The Pick 6 looks catchable at the Grade 1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate meeting on Saturday as the two Grade 1 events look to have potential bankers in Hawwaam and Front And Centre respectively.

The first leg of the Pick 6, the Design Indaba Pinnacle Stakes over 1000m, should be fought out by the Equus Champion Sprinter Kasimir and the Grade 1-winning 1000m specialist Pacific Trader. The latter beat Kasimir by two lengths in a similar event last season on 29 December, although he was receiving 1,5kg that time and now faces the latter at level weights. Pacific Trader went on to win the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint in Johannesburg. Pacific Trader has had one run this season, whereas Kasimir will be making his seasonal reappearance. Kasimir is all class and goes well fresh, so it will be close. The risk averse can include the classy Chimichuri Run. He would prefer a touch further, but the tough nature of this 1000m straight will suit him. However, on previous meetings he is held by both Kasimir and Pacific Trader. Bold Respect is also capable but is also held by the top two. Sir Frenchie will arrive fit with a number of runs under the belt and if the big horses falter in the final stages of this testing 1000m he could possibly pick up the pieces as he is capable of a flying finish.

In the Grade 2 Glorious Goodwood Peninsula Handicap over 1800m the classy Belgarion looks the one to beat. This horse caught the eye early in his career but ran a disappointing unplaced race in a below par Grade 1 Cape Derby field. He was laid off for the rest of the season and was gelded too. He has shown his class in his comeback this season, winning both of his starts over 1600m and 2000m respectively. He could well still be ahead of the handicapper. Charles was a similar type in that he was classy but disappointing as he needed gelding. In his two runs since gelding he has won over 1600m and then finished a decent 3,05 length fourth to the 127-rated One World when receiving just 1kg. However, he does have a tough draw to overcome. Eyes Wide Open is the third horse who must be included in the Pick 6 as he ran a close fourth in the Vodacom Durban July, despite being a touch unlucky, and effectively runs off the same mark. He has had one run this season and one run was all he needed before winning the Grade 2 WSB 1900 at Greyville carrying 60kg joint topweight. His trainer Glen Kotzen has been in flying form too. 

Front And Centre has a plum draw of two in the Grade 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes. She is full of class and seems to have overcome the hanging antic which cost her the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000. She is officially the best weighted horse and looks to have improved this season, so with “Superman” Anton Marcus she is going to take a lot of beating over an ideal trip of 1800m.

In the big one, the L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate, Hawwaam faces his first true test. He has beaten those he has faced with consummate ease but has never before faced the best in the country. In normal circumstances he would be roundabout the same price as reigning champion Do It Again. However, he comes in off a good preparation whereas Do It Again has not had the perfect preparation. Nevertheless, some would consider it foolhardy to exclude Do It Again from the Pick 6 and they might well be right. Rainbow Bridge was beaten 3,05 lengths by Do It Again in last year’s race and beaten 1,75 lengths by him in the Rising Sun Gold Challenge, so he looks held over this trip. Vardy would be a better inclusion as he won the Green Point comfortably and is improving all the time. Soqrat was beaten just 0,30 lengths into second in last year’s LQP so is another one who some would view as a necessary inclusion.

The eighth race, the Grade 3 Heineken Chairman’s Cup over 3200m, is the hardest leg of the Pick 6. Cape Town staying races can be won by outsiders as the pace is usually a dawdle and some horses are still proving themselves over the trip, so could be ahead of the handicapper. Crome Yellow made an excellent recent staying race debut and is drawn well. The big PE raider Mangrove could represent good value. Doublemint went close in the Gold Cup off a mark which was effectively only two points lower than he’s on now. Those three make most appeal but including as many as possible would be the way to go. 

The last leg over 1400m is a difficult handicap. Meraki flew home from a hopeless position last time out over this trip and now has a better draw so he is the tip to win. Justin Snaith has all of his runners primed for Queen’s Plate day so it would be wise to include all of Bayberry, Savvy, Rio Querari and Frank Lloyd Wright in that order. The Vaughan Marshall-trained three-year-old Path Of Choice has, like Bayberrey, sneaks into the handicap with the minimum weight so can also be included. 

By David Thiselton

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Hawwaam is odds-on for the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate at Kenilworth on Saturday yet you can get 6-1 about stable companion Soqrat who is rated a kilo higher. Is Hawwaam in fact the better horse?

“It’s hard to say,” answered Mike de Kock, the one man in a position to know, when the question was put to him yesterday. “Soqrat’s record is very hard to fault but my gut feel is that Hawwaam is a better horse and in terms of preparation Hawwaam is probably also better.  Soqrat has had three hard runs in Jo’burg although I have freshened him up coming into this race.”

Asked about the dangers, the eight-time champion trainer said: “My horses have had to travel and, although they have settled in very well and look well, the opposition have all been trained at home which gives them that slight edge.”

However he did single out Rainbow Bridge. “I respect him a lot. He beat Soqrat in the Champions Cup, he is 2kg better with Vardy and he looks to me if he is peaking at the right time.”

Rainbow Bridge is second only to Do It Again on merit ratings but Eric Sands, perhaps typically, takes a realistic view of the Sun Met winner’s chances and says: “A mile is not his game but he is always competitive, he has come on since the Green Point and he is definitely fitter.”

Hampered by Vardy

Gavin Lerena’s mount was badly hampered by Vardy at a crucial stage in the WSB Grade 2 and his jockey had to stop riding for several strides – although the trainer seems to feel that the 20-week absence also played its part: “It looked like he was still travelling with a lot in hand but he then seemed to come to a stop on the amount of work I’d given him. Also his recovery rate afterwards was a bit on the high side.”

In common with Do It Again, Vardy and the pacemaking Crown Towers this will be the horse’s second run after a rest and, historically at least, that could be a negative. “In the Durban season he ran a bit below par in the Gold Challenge which was his second run back but I will have him a little fresher and hopefully we can tick a few boxes.”

Sands also has a serious contender in the Cartier Paddock Stakes in the form of the WSB Cape Fillies Guineas runner-up Driving Miss Daisy. “She is a very difficult filly to assess because she shows you nothing at home but, from the point of view of well-being, she seems to be very happy and that is normally what counts with her. I’m not worried about the extra furlong but taking on the older horses over the trip is always one’s first question but she has shown she has the ability.”

De Kock also mentioned One World who was third to Soqrat in last season’s Cape Guineas and has won nine out of 12. He is available at 16-1. “That’s a huge price,” says Vaughan Marshall. “He has to be right there (on that Guineas form), he has done well since his econd in the Green Point and I have been very happy with his progress.”

Pack Leader’s chance at 75-1

Only 150-1 shot Crown Towers is a bigger price than Pack Leader, a 75-1 chance despite finishing fourth in the Green Point, and Glen Kotzen said: “Obviously it is a very competitive races but he has really come on since that last run, his second after a break. I think this could be his best distance and we are excited about him running.”

The bookies believe he has a much better chance with impressive Victress Stakes winner Snapscan (7-1 third favourite) in the Cartier Paddock. “She is a top filly in really good shape and on her day she can really fly. It would be a great pleasure to win the race for Gaynor Rupert and her partners.”

Tomorrow there will be a lot of interest in whether Candice Bass-Robinson can win the Cartier Sceptre Stakes for the fourth successive year. She has five of the 14 runners headed by last year’s winner Clouds Unfold who was only sixth on her reappearance in the Southern Cross.

“I don’t really know what to make of that but it was a funny race. She has definitely come on from it and this should be a much better run race,” says the Milnerton trainer. “I’ve got a nice hand of fillies in it including Freedom Charter who was third last year and is doing well. But Clouds is obviously the best one and she has a big chance if she is back to her best.”

By Michael Clower

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Guru’s Pride, an 18-1 chance on the books, was not the best result for the card opener at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday but gelding, a change of stables and a lengthy break obviously did Gavin van Zyl’s runner the world of good.

Favourite Glitter And Gold scooted out of the pack at the top of the straight and looked a certain winner before Warren Kennedy produced a telling late run on Guru’s Pride who rattled home from last on the outside fence to win as he liked. He looks to be a horse to follow after that performance.

Wendy Whitehead and Anton Marcus do not team up often but Chattertons Keeper, also gelded after a smart barrier trial and an eye-catching debut, was never under threat in the second. Marcus had his mount perfectly placed at the top of the straight and the gelding sped away to win comfortably giving Valarie Naidoo her first winner in her colours.

Debutante Ralph The Rascal found some inspired market support on course but was never a threat to the winner although well clear of the rest and is a horse for the notebook.

Dennis Drier is enjoying the fruits of his annual Cape Town sojourn but has a more than capable assistant in Stuart Ferrie who saddled short-priced favourite Ice Imperial to a bloodless victory in the third. Sean Veale wasted no time in setting his filly alight at the top of the straight and she coasted home more than three lengths clear of the opposition.

Owner Geoff Perkins has shares in a myriad of horses with various trainers and is a staunch supporter of the Whitehead yard and racing in general. He had a share in Chatterons Keeper and was further rewarded as Sweet Empress out-gunned favourite American Princess, fittingly racing in his colours.

Craig Zackey rode a tremendous race, hunting a split just off the rail as the field swung for home and getting first run on favourite American Princess who chased home with a wet sail but the albatross had flown.

Alphonse Baby, runner-up at her last two and in the Perkins colours, had to play second fiddle again and deny Perkins a third winner in the last as favourite Flaming Lass took command a long way out under as Serino Moodley, who is fast making a name for himself, sent Garth Puller’s runner for home a long way out.

Roy’s Physco has probably taken umbrage to the miss-spelling of his name, letting his supporters down once again as Dutch Alley motored home for Dean Kannemeyer in the fourth. Rocket Fire, keen from the jump and taking the lead, kept plugging away up the straight and although not able to hold the finishing burst from Dutch Alley, kept firing to keep Roy’s Physco at bay and hold onto second.

Vase, a duck egg and nine out for nine back in November last year, put that all behind her as Andre Nel’s mare took advantage of a drop in class and defied top weight to keep the two-year-younger Ode at bay, in spite of apprentice Thabiso Gumede’s 4kg claim in the sixth.

Apprentice Jason Gates, out with an elbow injury for much of the past month, got his New Year back on track as he punched home Bedazzled Joker for Alyson Wright in a desperate finish, just getting the better of Captain Cobalt and Mutawaary in a blanket finish to the seventh.

By Andrew Harrison

Apart from Port Elizabeth supremo Alan Greeff nobody has trained more winners this season than Brett Crawford’s 66 and his 20.2% strike rate is the best in South Africa. He is good at the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate meeting too and last year he won a third of the 18 races.

Classic winner Front And Centre is favourite to give Crawford his third success in the Cartier Paddock Stakes and the Philippi trainer reasons: “She has done very well, has had a great preparation for this race, looks outstanding and I think she is the horse to beat. We supplemented Water Spirit because we would like a true-run race.”

It’s five years since Futura presaged his Met win by taking the Queen’s Plate and Crawford expects a better run from Undercover Agent than his 25-1 price would suggest. “I am not going to say he can win because it’s a helluva race, probably one of the better Queen’s Plates we have seen in a long time, but he will be competitive. I don’t think you can read a lot into his WSB Green Point run. He was badly interfered with – he got banged into the fence twice – and yet he still managed to run on into fifth. He is a far better horse than that, his work is really good and a mile is where his best form lies.”

Crawford is also expecting a bold showing from 6-1 joint second favourite Charles in the Glorious Goodwood Peninsula Handicap. “Unfortunately he had a setback [a nasal discharge] that prevented him running in the Premiers but he has come through it well and his handicap mark is in his favour. He is going to do well over 1 800m and I think we can expect a very competitive run.

“Dynasty’s Blossom [ex Joey Ramsden] has only been with me for a short time so I don’t know much about her but she has shown her ability to stay well.”

Gimme One Night aims to repeat last year’s success in the Heineken Chairman’s Cup and give his stable its third consecutive success in the 2 500m race. Apparently his chance is better than the current 7-1 might suggest: “It was a really muddling pace in the WSB Summer Stayers last time and he ended up leading which is not what he likes. They then sprinted past him but he ran on to only just get beaten into third. He is in great form and he will run a very good race.”

When Adam Marcus started training nearly eight years ago many of his small string were owned, or part-owned, by his father Basil who, incidentally, rode the first of his three Queen’s Plate winners 43 years ago. Today Marcus jnr numbers some of the biggest owners in the land among his select team and he joins Mike de Kock and Justin Snaith as the only trainers with more than one runner in Saturday’s highlight.

Vardy is the main contender and, despite his Green Point win, very much the dark horse of the race. “Going into the Green Point I was of the opinion that Vardy had a lot of improvement still to come because he had had a long lay-off, an operation and only one gallop. He has come on from that win and, while we are coming up against horses that are also improving, he is a good place and I couldn’t be happier with him.”

And how difficult is it going to be for Vardy, or any of the other Cape Town horses for that matter, to beat Uncle Anton’s mount Hawwaam?

“He is a short-priced favourite and I think that is a fair assessment because he looks to be special. He had plenty in hand when he won the Premier but it will be interesting to see how he does against the likes of Do It Again and Rainbow Bridge because he hasn’t come up against horses of that level before – and with Vardy we will certainly try to give him a run.”

Marcus, renowned for the thought he gives each horse, has decided to try different tactics with second string Twist Of Fate. “I am learning a lot about him and I now don’t think he is a horse that needs to be bounced out. Maybe he could get away with really grinding through to the line, and showing a lot of heart, when he was a three-year-old but I don’t think he is going to get away with that against horses of this quality. He is doing well and you know what? At his best he is not far behind the best so we are really hopeful.”

By Michael Clower

The Grade 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes over 1800m at the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate meeting on Saturday could produce a banker in Front And Centre.

This classy daughter of Dynasty cost herself in the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 last season by hanging badly inward. However, she has apparently been cured of that antic and from draw two with Anton Marcus up she looks tough to oppose as she is improving all the time.

The Northern Hemisphere-bred Queen Supreme, who has not yet actually turned four, receives a 1kg hemisphere allowance. She ran an outstanding 1,6 length fourth in the Gauteng Summer Cup and would have strengthened and improved a lot since, so from draw eight will be the chief threat.

Snapscan has also strengthened and improved, which is not surprising being by Oratorio, and she comes off an easy win over this trip in the Grade 3 Victress Stakes in which she went from last to first.

She was well beaten in last year’s Woolavington 2000 but did have the winner of that race, Silvano’s Pride, well beaten in the Victress. She was receiving 3kg from the latter in the Victress and beat her by 3,55 lengths but she was likely more forward as it was her third run of the season. Therefore she will still have something to prove in the Paddock Stakes running against fillies who will be at their peaks, but she is beginning to look the part despite not being imposing.

Santa Clara produced an electric performance in last season’s Grade 2 KRA Fillies Guineas and being by Duke Of Marmalade she will also be coming into her own. However, she has disappointed since that run, first in the Woolavington, then the Garden Province and she has been beaten cosily by Silvano’s Pride and Front And Centre in two respective 1400m outings this season. However, she had tough draws in the former two events and likely needed the latter two. Furthermore, she has never before run over 1800m and that should be her ideal trip, so she could surprise like she did in the KRA Fillies Guineas.

Silvano’s Pride will be cherry ripe having her third run after a rest. The rest will be wary of her trying to gallop them into the ground like she did in the Woolavington, which was also her third run after a layoff. She does have the widest draw of all so might have to do some work to get to the front and that could be her undoing. 

Miyabi Gold beat Snapscan over 1800m in her seasonal reappearance but the form was reversed in the Victress where she was beaten 3,25 lengths. However, she is now 2,5kg better off and being by Silvano will still be as good as ever as a five-year-old and can place.

Driving Miss Daisy is a big three-year-old who is unknown over this trip, but as she was running on well for second in the Cape Fillies Guineas she could be a dark horse here.

Platinum Class looked promising last season but has run two disappointing races this term and has to bounce back.

Drama Queen ran fifth in the Cape Fillies Guineas and could improve over this trip but she would be a surprise winner.   

Water Spirit and Castellano are way out at the weights here and look held.

By David Thiselton