Pocket Power – King of Winter
While temperatures plummet and our racing ‘swallows’ head north for the Durban season, Cape owners, trainers and racegoers can warm their hands on the prospect of the 2015 Cape Winter Series.
The 2015 Western Cape Winter Series for 3yo colts and geldings is worth R1 million and the fillies’ equivalent carries a total purse of R600 000.
The colts’ series comprises the R250 000 Gr3 Tekkie Town Winter Guineas over 1600m on Sunday 3 May, the R250 000 Gr3 Winter Classic over 1800m on Sunday 31 May and the R250,000 Gr3 Winter Derby over 2400m on Saturday 27 June. There is a R250 000 bonus for any horse to win all three legs of this series.
The fillies’ series is composed of the R150 000 Listed Sweet Chestnut Stakes over 1400m on 3 May, the R150 000 Listed Stormsvlei Mile over 1600m on 31 May and the R150 000 Listed Winter Oaks over 2200m on 27 June. A bonus of R150 000 will be carried home by any filly who can win all three legs of this series.
The Winter Series is synonymous with Mike Bass’s mighty Pocket Power, who stayed home when the Bass raiding party left for KZN in 2006 and famously became the first horse to win all three legs. Pocket Power went on to big race glory, achieving nine Gr1 wins, including four L’Ormarins Queen’s Plates, three J&B Mets and the 2008 Vodacom Durban July. The Stormsvlei Mile is named in honour of Pocket Power’s dam, who was named champion broodmare for the 2009/10 season.
In 2014, Dean Kannemeyer Racing’s Power King made a bold bid to win all three legs of the male Winter Series, winning the first two legs before finishing just 1,25 lengths second to Stan Elley’s Dynastic Power in Winter Derby. Power King now has designs on the rich KZN feature season trophies.
The Justin Snaith-trained Acrostar also went close to landing the 2014 fillies Winter Series, winning the first leg and finishing runner up in both of the remaining two legs. She will also be campaigning in the Champions Season in KZN this winter.
