Glen Kotzen expects Cape Derby winner Eyes Wide Open to prove his main hope for the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and the Sun Met.

The four-year-old was the early favourite for the Durban July but was quickly ruled out and he did not reappear until taking sixth in a Listed handicap on July day. He then finished third in the World Sports Betting Champions Cup.

Eyes Wide Open (Candiese Marnewick)

Kotzen explained: “Although he pulled up sound after winning the Derby (beating July winner Do It Again by a length and three-quarters) we saw signs of a chip when we x-rayed his fetlock.

“If we hadn’t done anything about it that chip would have come away on his first gallop in Durban and he would have been out for the season. So we removed it and gave him time off.

“He came back strong and we said then that if we could get him right for just one race that race would be the Champions Cup – and we were delighted with the way he ran. His targets now are the Queen’s Plate and the Met.

“He looks like being our main hope. Gold Standard (fourth in last year’s Met) has been retired and will stand at Drakenstein while Pack Leader (third in the Cape Derby) is going to have a break in the first part of the season and we will send him up to Johannesburg after the Met.”

Kotzen is also hoping for something special to emerge from his 30 still unraced three-year-olds, saying: “With a bit of luck something will pop up out of the woodwork because there are some really nice horses among them and I am excited about their prospects.”

By Michael Clower