A Champion Visit

Bernard with Pocket Power (photo: Roxy Joubert)

Big race hero Bernard Fayd’herbe showed that he’s a champion in as well as out of the saddle by paying a visit to a very special friend at Hemel ‘n Aarde Stud earlier this week.

A Legend Is Born

Pocket Power in his heyday

A sparky bay with a white star and two white feet was born at the De Wet family’s Zandvliet Stud in Robertson on 28 September 2002.  The 7th produce from the Prince Florimund mare Stormsvlei, he was from the first crop of the mighty Jet Master and Dan de Wet deemed the foal special enough to earn the name Pocket Power.

‘Pocket’ as he would affectionately become known, was offered as lot 189 at the BSA Cape Regional Sale in March 2004, where spirited bidding eventually saw him knocked down to Mike Bass, bidding on behalf of Marsh Shirtliff.  Underbidder Arthur Webber was so enamoured with the pedigree that he approached Marsh after the sale and purchased a share.

And so Pocket Power was trained throughout his career by Mike Bass and his team, racing in the interests of Marsh Shirtliff and Arthur and Rina Webber and carrying Marsh’s famous blue, pink and white silks.

Career

Pocket Power’s connections celebrate the 2008 J&B Met win (photo: Gold Circle)

Pocket went on to chalk one of the most remarkable careers in South African racing history, achieving 20 wins and 17 places from his 43 career starts.

He became the first horse to win the Cape Winter Series in 2006.

He won the Gr2 Green Point Stakes (WFA) a record 3 times in a row (2007, 2008, 2010).

He won the Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate (WFA) a record 4 times in a row (2006, 2007, 2009, 2010).

He won the Gr1 J&B Met three times in succession (2007, 2008, 2009).

He won the Gr1 Gold Challenge in 2009.

And he won the 2008 Gr1 Vodacom Durban July in a historic dead heat with Dancer’s Daughter.

Special Partnership

Precious moments (photo: Roxy Joubert)

Although Pocket Power had his first racecourse outing under Robert Khathi, was ridden to his very first career victory by Gerrit Schlechter and to his first L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and J&B Met wins by Jeff Lloyd, it was a young Bernard Fayd’herbe who steered him across the line for his Cape Winter Series triumph as well as his 2008 Vodacom Durban July win, two of his J&B Met wins and three L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate victories and who was, in fact, in the plate for 33 of his 43 outings and 17 of his 20 career wins.

In 11 starts over the Kenilworth mile, Pocket Power was only ever beaten once (in his final L’Omarins Queen’s Plate attempt in 2011).

Pocket carried top weight in 41 of his 43 starts.

He was also named Equus Horse Of The Year three years running (2007, 2008 and 2009).

Enduring Friendship

Bernard soothes Pocket (photo: hamishNIVENPhotography)

Seventeen wins on one horse is pretty special in anyone’s book and while there are few horses like Pocket Power, there are few jockeys like Bernard Fayd’herbe.  Although Bernard is now an international rider who suits up with the best at the top racecourses and race meetings around the world, it’s nice to know that he has not forgotten the horse that first put him on the map.

To those of us who watched him during his glory days, it will come as a shock that Pocket turned 15 years old in September 2017 and is 5 months away from his 16th birthday.

Bernard (who incidentally won the 2017 Vodacom Durban July on another top weight in Marinaresco – also for the Bass yard) took a drive out to Hemel ‘n Aarde on Wednesday, 18 April 2018.

“Life gets so busy,” said Bernard.  “I haven’t seen him in a while and Roxy and I had the afternoon off, so we took a drive to go and visit him.  It was so nice to see him.  He is in a paddock with his friend River Crossing and is in such a good place. He’s so happy – you can just see it in his eyes.  It’s just great to see him doing so well.”

We don’t get to know when they’ll arrive, or how long they’ll stay, but it’s wonderful to see our champions remembered.

Below a gallery of pictures of Bernard’s visit, with grateful thanks to Roxy Joubert.