Jack Milner
The L’Ormarins King’s Plate is the first of a trio of Grade 1 races open to all horses over 1600m and is arguably the most prestigious of the lot.
What makes this year’s event at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday particularly thrilling is the inclusion of the country’s leading three-year-old One Stripe.
Many may claim that not many three-year-olds have won this event, one also needs to take into account the programming of this event,
For many years it was run very close to the Cape Guineas and that stopped trainers for going for both. It was the same with the Cape Derby which used to be run on Cape Met Day and that precluded the top three-year-olds from contesting the Met.
Scheduling changes have now changed all that and three-year-olds are now more enticed to go for both the Guineas and King’s Plate.
In this case One Stripe looks to be well, especially if one takes a line through 2023 Guineas winner Snow Pilot. The latter beat One Stripe by one length in a Progress Plate over 1400m at HWB Durbanville in October and is now 6kg worse off.
In addition, One Stripe was coming back from a layoff, jumped awkwardly and in doing so cast a shoe. Since then, he has gone on to win the Grade 2 Cape Punters Cup and the Grade 1 Cape Guineas, both over this distance.
Snow Pilot then went on to win his next race by six lengths so that certainly stamps the quality of One Stripe.
Gavin Lerena has three wins and that second in four rides aboard the son of One World and after riding five winners at the Vaal yesterday, he will be hankering to follow up with a Grade 1 victory. And, with the older horses having to give him 5kg, Vaughan Marshall’s charge is going to be a hard horse to beat.
Of the older horses, See It Again looks the main danger. He had an encouraging run when a close-up fifth in the Betway Summer Cup and the consensus was that it probably been an error to give him his second run after his layoff at altitude.
He is a class horse and the best weighted runner in the field. Of course, Piere Strydom will be not aboard the Michael Roberts-trained son of Twice Over but he will be ridden by Rachel Venniker who knows him well and who rides him regularly in work.
Snow Pilot has matured really well and Justin Snaith’s charge has to be a factor in this race, especially with Richard Fourie up. Unfortunately, he is draw widest of all but he has excellent gate speed and should be able to overcome that obstacle.
Recent Grade 2 Green Point Stakes winner Oriental Charm and Royal Aussie, runner-up in that course-and-distance meeting, are others with legitimate each-way chances.
Another interesting runner is the other three-year-old in the field, Great Plains. This Danon Platina gelding finished a 2.75-length third behind One Stripe in the Guineas and will be having his third run after a layoff in which he was gelded.
It would come as no surprise to see him sneak into the Quartet.
The Cartier Paddock Stakes over 1800m is the other Grade 1 event on the card and this could come down to two factors – will Double Grand Slam stay 1800m and what went wrong with Red Palace last time.
Only the race can answer the first question and there is no doubt if Snaith’s runner does see it out, she has to be a massive runner.
Red Palace was strongly fancied to win her last start and looked to be travelling easily at the top of the straight. However, when Aldo Domeyer asked for an effort there was nothing to come. She was checked by the course vet and nothing untoward was discovered.
Now with Dean Kannemeyer and with Craig Zackey up, if she produces her best form, she will be very hard to beat.
Mike de Kock-trained Silver Sanctuary and Saartjie, who is better than her last race and will benefit from the stronger pace, are others to consider.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 5 Black Cheetah, 1 Clair De Lune, 7 Orbit, 3 Parental Guidance
Race 2: 13 Tenango, 3 Cork Bay, 6 Tough Terrain, 9 Champagne Kisses
Race 3: 4 Kaiboy, 10 Lion Rampart, 1 Questioning, 12 Roman Agent
Race 4: 5 Symphony In White, 4 Asiye Phambili, 11 Summer Lily, 8 Gimmie's Countess
Race 5: 6 Rascallion, 5 Magic Verse, 8 Zapatillas, 3 Triple Time
Race 6: 7 Red Palace, 8 Double Grand Slam, 12 Silver Sanctuary, 3 Saartjie
Race 7: 5 One Stripe, 8 See It Again, 13 Snow Pilot, 3 Oriental Charm
Race 8: 7 Daimyo, 6 Love Is A Rose, 4 Navy Strength, 11 Holding Thumbs
Race 9: 15 Garrix, 6 Let It Be Said, 2 O'Tenikwa, 3 Sail The Seas
BEST BET
Race 1: 5 Black Cheetah
VALUE BET
Race 4: 5 Symphony In White
BEST SWINGER
Race 7 5x8
BIPOT
R216
Leg 1: 3, 6, 13
Leg 2: 1, 4, 10
Leg 3: 4, 5, 8, 11
Leg 4: 5, 6
Leg 5: 7, 8, 12
Leg 6: 5
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R243
Leg 1: 1, 4, 10
Leg 2: 4, 5, 11
Leg 3: 6
Leg 4: 7, 8, 12
Leg 5: 5
Leg 6: 4, 6, 7
Leg 7: 2, 6, 15
PICK 6
R2000
Leg 1: 1, 4, 5, 8, 11
Leg 2: 5, 6
Leg 3: 3, 7, 8, 12
Leg 4: 5, 8
Leg 5: 1, 4, 6, 7, 11
Leg 6: 2, 3, 6, 11, 15
JACKPOT 1
R80
Leg 1: 5, 6
Leg 2: 3, 7, 8, 12
Leg 3: 5, 8
Leg 4: 1, 4, 6, 7, 11
JACKPOT 2
R200
Leg 1: 3, 7, 8, 12
Leg 2: 5, 8
Leg 3: 1, 4, 6, 7, 11
Leg 4: 2, 3, 6, 11, 15