by Karel Miedema

Pocket Power became the first horse in 29 years to score a repeat victory in the J&B Met (SAf-G1) on Saturday after he delivered his customary late burst of speed to overhaul the leaders and score comfortably in Cape Town’s prestigious race at Kenilworth.

The Jet Master gelding's rare double follows Politician’s wins in the race in 1978-'79.

“He thought he’d done enough when he hit the front and started loafing, so I had to remind him, to which he responded well,” said regular jockey Bernard Fayd’herbe of Pocket Power, South Africa’s Horse of the Year of 2007. “We won easily.”

Pocket Power, the short-priced favorite in the $278,800 race, completed 2,000 meters (9.94 furlongs) in 2:04.43 on turf rated as good. Group 2 winner Our Giant, a four-year-old Australian-bred Giant’s Causeway colt, finished second, three-quarter of length in front of Hunting Tower, a five-year-old Group 1 winner by Fort Wood.

Pocket Power races for the partnership of Marsh Shirtliff and Arthur and Rina Webber, the buyers and underbidder, respectively, when the five-year-old Jet Master gelding was sold as a yearling. Webber acquired a half interest after the sale.

Trained by Mike Bass in Cape Town, Pocket Power was bred at Zandvliet Stud in Robertson. He is the third J&B Met winner bred by Zandvliet Stud, following Peter Beware (1969) and Wild West (‘86).

Pocket Power’s dam Stormsvlei, by Prince Florimund (SAf), is a half sister to Group 1-winner Harry’s Echoe.

Pocket Power has won ten of his 20 lifetime starts, including eight group stakes. He owns another notable double as the winner of the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate (SAf-G1) in 2006 and '07.

Karel Miedema is a South African-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent