Hawwaam is still the first horse jockey Anton Marcus would choose to ride in the Sun Met.
That’s the word from the horse’s mouth after the sun set on a terrific 2020 renewal of the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate Racing Festival.
The KZN-based multiple national champion jockey was contacted by the Sporting Post for a comment after Mike de Kock’s well-fancied Hawwaam had run out of the money in Saturday’s Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate.
![](https://www.sportingpost.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Hawwaam-opremier.jpg)
Anton Marcus and Team Hawwaam after the Premier Trophy last month (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Hawwaam, a facile winner of the Gr2 Premier Trophy at his only previous start in the Cape, finished 3,30 lengths behind impressive winner Vardy.
“I tried to settle him in a good position from the 1 draw but he overraced throughout. This was not a reflection of his true ability. He remains my number 1 choice as a Sun Met ride,” said Marcus, who had enjoyed a scintillating winning partnership with the son of Silvano prior to Saturday.
On the lengthy delay at the start, Marcus said that ‘nothing went right’.
“There were issues with equipment with a few horses. Nothing went right at all. But put a line through this effort. Don’t write Hawaam off for the Sun Met!” he added.
Hollywoodbets revised their Sun Met betting after the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate