The Queens' Plate : Things to like as well as not to like

I almost forgot it was Queens' Plate Day last Saturday but as the race is run quite late I switched over from the HD Premier League fixture to watch. I saw my first renewal of the race when the 115th renewal was run. So it's simple arithmetic to work out that I'm an old, cynical racing fart.

A couple of things stood out for me if one bears in mind that I draw all my conclusions from what one is shown on the TV.

Firstly - Am I really the only one who finds watching horses milling at the start boring? In the modern era - given that this is supposed to be a revered Grade 1 race - could they not inject excerpts from a few prep runs from the major contenders to ease the tedium? OK - so we watched about 10 minutes of milling ( interspersed by Zimbabwe who made every effort to jump at the same time ) followed by the race itself which lasts all of about 1,5 minutes.

I'm going to trust my instincts and give every credit to Pocket Power for the result achieved. But beyond that I must conclude that this noble animal is surely fast approaching the end of a stellar career. To say that he laboured in the straight is not being churlish. I was tempted to use the word 'lumbered '. His jockey appeared to absolutely flog him home if the replay is anything to go by. Certainly his out-of-breath interview suggests it was hard work.

I am led to believe that the Queens' Plate was his primary objective for the Cape Summer Season. So it's 'mission accomplished' although it would suggest that there might be little ( or nothing ) to work with if another successful Met is being lined up. Another poster suggested it might be a 'bridge too far'. I agree. There should be a number of opponents fancying their chances right now although I would not be surprised if our bookmaking friends actually shorten his odds. On Saturday's performance anything shorter than 2/1 would look decidedly skinny to me. Happily history suggests that oddsmakers like to take on Cape horses so who knows.

Moving on - judging by the bowing and scraping that followed L'Ormarins are doing a wonderful job of injecting some life back into the grand old lady of Grade 1 miles. Not that we, as viewers, would have noticed as it all appeared to be remarkably well hidden from public sight.

For my money things went a little downhill once the podium was reached. Firstly- up stepped the chairman wearing an expression that suggested Pocket Power might have defecated on his shoes in the parade ring. He then proceeded to ponderously READ a speech peppered with words such as 'unbelievable'. Nooooo! Mr Chairman - the race was not unbelievable.....it might have been remarkable or memorable or outstanding or noteworthy. But unbelievable it was not. It happened. We all saw it. Thereafter followed the cringeworthy matter of awarding Gaynor Rupert royal status. Could you imagine the Ascot chairman fawning over the Investec sponsors in the same fashion and suggesting OBE's or knighthoods? I think not.....

Happily the British High Commissioner stepped up thereafter and without appearing to require any notes delivered a short,polished and well thought out response totally in keeping with the dignity of the occasion. Well done, madam.

No doubt Tellytrack will give us a package of back slapping and self congratulation to round off the event. Maybe fine for the insiders but has this marketing opportunity made a single incursion into the untapped market?

Brilliant ! Agree the Pocket was literally picked up over the line and as for the Chairman's speech well I had my airline vomit bag at hand , but I was one of the lucky ones !

Garrick, not sure if you're aware but Supersport flighted the Queens Plate on 1 of its channels. I didn't watch as I was at the race course but I assume this would have been a better show than the bore of Tellytrack.

I agree that the Gold Circle rep's speech was 1 of the biggest arse licking exercises I have heard in a long time. Rodney Dunn should have spoken on behalf of Gold Circle.

From an attendance point of view the organisers did a great job. There must have been a few thousand people there, no doubt most of the people were there for the afterparty than the races but the majority seemed to have a genuine interest in the main race. The afterparty was brilliant in itself and complemented the race day extremely well.

I highly doubt that there will be many converted punters that result out the day though, which is probably not a bad thing! Racing should be viewed in the context of dressing up, having a dabble, a drink and a dance. The fun social element is what will draw people to the races again. Barry Irwin is 100% correct, the on course experience is the most important factor in bringing people into racing.

On another note I have mentioned this before but I can't understand why the horses stuff around for 10 mins behind the starting stalls. In the US and UK the horses walk around for 2 mins and are loaded up without fuss, I can't inderstand why that can't be the case in SA.

In respect of Pocket Power I agree this will be his toughest task to date, but I'm sure his master trainer will be able to keep him in tip top shape for another 3 weeks. I think the Pocket has a propensity to idle when he hits the front and that why Bernard kept going at him. Anyway the pocket answers the questions in his own way every time and it would take a brave man to take him on again. Just ask the bookies who get smashed time and time again!

For me the only value left in the betting is Red Rake, who might just run them all off their feet...

I'm not sure I agree.

In all honesty, the Chairmans speech ( whoever it may be) is always a bit tedious but what can you do, it has no material impact on the day.

Look at what the Ruperts have contributed to racing, the Q.Plate was a non event on the social calender before L'Ormarins stepped up. Week in and week out we have to listen to Nico powdering up Jooste etc. I little bit of gratitude is the least racing can do. Who else would get Ernie Els to the course.

Some may call it milling about, personally i prefer the term parading. Mother Russia was dancing on her toes pre-race, an observation that I found to be beneficial.

I had plenty of mates who don't normally go racing and they had the time of their lives. I promise, word of mouth will bring more people racing than a few seconds of T.V coverage.

Garrick, could we rather have a pre-view for the Super 14, instead of a re-view of the Q.P

A few well known golfers involved in the game...Lee Westwood, Rory Mcllroy.. about time The Big Easy gets involved...any names for his horse?

What about EASYWITHOUTTHEWOODS

Greg you can always be counted upon to make me laugh dude!!!



I guess it doesn't get any "easier" than...."The Big Easy", trained by Mike (The Big Easy) de Kock and ridden by Andrew (I like to take it easy) Fortune!!!

Top post again Garrick. The Supersport coverage was great as usual and almost had an ESPN Breeders Cup feel to it. I quite enjoyed how they showed the groom leading the champ back, with camera angle looking up at him, making him look larger than life.

Have to agree on the speech issue but as far as I am concerned, their can only be one queen per country and we all know that is Mrs O. So yes, there was a definite savouring of the back door flavour going on. Seems to be quite common practice in this game though but then again there is such a vast difference between the haves and have nots and the haves and the wannabes.

It is unfortunate that all good things have to come to an end. Judging by the way Bernard had to push on Pocket the whole way through the race tells the story. Pocket Power has done his bit for racing and is ready to chill on a farm somewhere as one of the greatest of all time. Bernard's arms did not stop moving the whole race.

For the Met I predict that he may not pick up quick enough and will find himself repeating the July run. I liked what Anton had to say when being interviewed after his win on Mother Russia. He didn't seem to give her a chance for the Met but there was confidence that Dan De Lago or Oracy could lower Pocket's incredible flag. For me its Dan or Kapil. It would be fitting that Kapil wins should Pocket fail to rewrite history. The two veterans teaching the youngsters respect.

On Mother Russia. That race got on my nerves a bit. There was doubt whether Sparkling Gem would see out the distance. The race was almost run to ensure she did. To be fair the jocks probably thought that she would set the pace and when she didn't they all just waited resulting in the Cape Crawl. Annoying none the less. You want to see the horses perform at their optimum in Grade 1's not win false run races. Either way the correct horse won the race but a quicker pace would have made it that more challenging.

I can't agree that the Pocket is ready to chill anywhere, he just beat the top horses in the country and broke a Queens Plate track record. I think he could have a couple of years left in him yet. Look at Takeover Target, he was still winning races as a 10 year old.

Kapil will do well to run a place in the Met, his trainer doesn't think he's got a chance.

I also think River Jetez ran an absolute cracker in the Paddock Stakes, she got squeezed on the rail and did well to match the 2 speedy fillies for pace in what turned out to be a dash. I think RJ would have come very close to winning if there was a decent pace. Why the Bass yard didn't have a pacemaker is slightly bemusing...

The milling around part is absolutely rediculous as far as I'm concerned. Why on earth they have to send horses down to the start 10 minutes before the off is beyond me - it just adds unnecessary boredom to the day.

Pocket Power is by no means done for. He is once again weighted to win the Met and it will be a tough task for any other contender to get up and beat him...

Thanks for another excellent thread, I would also like to see the Pocket Rocket win MET, but wont be easy, but that is what gets people to the track "a champion"

What I missed about the Queen's Plate is that great ad with the retro music that was flighted last year - I really wished it was used again this year as it seemed like a timeless bit of music that just made you get excited about the race(or perhaps it was the visuals of the girls in attendance?)
If I were involved I'd flight that ad a few weeks before the race as it has the potential to become an institution - (whenever I hear 'Over the Hills' I know HK racing is on!!)