There's no such thing as a racing certainty, but Pocket Power (SAF) racing over a middle distance at weight-for-age is as close it gets and the great son of Jet Master (SAF) added another chapter to his astonishing career with a fourth consecutive win in the country's premier mile race, the Gr 1 L'Ormarins Queens Plate, at Kenilworth today. Kapil (SAF) chased home the champion with Big City Life (SAF) and stablemate Fabiani (SAF) sharing third place.

The race followed the script right from the start. It was widely assumed that Gaultier was in the race to ensure a proper pace for the favourite and he went straight into the lead with Blue Tiger and Forest Path tracking him. Big City Life tacked across from his wide draw to get a nice position on the fence in fourth with Fabiani, Thunder Key and Strategic News next best. Pocket Power had broken well but he was soon eased back to race towards the rear, with Kapil and Ivory Trail the last two.

Blue Tiger moved up to contest the lead soon after entering the straight with Fabiani making progress and Big City Life looking for a way through. Pocket Power was eased outwards and started to pick them up once he saw daylight. His fans had no doubt visualised the finish several times in the build-up to the race and they saw exactly what they had expected, as the 7-year-old kicked into gear and quickened past his rivals with way too much in hand.

They no doubt had also visualised the other old-timer, Kapil, running on late as well and sure enough, he produced his trademark finishing burst once again. However, as in all his previous meetings with Pocket Power, he simply could not get on terms with a horse who continues to re-write his own legend.

It was a fine effort from Kapil who is just unlucky to have been born in the same year as Pocket Power. As genuine as they come, he continues to run his heart out in every race he contests and his connections should continue to have fun with him for the rest of the season.

Fabiani ran a huge race to deadheat with his more vaunted stablemate and the extent of his improvement becomes clearer with every run this season. This run should silence those who may have been tempted to write off his Green Point Stakes win, earlier this season, as a fluke.

Big City Life took a while to find a gap but, having found it, the finishing kick he had shown to such devastating effect last season was simply not there. There are still three weeks to go before the J & B Met, his main summer mission, and trainer Glen Kotzen will obviously have left something to work with, but if one looks at today's race in isolation, it's going to require a huge effort from him to turn the tables on the reigning champion. 

Jockey Bernard Fayd'Herbe doesn't seem to feel the pressure, no matter how big the occasion, and he rode a typically confident race. He said: "It's a really special moment, to win his fourth Queens Plate. He's a real champion and he proves it every time."

Trainer Mike Bass, whose masterful handling of the winner - throughout a career plagued with leg problems - must go down as one of the greatest training feats of all time, was understandably delighted with Pocket Power's performance..

"It's very tough to get him to do this. You can see he's a little older and not doing it as easy," he said afterwards. "It's a bit tougher for him but he really is as game as they come. When he puts it in, it takes a heck of  horse to beat him."

Inevitably, all talk will now turn towards Pocket Power completing the Queens Plate/J & B Met double for a mind-boggling fourth time, a feat that would have smacked of science fiction had anyone suggested it of any horse a few years ago.

"The Met will be an even tougher task than this," said Bass. "But this fellow will give them a good go."

It was typical understatement from Bass, a man of few words who refuses to talk up his horses and prefers to let their feats on the track speak for themselves. But for those who watched today's performance, not even the presence of some exciting young contenders from Gauteng is going to deter them from sticking with Pocket Power for the Met. This is a horse who thrives on the big stage and if he turns up fit and well on January 30, only bad luck in running is going to stop him from doing what he does best - making history.

Pocket Power (SAF) is a 7-y-o gelding by Jet Master (SAF) out of Stormsvlei (SAF) by Prince Florimund (SAF). He is owned by Mr N M Shirtliff and Mr and Mrs A D Webber  and was bred by Zandvliet Stud.

Winning trainer: Mike Bass