The Australian-bred grey boosted her reputation sky-high when she totally outclassed the opposition in the Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas at Kenilworth on Saturday and her famous globe-trotting trainer is intent on the world stage with his latest star.
Mike de Kock, winning his third Cape Fillies Guineas, said: “I will talk to Angus Gold (racing manager for owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum) but the Met is definitely in our thinking and it might be her last start here if she is exported.
“I don’t see any need for her to run again before that but, if I do run her, it will be in Jo’burg. We will definitely export her eventually because I believe she is well capable of winning a Group 1 abroad.”
Saturday’s race was robbed of a lot of its significance when second favourite Cold As Ice plunged through the pens, giving Bernard Fayd’Herbe a nasty fall and galloping the full mile of the race. A bitterly disappointed Joey Ramsden felt he had no choice but to withdraw her while De Kock sympathised: “To get to the start in a Group 1 and not get a run is gut-wrenching and I’m gutted for Joey, Finchy and the boys. It took a bit of a shine off the race.”
Fayd’Herbe, who sprained his neck and was stood down for the rest of the day, saw it coming and believes it should have been avoided.
He explained: “She played up and I called to the starter for them to let me out. They didn’t and she broke through the gate.”
Anthony Delpech is still haunted by the ghost of Igugu’s defeat by Ebony Flyer four years ago and he disclosed afterwards that this lay at the heart of his decision-making.
He said: “Igugu got all lost round here and I rode her too confidently – I didn’t get aggressive early enough – and that’s why I rode Majmu the way I did. I wouldn’t have gone clear at the 500m otherwise.
“I also pulled the trigger early because my pacemaker was coming in on me and I wasn’t sure that he knew I was there. She will be better when I can chase a couple home and I think she wants further.”
Indeed it was only in the final furlong that the 30-100 hotpot really came into her own. She seemed to slip into another gear as she strode away and the two-and-a-half-length margin said far more about the way Delpech allowed her to ease than her superiority.
De Kock commented: “The further she goes the better she will be and I thought she won this in facile fashion. She is a tough, strong filly who weighs in excess of 500kg. She is straightforward although fairly temperamental in that she knows what she wants – but I suppose that is typical of most of the female species!”
The surprise packet was 25-1 shot Inara who ran on into second and Mike Bass is now targeting the Maine Chance Paddock Stakes on 10 January.
He said: “She will be comfortable over 1 800m. She is not the most robust filly but she has ability and next season she will come into her own.”
Greg Cheyne made his move on Double Whammy immediately Delpech made his (“she moved up well and stayed on”) but Glen Kotzen was concerned about the way she lost second close home – ”I don’t think she quite gets a mile and she will probably go for a sprint next.”
Vaughan Marshall immediately ruled out suggestions of the Paddock Stakes for Jet Set Go (fourth) and said: “I will take her to Jo’burg and have a crack at the Triple Tiara.”
Picture: Liesl King
