Legislate will be a big runner
Vodacom Durban July winner Legislate heads the 16 entries for the R1-million Grade 1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate over 1600m at Kenilworth on Saturday 10 January.
Other big names include last Saturday’s Grand Parade Cape Guineas winner Act Of War, Triple Crown hero Louis The King and Champions Cup winner Futura.
Legislate, trained by Justin Snaith who won this in 2012 with Gimmethegreenlight, is favourite for the J&B Met and his other victories include the Investec Cape Derby, the Daily News and a record-breaking performance in the Grade 2 Lanzerac Green Point Stakes.
Act Of War has won his last six starts and is earmarked for export, possibly in March. He is trained by Joey Ramsden who won two Queen’s Plates with Winter Solstice and was also successful in 2013 with Variety Club.
Louis The King – Triple Crown champion will clash with the local stars
Louis The King took this season’s Gauteng Sansui Summer Cup and, together with Tellina, will represent Geoff Woodruff who won the 2000 Queen’s Plate with Jet Master and repeated the performance with Yard-Arm in 2004.
Champions Cup winner Futura is second favourite for the Met and is one of four entries for Brett Crawford. Mike Bass, who has won the race six times including four with Pocket Power, also has four entries.
Jet Explorer, who has made such a remarkable recovery from multiple fractures of his jaw and nose, was third to Capetown Noir and Jackson in last season’s race.
Jet Aglow, third to Beach Beauty and In The Fast Lane in last season’s Maine Chance Farms Paddock Stakes, was declared by Dennis Drier as “all according to plan” for the R1-million 1800m Grade 1 on the same day after winning the Listed Cape Premier Sales Jet Master Stakes at Kenilworth last Saturday
Hammie’s Hooker was fourth in last season’s race and her trainer, Mike Bass, has entered three others including Lanner Falcon who was second in last season’s Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas. She returned to winning form in a 1500m conditions plate at Kenilworth last Saturday but is a far from certain runner with her trainer saying: “She doesn’t really get as far as 1800m. She is a sprinter-miler and I think will go for the Freightmore Sceptre Stakes (17 January) and the Klawervlei Majorca Stakes a fortnight later.”
Pine Princess – De Kock entry
Mike de Kock, successful with Dog Wood (1999), Escoleta Fitz (2002), Angelina (2004) and Mother Russia in 2010, has entered Pine Princess.
Punta Arenas, third in last season’s J&B Met, is an intended runner in the Grade 2 Peninsula Handicap over the same course and distance on the same card. Other notables include last season’s Investec Cape Derby third Arion, Selangor Cup winner De Kock and Coltrane, who bounced back to form in last Saturday’s Grade 3 Grandwest Cape Summer Stayers Handicap.
The Grade 3 Politician Stakes over 1800m on the same day is a recognised trial for the Investec Cape Derby and Joey Ramsden’s entries include Cape Guineas winner Act Of War and third-placed Kingvoldt.
Nominations for the R1-million L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate (Grade 1) over 1600m at Kenilworth on Saturday 10 January.
8 ASHTON PARK (M W Bass) 60.0
6 CAPTAIN AMERICA (B Crawford) 60.0
9 DE KOCK (B Crawford) 60.0
16 FUTURA (B Crawford) 60.0
13 GULF STORM (B Crawford) 60.0
4 HELDERBERG BLUE (M W Bass) 60.0
2 JET EXPLORER (S J Snaith) 60.0
1 LEGISLATE (S J Snaith) 60.0
3 LOUIS THE KING (G V Woodruff) 60.0
11 PATERFAMILIAS (M W Bass) 60.0
5 POWER KING (D Kannemeyer) 60.0
12 READYTOGORIGHTNOW (S J Snaith) 60.0
10 TELLINA (G V Woodruff) 60.0
14 HAMMIE’S HOOKER (M W Bass) 57.5
15 ACT OF WAR (J Ramsden) 55.0
7 KINGVOLDT (J Ramsden) 55.0
7 GOLD ONYX (S G Tarry) 0.0
