Whisky Baron joined an illustrious group of horses by winning the Sun Met last season with a fine run at Kenilworth Racecourse. A new set of competitors will duel it out in January for the most prestigious prize in South African racing, aiming to follow in the footsteps of the Australian horse.

The meet is one of the most exciting of the season and, in the more than hospitable location of Cape Town, it’s one that should be seen first-hand at least once in your life. There are numerous packages to view the action at the venue, beginning with 200 Rand for a general admission ticket. However, for people that cannot view the action live – Betsafe’s live streaming can be utilized after indulging in horse racing betting on their website.
The race is a spectacle and can throw up surprises as Whisky Baron was not considered the favorite for the event last season. The consensus was that legal South African horse Legal Eagle was the leading contender for the meet, despite Whisky Baron’s rich run of form in the build-up, reeling off four wins on the bounce at Kenilworth Racecourse. The bay gelding proved a point in the Sun Met by beating out Legal Eagle down the stretch by one-and-a-half lengths.

It was the second time on the bounce that Legal Eagle failed to meet expectations at the race. He was considered the favorite in 2016. However, he was beaten out by Smart Call by three-and-a-half lengths, lacking the pace in the closing stages of the meet to challenge of the bay mare. The result highlighted the unpredictable nature of the race in recent seasons, making the meet a must-see event, although there have been eras of dominance in the past.

South African horse Pocket Power won three-straight crowns from 2007 to 2009. He began with a victory in 2007, with Jeff Lloyd in the saddle. Pocket Power settled at the back of the field during the early stages of the contest but was able to gradually come through the field ahead of the straight. Lloyd got the best out of the horse down the stretch, using the pace to speed away from the rest of the field to win his first title by a length ahead of Lion Tamer.

Pocket Power had limited action in the 2007-08 season before the Met. However, he delivered a fine performance to claim the title, defeating Our Giant down the final furlong. The six-year-old’s preparations for his next outing at the Met were dealt a blow by a narrow defeat at the hands of Buy And Sell in the Champions Cup at Clairwood.

Despite the setback, the South African star was still considered the leading contender for the Met. The bay gelding had to be at his best to deliver the victory. With Dancer’s Daughter in close proximity, the South African horse managed to find a surge of speed down the stretch to triumph for the third time on the bounce by three-quarters of a length. Pocket Power’s dominance was rare and the usual races at Kenilworth tend to be wide open. As a result, it’s certainly worth a trip to the racecourse at the end of January in Cape Town.