L'Ormarins Queen's Plate - The Contenders

Strategic News looks like he has been branded?

Hibs,

I believe all the horses who where bread internationally and imported get "marked" this way. Not sure who does the marking though. Here or where they are fowled down.

Big City Life out to settle score with Pocket Power

South Africa: Big City Life has a score to settle with Pocket Power and trainer Glen Kotzen is convinced that his four-year-old can beat South Africa's champion, if not in the Queen's Plate over 1m on Saturday, then certainly over the extra 2f of the J & B Met on January 30.

The Durban July winner was no match for Pocket Power when the pair reappeared at Kenilworth a month ago and is officially rated 8lb behind him, but Kotzen was invariably proved correct with his predictions for his stable star last season.

Kotzen said: "My horse has definitely come on since his last run, he is peaking at just the right time and he is now in top class form. I think he will give Pocket Power a run for his money on Saturday.

"I am already thinking about the Met. Big City Life is unbeaten over ten furlongs and I think he can beat Pocket Power."

Kotzen points out that his four-year-old again has his lucky number ten draw in Saturday's Kenilworth feature. He had the same draw in last season's KRA Guineas, the Daily News and the July - and he won all three races.

Kapil was beaten a length and a half when third to Pocket Power in last year's Queen's Plate and Stan Elley reports his horse bang on target.

He said: "Kapil's last two runs suggest he might be better this season. Certainly he is trimmer and he worked very nicely over nine furlongs on sand on Saturday."

Ivory Trail sprang a 25-1 shock when beating Pocket Power at Clairwood in July but trainer Joey Ramsden reckons that his charge is far more likely to finish third or fourth this time.

Last season's South African Classic winner Forest Path has been switched from Mike De Kock to local trainer Stephen Page to be prepared for this race and the Met.

Page said: "He is a difficult horse to assess but I'm a bit sceptical that he is yet back to his best."

Glen Kotzen said earlier in the week that Big City Life was looking “awesome” with just a few days to go before he bids to win the Grade 1 L’Ormarins Queens Plate over 1600m at Kenilworth on Saturday and he was also very bullish regarding the preparation of another of his contender’s, Fabiani.

Big City Life is currently a 3-1 chance to prevent the 11-20 favourite Pocket Power from winning an unbelievable fourth Queen’s Plate in succession.

“He looks well and is eating well,” said Kotzen. “His preparation is forward and he is working well, so he is ready. He will need luck in running from his draw, but from there it will give us the option of placing him handy or giving him a chance according to the pace. The most we will be off them early in this small field will be five lengths.”

Another of Kotzen’s charges, Fabiani, won the Grade 2 Green Point Stakes the last time he went 1600m, beating Sparkling Gem on weight for age terms.

As Justin Snaith has always rated Sparkling Gem top class, Fabiani looked to be the best value in the race at 33-1 and he has duly been claimed into 20-1.

Fabiani finished a 4,85 length fourth in his last start in the Grade 2 Premier Trophy over 1800m behind Red Rake, whom he gave 2,5kg.

“He has been working like a steam train,” said Kotzen. “He is sharper than Big City Life at home and has been working the best of my three. His Queen’s Plate rider Richard Fourie came to work him on Wednesday and was delighted. He is a horse who usually takes his homework to the track, so I think he will run a very effective race, although I’m not sure he can trouble Big City Life and Pocket Power.

Kotzen, asked on whether Thunder Key was being put in as a pacemaker for Big City Life, replied that the horse, although largely having been kept to sprints, had fared well twice in races over 1400m and 1450m before, finishing close up to the likes of Succesful Bidder and Centaur.

“The owner Johan van Heerden felt it would be nice to have a runner in the Queen’s Plate, so we will take our chance,” he said.

Kotzen described his Grade 1 TBA Paddock Stakes contender, Silver Fantasy, as a “beautiful filly.”

She ran just 0,3 lengths behind Mother Russia in the Grade 2 Gold Bracelet over 2000m at Greyville in August when with the late Pat Riley.

She made a good debut for the Kotzen yard over 1400m when 1,6 lengths behind subsequent Grade 2 Sceptre Stakes winner Badger’s Cove, to whom she gave 3,5kg, on November 27 at Kenilworth.

“Her second run for us was a flat second-run-after-the-rest type of run”, said Kotzen of her disappointing 6,6 length eighth to River Jetez in the Victress Stakes. “She now has her third run after the rest but like Fabiani in the Queen’s Plate there is a question whether she can beat the top two, Mother Russia and River Jetez.”



Journalist: David Thiselton – Gold Circle Publishing

Fabiani can and will {crosses fingers}

MMF are you sure I can't change your mind

Pocket Power chases fourth Queen's Plate

Preview: South Africa, Saturday

Kenilworth: L'Ormarins Queen's Plate (Grade 1) 1m, turf 2.20pm GMT

POCKET POWER, unbeaten in eight starts over 1m at Kenilworth, is sure to start odds-on to win his fourth consecutive Queen's Plate at the Cape Town course on Saturday.

The three-time horse of the year has often proved vulnerable at the two Durban courses, Greyville and Clairwood, but not at Kenilworth where he is the undisputed king.

He meets his nine rivals at level weights in this historic race, first run in 1861 when in was named in honour of Queen Victoria.


Unlike earlier in the season whenhis disinterested homework was a cause for concern, Pocket Power's stable are delighted with his preparation.

Candice Robinson, daughter and assistant to trainer Mike Bass, said: "To win this for the fourth time seems an impossible feat to achieve but he is in great shape and he looks outstanding."

Kapil, a length-and-a-half away in third 12 months ago, has in two recent sprints confirmed trainer Stan Elley's view that he is better this term, but the bookmakers rate Big City Life a more potent danger.

The Durban July winner was no match for Pocket Power when the pair reappeared over half a furlong less here five weeks ago but trainer Glen Kotzen is adamant that his runner has come on considerably.

Kotzen said: "Most definitely he has. The horse has been really doing well and he is in top class form."

Pat Cosgrave, thankful that he decided to give England's Siberia-like winter a miss, has his first South African Grade 1 ride on Strategic News.

But trainer Dylan Cunha is not optimistic, saying: "The horse's real mission is the J & B Met and we will be happy if he finishes fourth or fifth here."

Gregbucks,
Today will start the era of a new champion,fabiani...

In fact there will be 2, as Love is in the air will step up in the Paddock Stakes as well....

good luck guys...

Great run from fabiani...Met here we come...

yep good run from Fabiani MMF, promising career ahead.

NICCI GARNER
PERHAPS Mike Bass summed it up best when he said it takes "a heck of a horse'' to beat Pocket Power after South Africa's top racehorse won his fourth Queen's Plate at Kenilworth on Saturday.

And if his trainer stands in awe of him, imagine what his fans feel!

The 5-11 favourite ended up near the back of the field as his stable companion Gaultier set a good pace from the Bass second string Blue Tiger with second favourite Big City Life well placed in third.

On the turn, jockey Bernard Fayd'herbe eased the champ off the rail and pulled him towards the centre of the track as the field straightened. He ducked back in behind Gautier but at the 400m mark pulled his mount out again and asked for an effort.

Pocket Power started building up momentum and ht the front inside the 200m mark. Though he hung in badly in the final 100m, he still had enough in the tank to win well from Kapil, who put in a powerful finish from the back of the field but was 0.75 lengths in arrears at the line. The third stake cheque was shared by Big City Life and Fabiani, who had been backed at long odds.

Bass said afterwards: "It's very tough to get him to do this. You can see he's a little bit older and he's not doing it as easily, it's a bit tougher for him. But he really is as game as they come and he puts in in and has a full go.

"The Met (the Cape's premier 2000m race at the end of the month) will be a tougher task than this. But this fellow will give them a good go."

Pocket Power rewrote the history books on Saturday with his fourth win running in the Queen's Plate and will try and repeat that same feat in the J&B Met on 30 January. He has also won that race three times running and is 15-10 favourite to retain his crown.

The battle continued between Mother Russia, now based on the Highveld, and Sparkling Gem and they finished 1-2, in the R1-million TBA Paddock Stakes over 1800m with the Mike de Kock-trained raider taking the bulk of the spoils by 0.75 lengths. The top three in the betting dominated the race, with River Jetez finishing another 0.50 lengths back in third.

Historic fourth Queen's Plate for Pocket Power

Report: South Africa, Saturday

Kenilworth: L'Ormarins Queen's Plate (Grade 1) 1m, turf

POCKET POWER wrote another chapter in his own unparalleled version of the history books by galloping to a fourth successive Queen's Plate victory at Kenilworth on Saturday.

The South African legend will return to the Cape Town course in three weeks' time to attempt to win the J&B Met for the fourth year on the trot.

It's a measure of his supreme ability that no other horse has ever won either race more than twice.

Bernard Fayd'herbe got him away smartly and, while he soon lost his good early position and had only two behind him turning into the straight, the 9-20 favourite produced a sustained burst of acceleration to hit the front half a furlong out.

He then drifted in, away from the whip, but still beat last year's third Kapil by a fairly comfortable three-quarters of a length.

Big City Life was half a length away, dead-heating for third with stable companion Fabiani. Pat Cosgrave was fifth on Strategic News.

Fayd'herbe said: "This horse is a real champion. He does it every time."

The time of 1 min37.16 sec was a record for the race but trainer Mike Bass reckons that the champion's age is beginning to tell.

He said: "Pocket Power is seven rising eight and, while he did it in the same style as last year, he finds it that little bit more difficult."

Kapil and Big City Life will take him on again in theMet and Karis Teetan, who rides the Durban July winner Big City Life, reckons his mount will have a better chance over the extra two furlongs.

Pocket Power was bred by Zandvliet Stud owner Dan de Wet who is an ex-Coolmore employee.

Also on Saturday. . .

Kenilworth: TBA Paddock Stakes (Grade 1) 1m1f, f&m turf

MIKE DE KOCK won the Paddock Stakes for the fourth time in 11 years when Mother Russia justified 11-10 favouritism despite the race being run at a very slow pace.


Anton Marcus had her handily placed just behind the leaders until kicking on a furlong out.

Sparkling Gem, who had drifted friendless from 4-1 out to 11-1 but was favoured by the poor gallop, came again. But three-quarters of a length was as close as she could get. River Jetez was half a length away third.

Marcus said: "It was a straightforward race for me. Iwas always going well and I wasn't worried about the second and third coming at me, not least because I didn't see them!"

De Kock added: "I don't think I have ever seen a Group 1 race run at such a slow pace in all my life and I was worried because we had already committed to waiting with her.

"But she is right up there with the best fillies I've trained. I don't think the ten furlongs of the J&B Met is her best trip but she could run if owner Mary Slack is happy to have a crack. Otherwise we will take her home and go for the Empress Club Stakes."

Those who have decried the merits of this season's three-year-old fillies had their comments borne out when the nearest of them, Croc Valley, managed only seventh.

Cape Fillies Guineas winner Field Flower finished with only two behind her.