It’s hard to believe that all of eleven years have passed since the mighty Pocket Power powered to a record fourth consecutive victory in the Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate, a feat unmatched since.
That the champion son of Jet Master made the prestigious mile race his own would be an understatement and as the 2022 renewal looms ever closer, let’s go back to that historical achievement.
Raced in partnership by Marsh Shirtliff and Arthur and Rina Webber, Pocket Power announced his arrival in the upper echelons when he defeated a star-studded field in the 2006 Queen’s Plate.
Racing towards the rear of a strung-out field early on, he moved up ominously in the straight and locked horns with old adversary Silver Mist, who had chased him home in both the Winter Classic and Derby. Joey Ramsden’s grey provided doughty opposition, but in a driving finish, Pocket Power held on grimly to prevail by a shorthead. This was a win full of merit, considering he had to overcome an unfavourable outside draw.
Pocket Power was partnered by jockey Jeff Lloyd, who remarked: “I may have hit the front a bit early, he has such a good turn of foot. He’s such a lazy bugger.”
Twelve months later, Pocket Power returned as the country’s Horse of the Year and as such, treated the Kenilworth crowd to another masterful performance
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Sent off an even-money favourite, the champion once again languished amongst the backmarkers and when stable companion Floatyourboat struck the front a furlong out, he still had a mountain to climb. But once the turbo kicked in, his trademark whirlwind charge was a sight to behold as he stormed home in breathtaking fashion to score by the best part of two lengths.
By now, Bernard Fayd’Herbe had become the gelding’s regular pilot and he was suitably impressed: “Lame, sound, sick or lazy, he always gives 125%. When we were at the back, he was off the bit and I had to keep at him, but once I got into him, he did it easily.”
Onwards to 2008, and with yet another superb performance, Pocket Power rolled into the history books as the first triple winner of the Queen’s Plate.
Watch the final stages of the 2008 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate:
Sent off the odds-on favourite, the champion raced midfield early on and after cornering six lengths off the pace, he was switched to the centre of the track. With a bold forward move, he surged into the lead 250m from home and strode away in fine style to score by just over a length, which prompted Fayd’Herbe to remark: “He is just amazing. He took hold of the bit at the 400m mark and I thought, wow, that’s a change. I thought I had gone too soon because he started to idle in front as if waiting for company. But when they came at him, he found another gear.”
Remarkably, that was Pocket Power’s eighth win over the course and distance and in the process, he also went one better than his own sire Jet Master, who won the race in 1999 and 2000.
By the time Pocket Power lined up for the 2009 Queen’s Plate, he was a seven-year-old veteran, yet proved himself a horse for the ages when bagging an unprecedented fourth Queen’s Plate and ninth victory at the highest level.
As was custom, Pocket Power again came from well back and when Fayd’Herbe switched the long-striding bay to the outside, it was race over.
Arthur & Rina Webber and Marsh Shirtliff & Gaynor Rupert on the winner’s podium
Delivering his lethal finishing kick, the gelding forged into the lead inside the final furlong and easily held off a fast-finishing Kapil by the best part of a length.
To add further credence to this historical feat, he broke the previous race record by almost a quarter of a second, while increasing an unbeaten streak at Kenilworth of fifteen victories over distances around the turn.
“I’m speechless,” Fayd’Herbe remarked afterwards.
“At the 600m mark I was like, boy you’ll have to pick it up now. At the end he drifted in a little bit looking for company. He once again proved he’s a real, real champ.”
Relive the 2010 drama:
Never a man of many words, trainer Mike Bass was glowing in praise of his favourite charge: “I’m in awe of him. You can see he’s a bit older and it’s a bit tougher for him. He tried to stay in touch with them early on but as he’s such a big-striding horse, he battles to go with the early pace, that’s why he has to have a fair pace. He really is as game as they come and he puts it in and has a full go.”
Few superlatives remained to describe this mighty warrior, one of the greats to have graced the South African turf.
Bernard with Pocket Power (photo: Roxy Joubert)
Brave and talented, he was plagued by a chronic foot problem, yet thanks to the expert care of his master trainer, put together a stellar career highlighted by his unique Queen’s Plate quartet, a record hat-trick in the Gr1 Met and a deadheat in the Gr1 Vodacom Durban July.
Pocket Power died on 31 July 2021 – a day before what would have been his 19th birthday.
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