Classically Cape Town

Martial Eagle wins the 2013 J&B Met

The countdown has begun to the R 2,5 million Gr1 J&B Met to be run over 2000m at Kenilworth on Saturday 2 February. An entry of 42 has been received, but only 20 can run. Trainer Dean Kannemeyer has confirmed that Saturday’s Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate winner Capetown Noir will take his place as a likely joint topweight with runner up, Jackson.

Kannemeyer confirmed earlier this week that he felt that his charge had the class and had earned the right to have a tilt at the big prize. He labelled him ‘absolutely brilliant’ at a mile, and said that he and regular pilot Karl Neisius were convinced that he would be very competitive. Capetown Noir won the Cape Guineas and Derby(also run over the Met trip) double in 2012.

Final declarations are due by 11h00 on Monday 20 January and the barrier draw for the 2014 J&B Met will be held for invited guests next Tuesday 21 January at the Shimmy Beach Club in Cape Town. Racing enthusiasts are reminded about the compulsory gallops which will be held at Kenilworth Racecourse at 07h00 on Thursday 21 January. Entry for that is free.

The fashion theme for this year’s Met is ‘Made To Conquer’, and after the Dennis Drier pair of Master Of My Fate and Beach Beauty won their respective features on Saturday in such fine style, the 2014 renewal is building into a crescendo of anticipation and excitement.

The great race has a long and proud history and the first recorded winner of the Metropolitan Mile, as it was originally known in 1883, was Sir Hercules. While the race had a chequered existence for many years in the early 1900’s, by the 1960’s it was firmly established as one of the ‘big three’ races in the country along with the Vodacom Durban July and the Summer Cup in Gauteng.

The race really came alive for those outside of racing circles when J&B stepped in to the fray as sponsor and the J&B Met as we know it today was born. The 4yo Politician, a magnificent chestnut with an outstanding record, won it that year in front of a large crowd. With “Big Race” Bertie Hayden in the irons, he cruised home by 3,25 lengths. With a stake of R50 000 that year and a sensational finish, the foundation was set for the development of the J&B Met into the massive racing and entertainment spectacular that it is today.

Trainer Syd Laird returned the following year with Politician and jockey Bertie Hayden and South Africa watched in awe as possibly the greatest performance by a thoroughbred in South African history was played out before an even greater crowd than the year before.

Carrying top weight again – this time under 58,5kg – Politician was boxed in as they swept into the home straight. There was nowhere for him to go and with 200 metres of the race left the chances of him getting a run let alone winning looked impossible. But the strapping chestnut was not to be denied and virtually finding his own way through the horses ahead of him he produced an explosive burst of breathtaking acceleration to catch the champion filly Festive Season just short of the post and beat her by half a length.

It took another 30 years for Politician’s feat of back-to-back J & B Met wins to be emulated and it came in 2007 in the form of the legendary Pocket Power. Pocket Power won the Met for an unbelievable three years on the trot, in a record that is unlikely to be broken in our lifetime. Last year’s winner Martial Eagle has not been entered for this year’s race. Follow the big race and all the latest news on www.sportingpost.co.za

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