait and see but I think Le Drakkar has a ton of class and will eventually go overseas as Puffin says.

For the moment a classy 3 year old will bring more excitement to the Met which at this stage is looking like a 1 horse race...

Looking even further ahead, I would like to see the match race between Le Drakkar and Oracy...possibly in the daily news...

LE DRAKKAR made light work of his poor draw to run out a convincing winner of the Bloodstock SA Cape Guineas at Kenilworth in Cape Town on Saturday.

The 5-1 chance had a fair bit to do turning into the straight but, when Marthinus ‘MJ' Byleveldpicked him up, the 5-1 chance found another gear to stride clear.

The Joey Ramsden-trained Bush Pirate came from the next parish to finish a length and a quarter behind, with Ramsden's other runner Mother Russia the same distance away third.

The Mike de Kock-trained Meet At Malamala, backed down to 5-2 favourite, weakened close home into fourth.

The Australian-bred winner is owned by Somerset-based Karen Newsome's Fieldspring Racing and the late Jean Jaffee, who died earlier in the month.

This was the biggest win for Byleveld, 27, who said: "I haven't ridden too many top horses and this is the best of them.

"It was difficult from that draw (two from the outside) but luckily I got a nice spot. He was going very well turning for home and two furlongs out I knew I wouldn't be beaten."

This is the third Cape Guineas winner that Dean Kannemeyer has trained and he immediately talked of the possibility of taking on the older horses in the J & B Met on January 31.

He said: "I am going to keep my options open. He could go for the Cape Derby on the same card instead, but I have nominated him for the Met. His pedigree suggests he shouldn't get the trip but I think he might."

Sasky..i wasnt referring to Le Drakkar but to your assumptions on PP....that he goes to camapign overseas in 2009....

Is anyone else wondering about the standard of the Guineas field? It was a great win by Le Drakkar, but the overall form of the field seemed a bit erratic. It's hard to tell how good they are until a bunch of them have faced older horses, I guess.

Methinks Sabre has hit the nail on the head. Definitely not the best field we are likely to see, and I for one would not be singing Le Drakkar's praises yet. There were plenty of 'race handy ' and 'pace' horses in the field and it was always going to be run at a pace to suit Le Drakkar, and also helped MJ overcome the draw. And for the record I did back it {smile}