L’Ormarins King’s Plate result: Massive upset as rank outsider crashes the party

Al Muthana caused a massive boil over at 80/1 when dashing along the outside rail to mug heavy odds-on favourite Charles Dickens on the line and take out the R2 million Grade 1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate over 1 600m on Saturday.

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This was a great personal triumph for trainer Ricky Maingard who won this race decades ago with grey champion, Wolf Power.

Big race rider, Bernard Fayd’herbe, so famously associated with Queen’s Plate legend Pocket Power, cleverly commandeered the outside rail whilst handling the victor with aplomb.

Defending champion Jet Dark closed ground to get third ahead of Kommetdieding as the top three in the betting filled the second, third and fourth slots, but few in the sun-soaked crowd anticipated Al Muthana’s stunning win.

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The son of Australian stallion Deep Field had won 7 of 17 starts heading into the King’s Plate, including a smashing victory over the distance in the Gold Challenge at Hollywoodbets Greyville before a couple of lesser efforts.

The experienced and canny Maingard, who has recently relocated from Mauritius with a small string, must be commended on priming Al Muthana at his second start since a rest and switch of stables.

Meanwhile, the Cartier Paddock Stakes (Grade 1) over 1 800m for fillies and mares, also staged at weight for age, went to Make it Snappy, a high-class daughter of Dynasty, who followed up a fluent gun to tape score in the World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas to again go pretty much start to finish and keep favourite Captain’s Ransom at bay by a long neck. Silver Darling clocked in third, a length and a half back.

Trainer Brett Crawford paid tribute to jockey, Louie Mxothwa’s judgement of pace.

“Now, that was a top-class ride! The filly has improved since the Fillies Guineas and really liked the 1 800m. It’s quite remarkable that she has now won two Grade 1’s from just five starts. She is very good indeed, and the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met is now a possibility.”

The Anthonij Rupert Wyne Premier Trophy (G2) over 1 800m was won by brave Vercingetorix gelding Rascallion in a time a second slower than the Paddock Stakes.

Warrior caught the eye running on from far back to sneak third place, but horses positioned handily came to the fore in a tight finish as 11/2 chance, Rascallion held out a resurgent Nexus with front-runner Universal only a half-length adrift in fourth.

Rascallion’s victory was laudable. He did a suspensory a year ago when beating Do it Again at level weights over this course and distance and it took considerable patience and skill by trainer Vaughan Marshall to restore the long striding gelding to full health. Corne Orffer, alert to the soft early fractions, rode a judicious race.

Princess Calla is a real win machine. She proved best in the Cartier Sceptre Stakes (Grade 2) for fillies and mares at WFA over 1 200m, sustaining a vibrant gallop throughout to beat off Stiptelik. Desert Miracle blew the start and weaved through from dead last to be close in third.

Princess Calla is a Flower Alley mare that has won 7 of 17 starts over a range of distances but seems adept over the short cuts since highveld-based conditioner Sean Tarry has taken over.

It’s great to have trainers raiding the Cape from around the country as it adds to the strength and competitiveness of racing – and obviously also helps to boost field sizes.

Jockey Gavin Lerena judged the steady pace perfectly, saying afterwards, “She’s loving her racing and still has the will to do it.’” 

In the finale, eight -year-old Crome Yellow took out the Merchants on Long Chairman’s Cup (Grade 3) over 2 500m. This doughty stayer has come back from tendon issues a couple of times and was winning his 10th race from 37 starts for justifiably proud trainer, Andre Nel.

The 33/1 outsider was smoothly handled by Grant van Niekerk. Another bomb, Senso Unico took second at 50/1 on an engrossing day which mixed fine thoroughbred performances, startling upsets and a few notable comebacks from injury.