Thursday, 1 December 2011 saw the launch of the Pocket Power book in Cape Town. There was an intimate gathering of family and friends at the gorgeous Haytread homestead in Constantia. It was a beautiful evening with just enough sun to promise summer, but enough of a breeze to keep everyone cool and comfortable.
Belinda and Pocket showed off their jumping skills and then Belinda slipped out of the saddle to give Boy Boy, Pocket’s groom from his racing days, a quick spin around the arena. Chatting to him about it later, Boy Boy smiles broadly and pronounces Pocket as feeling ‘very good!’.
I was lucky enough to spend some time with Pocket and his team towards the end of his career. At his post as The People’s Champion in the Bass yard, he was all athlete – serious, focussed and intense. These days, it’s as though he knows the pressure is off and although it is very much a working retirement, it’s apparent that relishes the challenge of applying his prodigious athletic abilities in a new field and is enjoying himself enormously.
He stands quietly to be unsaddled and looking thoroughly pleased with himself, is lead off to the barn to join his mates for dinner.
Pocket Power has famously always been fond of his food and is a little ‘fuller figured’ these days to what we’re used to seeing on the track, but I think it suits him. He’s shiny and full of health and mischief and thoroughly enjoy being centre stage again.
One of his quirks that struck me most on my visits while he was still racing, was that odd inner world he seemed to occupy and the peculiar way he had of always looking above or past, rather than at you. This quirk seems to have vanished entirely and it put a big smile on my face to see that quizzy bay head constantly bobbing through his stable window to see what everyone was up to.
In old high society magazines, where people used to write about big social events, entertaining was very much an art form and an invite by a truly great host or hostess was highly prized. There is a real art to making people feel entirely taken care of but entirely at home all at the same time. Well, the evening with Pocket felt a little like that.
I’ve always commented that Pocket Power’s connections work around him with a comfortable air of well-oiled efficiency. That familiar atmosphere is still there as are the strong bonds that this special horse has forged with his team. When I comment to Marsh later that it had felt like a family gathering, he replies ‘It was!’.
It is a genuine privilege to sit in the leafy surrounds, soak up the memories and stories and share in the celebration of Pocket Power’s career. As we sipped the fantastic Zandvliet wines, Marsh recounted stories about his Pocket’s career. Although he’s quite a private person by nature, he remarks ruefully that those days are long gone and that life has been quite different since Pocket Power. Marsh’s lovely partner Karin is also close by, warm and smiling and gracious as ever.
Carole Bass, seldom in the limelight, but an integral pillar of strength and support in the Bass team, chats about Dynasty’s recent colic episode and remarks on the coincidence that his son, Hammie’s Dynasty also recently required medical attention for a bout of colic. Rushed to the same hospital, he had to wait in line behind ‘dad’ to be treated (fortunately, both patients seem to be doing well).
Mike Bass, always so quiet and self-deprecating, really deserves every accolade for Pocket’s incredible career. It is one thing to find a champion, another to produce it and something else entirely to keep the horse sound and happy and able to do its job for as long as Pocket did. Mike, he really is a credit to you and the team. Mike commented how pleased he was that Pocket had gone to Belinda and what a nice home it was for him. He related that he’d been slightly taken aback on his visit to Thoroughbred Legends, a retirement home for Australian turf heroes, to see the horses just standing around in small paddocks doing nothing other than being showpieces for people to look at. While that sort of life might well suit an older, more phlegmatic character, a horse of Pocket Power’s calibre thrived on the rigours and routine of working life and Mike said he was glad that Pocket had a new job to focus all that talent and energy on. He said that Pocket has always been a quirky, but workmanlike horse. He’s not the cuddly, affectionate type and doesn’t like being approached or fiddled with unduly. However, Mike shares conspiratorially, if you just stand quietly and leave him be, he’ll approach you in his own time. Somewhat like his trainer, I suspect…!
I asked Belinda how he was settling in and whether her new charge was attracting much attention. She says the response from the local community has been phenomenal and jokes that she is inundated at shows with offers from people wanting to hold him or keep an eye on him. So it’s quite handy to have an equine celebrity in your string !!
One of my favourite stories is of when they went hacking and passed a team of council guys doing some work on one of the roads. Few people can resist shouting the odds to a horse and rider and one of the company duly felt obliged to pass comment. ‘Sjoe merrem, that’s a BIG horse!’ Belinda smiled and agreed that he was indeed quite a big horse. ‘Is he a racehorse ?’. ‘Yes’, replied Belinda, ‘but he’s retired now’. ‘Oh’, continued her new friend, ‘and is he fast ?’. ‘Yes’, said Belinda modestly, ‘he is quite fast’. The gentleman, obviously quite taken with the classy bay, countered with ‘What’s his name?’. ‘Pocket Power’ came the response. There was a short silence and then a low whistle. ‘Merrem, that’s not a racehorse, that’s a FERRARI !’
Mark and Candice are there of course, as well as a horde of children and once everyone has enjoyed some wine and is feeling pleasantly round from the lovely dinner spread, we all gravitate towards the stables. Robert Fayd’Herbe leans into the stable and tickles Pocket under the tummy. Pocket pulls faces in mock protest, but you get the feeling this is an old game and that both are enjoying seeing each other again.
However, it is obvious that Pocket holds a special place for Belinda. He watches her move up and down the barn and when she stands at the entrance to his stable, he quietly hangs his head over her shoulder.
The children rush in and out, bringing offerings of grass and whatever tidbits they can find and while he’s not converted to being entirely gentlemanly just yet, Pocket accepts the gifts from the tiny outstretched hands with enormous grace and patience.
In Gary Lemke’s book (which I highly recommend as a must have addition to every horse lover’s bookshelf), Mike describes Pocket as one of the bravest horses he’s ever worked with. I found a lovely quote recently which reads – Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says, I’ll try again tomorrow.
And I think that’s been the secret to Pocket Power’s enduring appeal. He has not been perfect, he has not been invincible, but he has always given his all and he did it longer and better than anyone else. He achieved what few other horses have even dreamed of attempting and he did it right here on South African soil. Which is why from blue collar workers to racing’s blue bloods, Pocket will always be the People’s Champion.
