NEWS
Pocket Power defeated by sister in J&B Met
Posted: Saturday, January 30, 2010 4:29 PM
by Myra Lewyn
South African star Pocket Power’s string of consecutive wins in the J&B Met (SAf-G1) was snapped on Saturday at Kenilworth when his younger full sister and stablemate, River Jetez, outbattled Mother Russia for the victory in a career-defining performance.
Pocket Power, the nation’s reigning Horse of the Year, finished third.
A seven-year-old Jet Master gelding, Pocket Power reached legend status after an unprecedented fourth win in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate (SAf-G1) on January 9 on Kenilworth. But after capturing the J&B Met in each the three previous years, a fourth consecutive victory in the prestigious race was not to be.
Six-year-old River Jetez, a multiple group stakes winner who was third to Pocket Power in the 2009 J&B Met, entered this year’s race at her very best, according to trainer Mike Bass, and reached the pinnacle of her career after she unleashed a fierce rally on the cue of jockey Glen Hatt and overhauled multiple Group 1 winner Mother Russia for a determined half-length win. The bay mare entered off third-place finish to that opponent in the TBA Paddock Stakes (SAf-G1) on the Queen’s Plate undercard.
River Jetez covered 2,000 meters (9.94 furlongs) in 2:02.82 on turf rated as good to secure her first triumph at the highest level.
Pocket Power, the 1.70-to-1 favorite, briefly looked poised for a clear run to victory under Bernard Fayd’Herbe but flattened out as Mother Russia hit her best stride in her run to the finish line. However, the four-year-old Windrush mare, trained by Mike de Kock, could not turn back the electric acceleration of River Jetez.
Pocket Power finished another half-length back in third, followed by stablemate Fort Vogue, giving trainer Mike Bass three of the first four runners across the finish line.
River Jetez, who is out of the Prince Florimund (SAf) mare Stormsvlei, is owned by Cedric and Barbara Amm along with Marsh Shirtliff, who also campaigns Pocket Power in partnership.
Myra Lewyn is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
