Hollywoodbets Kenilworth came alive when Cape Guineas winner One Stripe downed his elders in the Gr1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate last Saturday.
It was a momentous occasion, as not only did the colt provide trainer Vaughan Marshall with a first success in the prestigious mile race, he also became the first three-year-old in over 50 years to win both Gr1 races in his sophomore year since In Full Flight completed the double almost a lifetime ago in 1972.
Gavin Lerena drives One Stripe clear as longshot Montien (Corne Orffer) and top sprinter Gimme A Prince (Craig Zackey) chase hard (Credit – Candiese Lenferna)
Trained by David Payne, this supremely talented colt won the Queen’s Plate barely a fortnight after his Guineas success and would subsequently claim all of the Rothmans Durban July, Woolavington Cup and Champion Stakes. Tragically, he died of a ruptured lung barely a week after running third in the 1973 Met.
Incidentally, One Stripe went one better than his own sire One World, who had chased home Vardy in the 2020 King’s Plate.
Where to now for this budding champion?
Vaughan Marshall has confirmed that his charge will be targeted at the R5-million Big Cap in March, after which he will have “a nice long rest”.
Sadly, that puts paid to a KZN campaign, more’s the pity, since champions of the past earned their titles by being tested against all comers, over various distances, and racetracks.
1966 Queen’s Plate winner Sea Cottage (Pic – Supplied)
Legendary greats like Sea Cottage, Hawaii, Politician, Gatecrasher, Sledgehammer, Horse Chestnut, Jet Master and Pocket Power never flinched from leaving the comforts of their homebase, traversing the country and flashing their brilliance in the principal races on the calendar.
So did some of the more recent King’s Plate winners. The mighty Pocket Power, whose four consecutive Queen’s Plate victories will likely never be matched, proved nigh invincible at his beloved Kenilworth, yet went on to deadheat in the Vodacom Durban July and won the Gr1 Gold Challenge at Clairwood.
He certainly was a chip off the old block, as his sire Jet Master proved himself a true champion wherever he went. Following his first Queen’s Plate success, the Geoff Woodruff-trained bay returned to homebase Gauteng where he added the Keith Hepburn and went undefeated in three KZN winter season starts, amongst which the Gr1 Golden Spur at Hollywoodbets Scottsville and the Gr1 Nissan Challenge at Clairwood.
Champion Jet Master beats Classic Flag in the 1998 Cape Guineas (Pic – Supplied)
Following his second Queen’s Plate success, he proved nigh invincible in five starts, winning the Gr1 Cape Flying Championship, Hawaii Stakes, a second Golden Spur and also his swansong, the Gr1 Mercury Sprint. His sole defeat came in the Gr1 Gold Challenge at Clairwood, where he was beaten a neck.
Sean Tarry’s Legal Eagle had already won the Gr1 SA Derby by the time he landed the first of three consecutive Queen’s Plates and would add two more renewals, as well as the Gr1 Horse Chestnut and Champions Challenge. Remarkably, he only raced twice in KZN, both times finishing just out of the placings in the Vodacom Durban July.
Star miler Variety Club was rested after his Queen’s Plate success and resurfaced in Durban for the KZN winter season.
After defeating Pomodoro in a Pinnacle Stakes at Hollywoodbets Greyville, he clinched yet another Gr1 success in his final South African start, beating Beach Beauty a length in the Gr1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge at Clairwood.
Sent to Dubai, he won the Gr3 Firebreak Stakes on debut and ran second in the Gr3 Burj Nahaar before claiming the Gr2 Godolphin Mile over Soft Falling Rain.
His career ended on a high in Hong Kong, where he stunned the racing world with a four-length victory in the Gr1 Champions Mile.
1972 Queen’s Plate star In Full Flight (Pic – Supplied)
Jet Dark’s Queen’s Plate double bookended a victory in the Gr1 Champions Cup at Hollywoodbets Greyville and subsequent to claiming his second Queen’s Plate, he chased home Sparkling Water in the Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July before successfully defending his Champions Cup crown.
He closed out his career on a high in the 2023 WSB Gr1 Cape Town Met.
Racing needs its superstars; they lure old and new fans to the racetrack, those eager to see their heroes in action.
Whilst the absence of One Stripe is certain to rob the 2025 KZN champions season of some of its glitter, there remains the possibility that he may still wing his way overseas, given that his King’s Plate victory gives him an automatic berth into the $2 million Gr1 FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile Breeders’ Cup Mile, which this year will take place at Del Mar.
