King’s Plate entries rock

Racing fans got a nice Christmas present when the 17 entries for the L’Ormarins King’s Plate were unwrapped this week.

South Africa’s premier weight-for-age mile, to be contested for R3-million and a Grade 1 gong at Kenilworth on 4 January, has attracted a power-packed mix of young and older horses, across an interestingly varied stamina range.

The country’s top-rated galloper, Michael Roberts-trained See It Again, heads the list. Durban July champion Oriental Charm is there, as is Summer Cup hero Atticus Finch.

Brilliant three-year-olds One Stripe, Eight On Eighteen and Great Plains are counterpoised by celebrated seven-year-old warhorses Bingwa and Al Muthana. The latter was a shock winner of this race in 2022.

Some of the best sprinters in the land have also been pitched in: Gimme A Prince and Lucky Lad.

Perhaps the only notable names missing are Joburg powerhouses Dave The King and Main Defender, Durban stalwart Royal Victory and phenomenal filly Quid Pro Quo.

Five horses trained by Snaith

Champion trainer Justin Snaith, whose recent hot form included a five-timer at Kenilworth, has nominated five of his best, including the mercurial Snow Pilot. The sometime Cape Guineas laureate has drawn on the extreme outside, but Snaith has already accepted for him to run, nonetheless.

Charismatic grey Barbaresco drew gate No 16, which might give Joburg raiding trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren pause for thought – though it might be that the King’s Plate is seen as something of a prep run for the Cape Town Met later in the month.

See It Again’s draw of 11 – which will probably trim down – is right up likely jockey Piere Strydom’s street, so to speak.

Final declarations for the 164^th running of the King’s Plate are due at 11am on Monday 30 January.

King’s Plate entries

(No & draw, name, age & gender, weight, MR, trainer):

11 See It Again (5G) 60 131 Michael Roberts

13 Gimme A Prince (6G) 60 130 Dean Kannemeyer

14 Lucky Lad (4C) 60 125 Sean Tarry

3 Oriental Charm (4C) 60 125 BJ Crawford/JI Crawford

17 Snow Pilot (4C) 60 125 Justin Snaith

9 Royal Aussie (5G) 60 124 Justin Snaith

16 Barbaresco (4G) 60 122 JA Janse van Vuuren

5 Atticus Finch (5G) 60 121 Alec Laird

1 Al Muthana (AUS) (7G) 60 120 Ricky Maingard

4 Bingwa (7G) 60 120 Gavin Smith

15 Montien (5G) 60 120 Piet Botha

10 At My Command (5G) 60 119 BJ Crawford/JI Crawford

6 Without Question (5G) 60 118 Justin Snaith

2 King Regent (5G) 60 114 Glen Kotzen

8 One Stripe (3C) 55 118 Vaughan Marshall

7 Eight On Eighteen (3C) 55 115 Justin Snaith

12 Great Plains (3G) 55 112 Justin Snaith