Top trainer Mike Azzie has confirmed that his Argentinian – bred Charity Mile winner Hat Puntano will arrive in Cape Town by air the day before the R1,5 million Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate.
Grant van Niekerk steers Hat Puntano to a cracking win over Social Order in the Charity Mile in November
South Africa’s premier weight-for-age mile will be run on Saturday 6 January and Azzie’s son of Hat-Trick wrapped up his prep with a 0,55 length third under top weight of 61,5kgs to surprise winner Romany Prince and Unagi in a mile Pinnacle Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday.
The Azzman was pleased with the effort by the still underdone 4yo, but felt that the result could have been more favourable had things gone his way.
“The pair of stablemates contributed to a snail’s pace which turned the race into a sprint in the home straight. I felt that my jockey could also have made more use of an opportunity that presented itself when the gap opened. But in the end my colt acquitted himself well as he was not suited to the way the race was run at all,” said the veteran conditioner.
Mike Azzie –
The ebulliently and fiercely competitive Azzman of a few years ago has been tempered by a man who lets his horses do their own talking on the track.
We asked him how he rated his chances in the Kenilworth weight-for-age mile.
“Look, I will have my boy fit and ready but we have had no luck with the draw, and I am under no false illusions of grandeur as regards taking on a champion like Legal Eagle in his bid to make it three straight wins in this prestigious race. But let’s see how things pan out.”
On his Sun Met prospects, he said that a decision would only be made after the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate as to whether Hat Puntano, who races in a partnership of the Queen’s Plate sponsors and the Vilela family, would run in the 27 January showpiece. The L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate will only effectively be a fourth run in South Africa for the dual Gr1 winner.
The L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate entries:
L’ORMARINS QUEEN’S PLATE (WFA) (Grade 1)
| 5 | African Night Sky | Justin Snaith | 102 | |
| 11 | Afrikaburn | Justin Snaith | 95 | |
| 10 | Captain America | Brett Crawford | 118 | |
| 19 | Copper Force | Justin Snaith | 101 | |
| 7 | Deo Juvente | Geoff Woodruff | 115 | |
| 16 | Edict Of Nantes | Brett Crawford | 118 | |
| 17 | Gold Standard | Glen Kotzen | 115 | |
| 14 | Hat Puntano (ARG) | M G Azzie/A A Azzie | 116 | |
| 18 | Heavenly Blue (AUS) | Mike de Kock | 106 | |
| 6 | It Is Written | Justin Snaith | 88 | |
| 12 | Last Winter | Dean Kannemeyer | 106 | |
| 2 | Legal Eagle | Sean Tarry | 123 | |
| 4 | Marinaresco | Candice Bass-Robinson | 118 | |
| 15 | Nebula | Brett Crawford | 105 | |
| 13 | Nother Russia | Mike de Kock | 108 | |
| 9 | Our Mate Art (AUS) | Candice Bass-Robinson | 103 | |
| 8 | Sail South | Brett Crawford | 117 | |
| 1 | Silicone Valley | Glen Puller | 111 | |
| 3 | Sir David Baird | Mike de Kock | 95 | |
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And what of the uncertainty about the participation of certain leading contenders in the Met, which may ease the path to possible glory?
“I am not going to be distracted by other horses and their plans and merits. I will focus on mine and make sure he is ready. All I can say is that racing doesn’t need another body blow and it’s time that the naysayers packed their guns away and we all started pulling together to make the game great again.”
