Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

River Jetez lands the J & B Met

Andrew Harrison
Pocket Power relinquished his stranglehold on the J&B Met at a packed Kenilworth yesterday, but it was fitting that it was his younger full sister, River Jetez, who succeeded him on the throne. Indeed it was left to the fairer sex to fight out the finish as River Jetez outgunned the Mike de Kock-trained Mother Russia to the line with tote favourite and crowd hero Pocket Power filling third, just ahead of stable companion Fort Vogue. It was a personal triumph for trainer Mike Bass, nicknamed "Gandolph" by his legion of followers after the legendary wizard in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy, as he saddled three of the first four past the post and garnered his fourth successive Met victory.
River Jetez has lived in the shadow of her big brother for four season's now and on each occasion they met, Pocket Power had her measure. However, Bass did not give up on the game mare, who was lacking a Grade 1 victory on what was already a special CV. By the time most mares hit six they are already enjoying the green paddocks of a stud farm but Bass still had a point to prove and kept her in training for owners Cedric and Barbara Amm and Marsh Shirtliff.
Sentiment for most of the 40 000 crowd was with Pocket Power as the champion was attempting to win the Met for the fourth successive time, but the 2010 Met proved a bridge too far for the 17-10 favourite.
Given every chance by big race rider Bernard Fayd' Herbe, Pocket Power was set a clear run up the centre of the track and for a fleeting second looked as if he would do it for his fans. But as Mother Russia kept on finding extra under an inspired ride from Anthony Delpech, his chances deminished with every stride. But just as Mother Russia appeared to have it in the bag, Bass waved his wand, jockey Glen Hatt got the message and River Jetez unleashed a massive effort as she burst clear of the chasing pack. Such was her acceleration that Hatt was saluting the crowd metres before the line but once he realised that he was risking a rap over the knuckles from the powers that be for saluting before the finish, he still had the time and the presence of mind to get back to business and scrub River Jetez home - not that she needed any extra urging.
Quizzed on why he had opted for the Met instead of the Grade 1 Klawerveli Majorca Stakes run earlier in the day, Bass responded that it had been a very difficult decison. "Hindsight in racing is always easy but my biggest concern was that she (River Jetez) had been going up in distance and going back to a mile was my biggest concern. In any case she had beaten most of the other fillies in the Majorca before. It was a tough decison at the time but it all worked out."
For joint owner Marsh Shirtliff it was a race of mixed emotions. Pocket Power runs in his colours and just as he realised Pocket Power's chances of winning were fading, he found renewed voice as River Jetez burst onto the scene to keep the adrenaline pumping.

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