GREAT RACE!

That was a superb race, well done to Pocket and great race from Dancers!

Just heard comm on net - GREAT race!

And it sounded like the 'Best' Horse won on the day!

Well done to PP's connections! No disgrace to DD beaten by the better Horse on the day - roll on the July!!!

Jim

I think its time for the punters and the Snaiths to accept DD is not as good as the Pocket. PP had plenty left in the tank and there was no way DD could ever have beaten him, I think he was toying with DD in the end.

DD ran a great race nevertheless and should go overseas, maybe to have a go in England or for the Arc.

I think the only place the Pocket can go this year is Hong Kong at the end of the year as he's a gelding. Since his July deadheat he's had nothing to prove.

14/10 was an absolute giveaway, PP must be a bookies worst nightmare!

A true champion !!! He really did toy with the opposition and it was great to see his sister run on from almost last to record the fastest finishing 400m.She is the horse to watch over the next year..Well done Bass Racing and Bernard Faydherbe !!!

Power pockets hat-trick in South African Met

POCKET POWER, trained by Leicester-born Mike Bass, made South African racing history at Kenilworth on Saturday when overcoming a mighty challenge from old rival Dancer's Daughter to land the J&B Met for the third successive year.

Massive confidence in the claims of British-bred Dancer's Daughter (Act One) led to her odds plummeting to 28-10 from 7-2, but she had to give way to 6-5 favourite Pocket Power, a son of Jet Master, who three weeks ago completed a hat-trick of victories in the Queen's Plate.

Bernard Fayd'herbe's mount edged past Dancer's Daughter a furlong out, but the Kevin Shea-ridden mare refused to accept the defeat that was staring her in the face and grimly battled all the way to the line, where just a neck separated the two horses. Pocket Power's year-younger sister and stable companion River Jetez (Jet Master) finished three-quarters of a length back in third.

Fayd'herbe, 27, said: "Pocket Power really accelerated when I asked him, but coming through the 150-metre mark he began to loaf and I knew the mare would come back at me. Then I saw my horse flicking an ear and I realised he had more and I knew I was alright."

Bass said: "Today was probably the best Pocket Power has ever been. People might say the conditions suited him but he is capable of competing against some of the best in the world.

"We always said that we would take him to Dubai when they have the new track. I've seen the present training grounds there and there is no way I could train him on those. Inthe meantime he could go to Durban for the July again."

Shea, although beaten, was thrilled with his mount, saying: "She is a real gutsy filly and was definitely coming back at the winner, but the first two ran true to form."

Fayd'herbe had earlier triggered a day to remember when taking the Cape Derby on 9-1 shot Big City Life.

Half a furlong out, Shea seemed likely to spring a 50-1 shock on Bluemambo, but Big City Life came witha tremendous run to collar him and score by a length for trainer Glen Kotzen.

Kotzen said: "We thought he would win the Guineas but after the race we found he had an upper respiratory infection. We will now have a go at the July."

Also at Kenilworth, Mother Russia, second in the Fillies Guineas and third in the colts' equivalent, gained a well-deserved Grade 1 win when wearing down Sparkling Gem close home in the Fancourt Majorca Stakes.

Winning trainer Joey Ramsden said a change of tactics played a big part, adding: "She's a filly with a massive heart but we had been hitting the front too early. This time I wanted to give her something to aim at."

Justin Snaith, Dancer's Daughter's trainer, promptly threw down the gauntlet to the Pocket Power connections by calling for a match race between the two

Match race?

14 Jun 2008:
DD beat PP by 1.50 while getting 2.5 kg's. She ran to her best form, he didn't.

5 Jul 2008:
Deadheat. PP gave her 5 kg's.

26 Jul 2008:
PP beat DD by 0.85, giving her 1.5 kg's.

31 Jan 2009:
PP beat DD by ???, giving her 2.5 kg's.

There is no doubt that PP is the better horse at the moment and he has nothing to prove by competing in a match race.

Maybe Snaith feels he still had'nt DD @100%?

Anyhow as Sabre says no need for the match race. I dare say it'll take a 2-3 lth beating of PP to make such a race a possibility! But I'll not hold my breath!

A Fatastic race and a fantastic 'Trio' of SA athletes to be proud of!

Ouzo PP DD RJ!