Kommetdieding up to scratch after Queen’s Plate drama

A skin problem almost foiled Cape Town Met favourite Kommetdieding’s warm-up run in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate.

Michelle Rix, who trains the four-year-old son of Elusive Fort with father Harold Crawford, confirmed the morning of the race, on 8 January, that Kommetdieding was found to be suffering from dermatitis.

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“The area was highly sensitive and you could see it was troubling him,” said Rix. “We thought about scratching him but it was our last chance to give him a warm-up run for the Met, so we decided to go ahead with it. We just kept packing ice on his back.

“I felt his pain with every stride he took, and it is something I don’t want to experience again.

“It was a bit nerve-racking watching the race, but we had to get the run under the belt, so my feeling is that his second place [behind Jet Dark] was like a win.”

The timing could not have been worse.

“Why couldn’t it have happened a few days before the race or the Sunday after the race? But that’s what these horses do, they’re here to test us.”

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Gavin Lerena, who rode him to victory in last year’s Durban July, admitted it did not make life easy for him.

“It was not nice to wake up to that. I just had to nurse him through, so I was very happy with the run.”

Rix says Kommetdieding is fit, well and ready for action on Saturday. He has drawn No 1 for the Met and that has split the trainer and jockey as to the merits of that barrier position.

“For me, it is always a bit of a worry when you have to run with fence on your inside,” said Rix. “At least the horse on our outside has a bit of gate speed so that should help us. Luckily for me, that’s Gavin’s problem.”

Lerena is not concerned. “I have no problem with the draw. Everyone says it’s an issue but it’s a small field and I don’t see a lot of pace. So, I’m just going to play it by ear. I’m looking to find a good rhythm.

“Fortunately, he’s very versatile … and the Queen’s Plate run has really brought him on nicely.”