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.
