Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

Bass could be the King Of Queens

Lance Benson

The 2009 J&B Met will in all likelihood be the very last opportunity for South African racing enthusiasts to witness the might and power of two true champion racehorses in Dancer’s Daughter and Pocket Power squaring up to each other in the flesh.
This is according to Dancer’s Daughter's trainer Justin Snaith who said that she was world-class and the prospects of an international campaign in the near future would always be a possibility.
This coming Saturday’s much anticipated L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate showdown between the Vodacom Durban July dead-heaters has thus been held over until J&B Met day in view of Snaith’s decision to go the softer route of the TBA Paddock Stakes for the smashing daughter of Act One.
According to Snaith, the decision has been taken in the mare’s best interests and the fact that the longer distance of the Paddock Stakes suits her preparation so much better.
Snaith sends out the four-year-old Winter Classic winner Alvaro as his sole representative in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate.
“When we sat down to consider our options for the grey mare and it was an absolute no-brainer as regards the choice between the Queen’s Plate and the Paddock Stakes.
“Both are prestigious Grade 1 races and carry the same stake and there is no business sense in taking on the likes of champion Pocket Power at his own game at this stage of the process.
“Our main target is obviously the J&B Met and the 1800m trip of the TBA Paddock Stakes is infinitely better for Dancer’s Daughter’s prep.
“Both the Bass’s and ourselves have been messing around over 1400m trips and I wish that the Paddock Stakes and Queen’s Plate were just one week apart - then we would not have hesitated to have taken Pocket Power on,” he explained.
Snaith went on to say that the Grade 1 season was really only three weeks long and that he was under pressure to optimise his filly’s potential while ensuring that she peaked on 31 January.
As regards the chances of his L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate runner Alvaro, he said that the son of Galileo had been plagued by problems and a consequent poor preparation and that he would probably not be at his very best on the day.
“Taking horses of Pocket Power’s calibre on at level weights is definitely not for the faint of heart and sadly Alvaro has suffered lung infections at both his last two outings.
“This has set him back and believe me on his day he is a top horse, as proven by his top-class performances in the Winter Series. I will make a decision after the Queen’s Plate as to whether we go for the J&B Met or run him in an Open Handicap on Met day. I expect him to be running on in the Queen’s Plaste and putting in his usual honest effort.Beating Pocket Power looks a little tough at this stage - but we are professionals and strange things happen in racing,” he said.
When taxed on how he saw the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate panning out, Snaith said that it had all the makings of a fascinating contest: “The media guys must be licking their lips at the prospect of Pocket Power recording a third Queen’s Plate win and it is difficult looking past him.’’
“Mike Bass is a master trainer and has a few horses in the race and will ensure that things go his way. I have no intention of making the mistake of using Alvaro as a pacemaker again however, and intend giving him a chance.
“I believe the only horse with a remote chance of beating Pocket Power is Kapil. He is a top horse who enjoys the services of an international-class jockey in Felix Coetzee and is slowly coming back to his best.’’

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