The only lady rider to have won the Diadem was Genevieve Michel, who romped home on the Jallad gelding Okukama in 1998
Champion sprinter What A Winter retired to Drakenstein Stud at the end of last season after an illustrious career on the track. He left an indelible mark on Saturday’s Gr2 WFA Diadem Stakes having won it for the last two years. But there are plenty of other top horses to have lined up in one of the Cape’s great sprinting contests. The race has been a feature of the summer, since won by Lancaster in 1974.
The return of the exciting Jackson on Saturday is bound to add plenty of interest to what promises to be a great race. And trainer Brett Crawford will take heart from the statistics which show that milers have a fair record in the race. Met winner Past Master won the race in 2010 and the legendary Pocket Power was second in 2006 and 2008.
The Charles Laird trained Nhlavini had a terrific record in the race. The brilliant sprinter won it in 2001 and 2002, was second in 2004 and won it again in 2005. Our research indicates that the race was originally called the WFA Diadem Plate, which then changed to the Southern Cross Plate, and then became the Southern Cross Stakes. It appears that in 1974 the two races split properly and there was both a Southern Cross Plate (won by Mrs Noah) and a Diadem (won as stated by Lancaster).
The Diadem was run in November 1974 for a stake of R5 125, and the gallant little speedball son of Royal Affair, Lancaster, was cleverly ridden by present day trainer Paddy Kruyer, to beat Sword Dancer and Mangosteen, with Allan Higgins’ Harlech in fourth. The event is always run at a serious pace , and often into a southeaster. The Drum Beat gelding Bolero streaked away into a long lead and must have been eight lengths clear at one time. This very fast horse did not really get the Kenilworth 1200m and he yielded to Flower Power, another whose best distance is short of the Diadem’s. Lancaster came forward under Paddy Kruyer at the 300m and stayed on strongly to win a cracker. Lancaster was owned by Mr F. Maeder and trained by Alex Soteriadis. The win completed a hat trick in features races in the Cape for the breeders Knavesmire Stud.
The only lady rider to have won the Diadem was Genevieve Michel, who romped home on the Jallad gelding Okukama for John Mcdonald and Tony Impey in 1998. That year New Zealand-bred Global News was backed to repeat his Merchants success but this time around had to be content with the minor placing. Okukama, runner-up in his two previous outings, jumped out at the head of affairs and when the pressure was on, drew away from the field to win well by the best part of a couple of lengths from his much more fancied stable-companion Dad’s Elect. Glen Kotzen’s Ghostly Galleon had been just off the pace from the break but could find no extra when Dad’s Elect came at him close home to be beaten a neck for second spot with more than a length back to Global News, who was never really going like a winner Genevieve Michel eventually retired from race riding after an injury sustained while riding work at Milnerton.
No brief historical overview of the Diadem Stakes would be complete without the mention of longstanding sponsors, the Western Province Owners and Trainers Association. WPOTA’s name was erased from the Diadem history books in 2012. Some may say it is in the name of progress. We won’t judge that in this forum.
DIADEM HONOUR ROLL
2012 What A Winter
2011 What A Winter
2010 Past Master
2009 Thunder Key
2008 Blue Tiger
2007 Rebel King
2006 Golden Ivory
2005 Nhlavini
2004 Honour The Guest
2003 Not run
2002 Nhlavini
2001 Nhlavini
2000 Captain Al
1999 Eli’s Game
1998 Okukama
1997 Flobayou
1996 Cordocelli
1995 Flobayou
1994 Flobayou
1993 Phantom Saga
1992 Flaming Rock
1991 Flaming Rock
1990 Simonside
1989 Wainui
1988 Express Courier
1987 Lord Randolph
1986 Izindaba
1985 Gin Rummy
1984 Chili Bite
1983 Not run
1982 Breeze Past
1981 Lurgan
1980 Horatius
1979 Over The Air
1978 The Eliminator
1977 High Glow
1976 Quartertone
1975 Quartertone
1974 Lancaster
