Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

Pocket Power to rise to the occasion

David Thiselton
The Clairwood racemeeting On Saturday will have a carnival atmosphere due to the outstanding marketing of the Rising Sun newspaper group and added to that, the big crowd will be able to see one of the all time greats of the South African turf, Pocket Power, defending his Grade 1 Gold Challenge crown.
Mike Bass said recently that the race that he regarded as the most prestigous in the country was the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate. “Grade 1 Weight For Age over a mile, that’s the pinnacle,” he said. The statement gave a clue to how keen he is to add another WFA Gold Challenge over 1 600m to Pocket Power’s CV.
Pocket Power will definitely be primed to deliver by the master trainer. However, Bass’ concern is whether the gelding as a late seven-year-old retains the same ability he had at his peak. It is easy to see why he has this concern as this must be one of the strongest mile fields ever assembled in this country, with the lowest rated horse being four-time Grade 1 winning Mother Russia. Pocket Power did show at least at Greyville three weeks ago that he retains his brilliant turn of foot and with the presence of Blue Tiger in tomorrow’s field, like last year, a fast pace is ensured and the opposition won’t be able to steal a march on him as Mother Russia did in the J&B Met.
Pocket Power will also enjoy the probable soft ground. Another horse that will love the soft is the Sean Tarry-trained Regal Ransom, who proved that when winning the Champion Challenge over 2 000m at Turffontein in very testing going in his last start. Tarry said, “He might need it, but could surprise,” suggesting he will have been freshened up, so this is a horse that should be carefully watched in the parade ring for any sign of being above himself.
He is effective over a mile and is a very much improved horse.
Big City Life is said to be in exceptional condition by the Glen Kotzen yard and his physiotherapist, Beth Shaw, added that his muscle tone had improved since arriving from Cape Town. He is well drawn and has done little wrong over a mile. The Duncan Howells-trained Tropical Empire will enjoy the soft and 1 400-1 600m is probably his optimum. He is better at Greyville, but did finish close up in the Champions Cup last season at Clairwood over a less suitable 1 800m. Mother Russia was said to have been freshened up by the Mike de Kock yard who added that she would not need the run. She is a courageous sort who never runs a bad race and loves this trip. The one concern is that the only previous outing she’s ever had after a rest was a bit below par. The Stan Elley-trained Kapil is getting on and as an unsound sort it becomes more difficult all the time to prepare him. The Charles Laird-trained Smart Banker is unbeaten over a mile in six starts including two Grade 1s. The concern is that his Graded winning form has always been on the Highveld. Fabiani is not a sound type but was said by the Kotzen yard to be in good shape and working very well. Blue Tiger loves to use his stride out in front and kept going well last year for a gallant fourth. Rudra loves the soft, having gone close in the Champions Challenge, and although he prefers further he showed how well he can do when fresh over a mile back in February. In that race, despite returning from a break of over a year, he won very easily carrying 63kg and gave Regal Ransom 7,5kg and a 3,5 length beating. From the Champions Challenge he is 2,5kg better off here with Regal Ransom for a 0,25 lengh beating. Any one of these horses, with the possible exception of Blue Tiger, is capable of winning this race. With a likely strong pace in softish going the race could be a searching test better suited to horses who stay further. The heart can’t get away from Pocket Power so he is selected to win from Rudra. Smart Banker, Kapil and Big City Life are the selections for next best.

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