David Mollett
9 January 2009
Johannesburg — POCKET Power bids to win his third successive L'Ormarins Queen's Plate at Kenilworth tomorrow, but big race specialist Anton Marcus might spoil the party on the Australian import, Our Giant.
Although it might seem lunacy to oppose a horse who has never been beaten over 1600m at the premier Cape course and who holds the current horse-of-the-year title, the fact remains that Mike Bass's champion is now six years of age and could be fully extended by his younger rivals.
Our Giant is running over his optimum trip and goes to post with two good prep wins under his belt. However, it is Marcus's ability to rise to the big occasion -- remember he won the Charity Mile in November on long-shot Likeithot -- which suggests Charles Laird's import may fare better than the bookies predict.
Another Gauteng raider, Buy and Sell, boasts two grade 1 victories, and a reproduction of his Champions Cup run will see him right there at the finish. While the J&B Met may suit him better as that is run over 400m further than tomorrow's race, Sean Tarry's charge has scored three times over 1600m.
If Buy and Sell finishes in the first three, it will take his earnings to more than R2m -- a good return on the R300000 he cost owner Chris van Niekerk as a yearling.
Kapil could make his presence felt if Stan Elley has got the gelding back to his best, but he is also now six and it remains to be seen whether he is the same horse as two years ago.
A bigger threat could be another Aussie import, Alvaro, as Justin Snaith has said we are yet to see the best from this choicely bred son of Galileo.
The safest position for punters is probably to couple Our Giant and Pocket Power in the swinger.
A final 200m battle between these two top performers seems to be the most likely outcome.
If the bookies have some prospects of upsetting the favourite in the Queen's Plate, they have no earthly chance of such a result in the other feature, the R1m TBA Paddock Stakes.
Justin Snaith has made the right choice in opting to run Dancer's Daughter in this "ladies" race rather than taking on Pocket Power, and owner Graham Beck could be excused if he waits for his star in the No1 box.
River Jetez and Emblem of Liberty could fill the minor placings behind Dancer's Daughter -- the latter won the recent Ipi Tombe Stakes at Turffontein but it looks significant that stable jockey Mark Khan does not make the trip to the Cape.
Instead, Khan will be in action at Turffontein, where he is reunited with Argentinian-bred Juanfra in the fifth race.
The gelding is battling to register his third win, but has a good draw and could get home ahead of Willy Figueroa's mount, Red Lucifer.
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