Andrew Harrison

Strutting looked to be one of the better bets on a tricky seven-race programme and she duly obliged at cramped odds in the card opener on a wet afternoon on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly.

Drawn wide, Craig Zackey was forced to press forward on Mike and Mathew de Kock’s diminutive filly with the runners on her inside not giving an inch, but once in front, Strutting was never headed holding off the battling Owner Of Creation and Harpa who stayed on well for the shallow end of the purse.

Kevin and Alyson Wright are both steeped in horse racing, their roots going back to Zimbabwe where Kevin was multiple Champion Jockey and Alyson the daughter of leading trainer Penny Fisher.

The couple, together with equine physio Tessa Zietsman, daughter of trainer Gary Rich, have prolonged the life of many a veteran galloper, highlighted by the win by Hollywood Racing’s eight-year-old Ibutho, who score his tenth win in the second. His stable companions Winter Waves (8-yr-o) and Ulta Quick (7-yr-o) were only separated by six-year-old Rafiki in second from the Andre Nel stable where Hailey Crawford does their physio.

However, the danger of a reputation for patching up retreads is that you can miss out on building a yard from two-year-olds up. Superb horsewoman, the late Anne Upton, would have born testament to that trend, frustratingly hamstrung by her reputation.

Ibutho was always on the bridle travelling under Keagan de Melo as Ultra Quick set brisk fractions and if there was in-race betting, it collect at the top of the straight.

Apprentice Dezahn Louw is still a 4kg claimer but I don’t think for long. It is seldom that a seasoned jockey gives an apprentice kudos but Keagan de Melo was generous in his praise after he was made to work hard on Isivivane to get the better of Sundance Kid in the third. A furlong out, the race looked to be a formality as Isivivane challenged pacemaker Sundance Kid, but Louw had saved something in reserve and De Melo and Isivivane had to work hard for victory with the balance well beaten.

In the fourth, favourite Malshana Mou was under pressure from the jump as Million Voices set a blistering gallop and she finally ran out of steam over the final 200m as Wings Of Josephine and Magical Sky took off together in a ding-dong battle. Race caller Devonne Govender was not tempted into calling a winner but Magical Sky prevailed by the shortest of short heads with Call Me Jane a further length back.

Axis Power did not have many supporters in the D Stakes over 1000 m but Siphesihle Hlengwa, ‘Spare’ to his mates, jumped Garth Puller’s charge out from the wide draw to lead early. It was a lead that he did not relinquish in spite of challengers coming  from all sides with another turf veteran Trafalgar Square flashing up for second but well beaten. It was a quick double for the under rated Hlengwa who edged out Cole Dicken in a tight finish to the previous race.

S’Manga Khumalo is never shy when it comes to the use of the crop and he gave Good Traveller a few reminders that the gelding will not remember fondly as he got Good Traveller home for Gareth van Zy. In a desperate finish to the B Stakes with three horses nose-to-nose on the line, Good Traveller got his nose in front ahead of favourite Circumbendibus with visiting Wild At War  denied two short heads from giving the sister partnership of Candice and Tammy Dawson their first winner in KZN.

De Melo may be missing the lucrative pickings of Hong Kong but finishing in the pack on mostly modest horses is not where one wants to be in a highly competitive sport. A champion in his own right, De Melo’s experience in Hong Kong will have honed his skills and they came to the fore in the last as he rode a canny race on Garth Puller’s charge Izibulo to round off the afternoon with a treble. The win gave Puller a double and Hollywood Racing a treble with log leader Craig Zackey adding one more to his tally.

World Pools will be offered on races 1-10.

World Pools will be on the Win, Place, Swinger, Quinella and Exacta.

Betting will open on Friday 9 January 2026.

Race 1

 

3 BLOOD OF EDEN 5 CHICKASAW  1 CODEWORD 4 HUBERTUS HUNT

 

Preview:  3 BLOOD OF EDEN should be distance suited and has good form and a fair draw. 5 CHICKASAW can win if she reproduces her penultimate start over this trip but she does have a wide draw. 1 CODEWORD has pole position and has struck as a middle distance to staying type so should start improving now. 4 HUBERTUS HUNT has improved in her last two starts but has to prove she stays this trip, although it is just 200m further than last time. (David Thiselton 3-5-1-4)

 

Race 2

 

13 THE REASON 6 BRIGITTE ANNE 1 FALCONFLY

 

Preview: 13 THE REASON has also been showing promise and was also due to have run. 6 BRIGITTE ANNE should enjoy the step up in trip and this well bred sort can improve. 1 FALCONFLY improved last time over 1600m and can earn again with a repeat. (David Thiselton 13-6-1)

 

Race 3

 

5 ROYALE JACKET 3 LANCE A LOT GO 9 JOHNNY GO 10 HIGHWAYMAN HARRY

 

Preview: 5 ROYALE JACKET went close last time over 1500m with second time blinkers on and has a fair draw. 3 LANCE A LOT went close last time over 1600m after a good performance before that and is a big runner if able to overcome a tricky draw. 9 GO JOHNNY GO just failed last time over this trip and should be right there if able to overcome a tricky draw. 10 HIGHWAYMAN HARRY can be involved if bouncing back to the form of his first run and he should relish the step up in trip. (David Thiselton 5-3-9-10)

 

Race 4

 

15 WAR TALK 1 NARETOI 8 EMERALD CITY

 

Preview: 15 WAR TALK ran a cracker when stepped up to this trip last time and has a plum draw. 1 NARETOI is in good form and should earn again. 8 EMERALD CITY has been in good form over further and could earn here. (David Thiselton 15-1-8)

 

Race 5

 

5 GERBERA 7 COPPER EAGLE 6 READ ALL ABOUT IT 3 CHESTNUT BOMBER

 

Preview: 5 GERBERA has some class and can convert her fine recent form into a win. 7 COPPER EAGLE has not been disgraced in some top fields and has a chance in this easier race. 6 READ ALL ABOUT IT is a progressive sort who should start coming into his own and will be dangerous. 3 CHESTNUT BOMBER is threatening to return to his best form and has a chance. (David Thiselton 5-7-6-3)

 

Race 6

 

9 LITTLEMISSMILLION 3 ACCEPT COOKIES 4 BAKWENA 6 ACROSS THE POND

 

Preview: 9 LITTLEMISSMILLION is a tiny filly with a big stride and this represents an easier task than last time where she was not disgraced in a Gr 3 after a five month layoff. 3 ACCEPT COOKIES is in fine form and should be right there again. 4 BAKWENA is knocking on the door and is distance suited. 6 ACROSS THE POND is a capable sort and can bounce back over a suitable trip from a good draw. (David Thiselton 9-3-4-6)

 

Race 7

 

4 SPECIAL STAR 6 AMAZON QUEEN 7 PRETTY ANALIA

 

Preview: 4 SPECIAL STAR won her maiden well over 1800m and from pole position off a reasonable 82 merit rating she could follow up over this suitable 1600m trip. 6 AMAZON QUEEN has 3,20 lengths to make up on Special Star and is half-a-kilogram better off. 7 PRETTY ANALIA is capable of a strong finish so could overcome a tough draw. (David Thiselton 4-6-7)

 

Race 8

 

3 PRINCESS ILARIA 4 CAPE SAFFRON 5 PRINCESS KEIRA 7 VAMANOS

 

Preview: 3 PRINCESS ILARIA went close over this trip last time and has a plum draw again. 4 CAPE SAFFRON is in fine form and should go close if able to overcome a wide draw. 5 PRINCESS KEIRA ran a cracker last time over course and distance and now has a better draw. 7 VAMANOS looks to have plenty of ability and should go close if able to overcome a wide draw. (David Thiselton 3-4-5-7)

 

Race 9

 

2 INSPIRATION 7 PALACE REVOLT 8 PROPHET 3 NEVER NEVER LAND

 

Preview: 2 INSPIRATION won her maiden in fine style and can follow up off a reasonable 81 merit rating. 7 PALACE REVOLT ran a cracker last time with blinkers on and will go close with a repeat. 8 PROPHET is a former top class Gr 3-winning performer and he showed signs of a form return last time having dropped to a 73 merit rating and he is now a further point down to 72. 3 NEVER NEVER LAND has shown ability and might well enjoy the step down in trip so has a chance from pole position. (David Thiselton 2-7-8-3)

 

David Thiselton

 

Mike and Mathew de Kock will be heroes if they land the Gr 1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate on Saturday with either Jan Van Goyen or Dave The King, which is as opposed to the yard’s first win in this prestigious mile race in 2011 with the top class mare Mother Russia, because she shattered the hopes of many by ending the great Pocket Power’s chances of equaling a modern day world record.

 

After the Mike Bass-trained Pocket Power had won his fourth successive L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate in 2010 pundits delved into the record books and discovered that in the modern era only one horse had ever won the same Gr 1 race five times in succession and that was the American legend Kelso, who won the Jockey Club Gold Cup over ten furlongs at Saratoga every year from 1960 to 1964.

 

Kelso’s feats happened before the pattern came into being in thoroughbred horseracing, so the Gr 1 status given to the Jockey Club Gold Cup behind Kelso’s name was retrospective.

 

So, Pocket Power would have in fact become the first to win the same actual Gr 1 race five times in succession.

 

The Jet Master gelding was bred by Zandvliet Stud and fetched the second highest price of R190,000 at the 2004 Grand West Yearling Sale.

 

He ran in the colours of March Shirtliff, who owned him in partnership with  Arthur and Rina Webber.

 

Pocket Power was gelded before he ever raced and Mike Bass said it was necessary due to his temperament and added without it he would not have been able to race beyond four years of age.

 

This was a particularly wise decision considering he only came into his own as a four-year-old.

 

His first win was in his fourth start on 15 November 2005 over 1600m at Kenilworth ridden by Gerrit Schlechter.

 

Subsequent to his maiden win he remained undefeated around the turn at Kenilworth until he was beaten into third place by his full-sister River Jetez in the 2010 Met.

 

He had an unbeaten ten race streak over the Kenilworth 1600m, which ended when finishing fourth in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate of 2011.

 

Pocket Power earned R25,000 in his last race, an  eighth place finish in the 2011 Met, and that left him about R32,000 short of R10 million in earnings.

 

He only failed to earn a cheque twice, in a Maiden Plate over 1400m in November 2005 and then almost five years later in the 2010 July.

 

Pocket Power had a massive stride, but became infamous for his “flat spot”. He took a long time to wind up into top gear, but his devastating kick, usually at roundabout the 200m mark, will always be part of his legend.

 

He usually idled when in front, but with his huge stride he was very difficult to pass.

 

In fact in the 2010 Met his full sister River Jetez became the first horse to ever overtake him in the straight.

 

His first Gr 1 was in the December 2006 Queen’s Plate and besides winning that race four times in succession he also won the Met three times in a row.

 

His other two Gr 1 wins were a dead-heat in the 2008 July and winning the Gold Challenge at Clairwood in 2009, a race he had been very unlucky to lose two years earlier.

 

Jeff Lloyd rode him for his first two Gr 1s and Bernard Fayd’Herbe was aboard for his other seven.

 

In fact Pocket Power and Fayd’Herbe became famously close companions.

 

Bernard knew all the tricks to coax his quirky friend to cooperate, such as feeding him a clump of grass before mounting him at home otherwise he would become difficult.

 

Pocket Power’s other quirks which endeared him to the public were his dislike of parading in front of the grandstand, meaning Bernard had to be alert for his habit of suddenly whipping around and making his way to the start, his refusal to enter the winner’s enclosure, his tendency to back up whenever encountering something he disliked, rushing into the starting stalls, only going into his stable at home when he was ready to do so and, despite his tremendous will to win, he liked to have a lead when going to track in the mornings. He also spooked at the slightest disturbance.

 

Mike Bass’s patience in his early years was part of the reason Pocket Power was so successful. He resisted the temptation to go to Durban in the 2006 winter, but it was actually during that winter the yard realised he was something special as he reeled off the Cape Winter Triple Crown.

 

The other masterful feat of Mike Bass and farrier Greg Dabbs was managing Pocket Power’s very soft feet, which bruised easily, specifically the inner corn of his near fore. They were treated with rubberised concussion pads apart from other caretaking measures.

 

The build up to the 2011 LQP was immense with everybody talking about Pocket Power’s bid to join one of the greatest thoroughbreds in history, Kelso, with a fifth successive win.

 

However, Mother Russia started 18/10 favourite from a pole position draw and Pocket Power, drawn 2, was at 3/1 together with the crack three-year-old filly Ebony Flyer.

 

Pocket Power’s stablemates Blue Tiger and Captain’s Secret ensured a blistering pace, but it might have actually played into Mother Russia’s hands because she managed to find a position one in front of Pocket Power on the rail in fourth place. She was able to use her stride and at the age of eight Pocket Power was always going to battle to match the mare’s turn of foot.

 

Mother Russia duly quickened superbly under Anton Marcus in the straight and went on to win by 2,25 lengths from Tales Of Bravery and Ebony Flyer.

 

Pocket Power staying on down the inside rail for a 4,25 length fourth.

 

Mike Bass admitted afterwards Pocket Power was probably better at that age over 2000m but the Met three weeks later proved to be his final race.

Please note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Kempton and Lingfield (UK) – 7 January 2026