Many professional horsemen scoff at anything that resembles a sentimental relationship between horse and rider. Yet, I have heard these same men admit countless times that horses perform better for some people than others. They’re apt to attribute it to anything but what I think it is – love. – Walter Farley
After a stellar career, Pocket Power brought down the house with a final appearance after his Met run on 29 January 2011. Watching the Champ stride out across the turf that he had made his own for so long was an emotional moment. We all know he is a quirky sort and dislikes having to canter too far past the stands, but that Saturday afternoon Pocket Power looked bright and alert and as though he was raring to have another go at the Met course where he had just finished 8th. Most poignant and touching was the way Bernard petted and stroked his neck the whole time, reassuring him and saying a personal farewell to his long-standing friend and partner.
I have been lucky to get a little behind the scenes glimpse of life in the Pocket Power yard (sorry Mike, I think it’s been renamed !!), and the warmth and affection for this horse are just phenomenal. People often say that a horse holds a mirror up to his riders and handlers and I think Pocket’s grit and incredible heart are an amazing testimony to his team. His quirky character and distinctive galloping style have earned him the affection of people across the country and his farewell parade had quite a few of us reaching for our hankies !
Up in the stands were all his fans, and his support group. Of all the teary eyes on the balcony that day, the prettiest are the blue eyes of his long-standing work rider, Belinda Haytread, who has been so intimately involved throughout his career. She cuts a distinctive figure on the training gallops with her long plait and quick smile. Watching from the sidelines, it has been obvious that they have a special relationship.
There had been much speculation as to where Pocket Power would retire to and it was confirmed recently that Belinda would be offering him a home with her in Constantia, which is a fitting and appropriate home after their long association.
Belinda is a talented competitive rider in her own right, and being Mike Bass’s goddaughter, her association with the yard goes back many years. She had already been a firm part of the team when Pocket Power joined the yard as a 2 YO. He may not be the easiest character out there, but he has the spirit and competitive edge that she looks for in a horse. Despite his distinctive running style, Belinda says that Pocket is very athletic and light in your hand and she says she has always had a soft spot for the sparky bay.
Those of you who follow Pocket on Facebook or the Mike Bass website will know that he bid farewell to his Milnerton home last Friday. Belinda and arrived to collect Pocket Power in her two-berth box and brought new stable companion, Ocean Motion along to keep him company on the journey. Although he was slightly reluctant at first, Pocket Power eventually loaded and was waved off down the road by his team for the last time.
Boy Boy Jevu, Pocket Power’s long-standing groom said he was sad to see his big horse go, but he has promised to visit and Belinda will keep him updated on Pocket’s progress.
Although he will be the undoubted star of his new 3 and a half acre forest home, Pocket Power is in good company and joins former stable companions-turned sport horses, Road To Reason and My Place as well as Ocean Motion and another Warmblood competition horse.
Pocket Power hopped off the horse box after his short journey, had a quick roll and then went to investigate what the feed trough had to offer !
I managed to have a quick chat with Belinda as she took Pocket Power for his very first hack this morning. She said he is taking to his new life with aplomb, tucking into his food and making friends with his new companions with ease. He has had his last pair of racing plates removed and graduated on to hacking shoes. Despite always wanting a companion horse to lead him out on the track, Belinda said that he seemed to be enjoying his new job enormously – so much so that he was happy to take the lead himself ! It brought quite a lump to the throat to hear the Champ snorting away happily in the background as we chatted.
Although there is no firm direction for his new career as yet, Belinda says that he’s the sort of horse who likes to work and with his phenomenal ability and work ethic I have no doubt that he will have as much fun and success in his competitive career as he has in his racing one.
Belinda tells me that word of Pocket’s arrival has spread like wildfire in the local community and there have already been pleas to bring him to local events as everyone wants to get a glimpse of the Champ.
There have also been talks of using Pocket Power as the official lead horse for the J&B Met and / or the l’Ormarins Queens Plate – a fitting tribute to the horse who had their silverware on his mantelpiece for so long.
In this day and age where good horses are either whipped off to stud or head abroad before one really has a chance to get to know their names and faces, it is rare for a horse to stay around as long as Pocket Power and it has been fantastic to have this wonderful horse grace our courses and our lives for so long.
His record really speaks for itself –the first horse to win all 3 legs of the Cape Winter Series, a historic dead heat in the 2008 Durban July, 3 wins in the Green Point Stakes, 3 successive Met wins and an unprecedented 4 successive Queen’s Plate wins. He has certainly earned his place in the Queen’s Plate Hall of Fame at Kenilworth and a life-size photograph of him was recently installed in pride of place.
My sincere thanks to Mike, Marsh, the Webbers and all the rest of the team for giving us so much fun and more importantly, for giving us a real, old school racing hero.
Trey Parker said that ‘Saying goodbye doesn’t mean anything. It’s the time we spent together that matters’. I will miss that shiny bay presence at Kenilworth, but he sure has left us some great memories.
