Adam Marcus had another red letter day in his young career as Vardy won the R1.5-million L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate over 1600m at Kenilworth on Saturday.

In what was considered the strongest field ever assembled for this Grade 1 race, Vardy proved the Cape form and that his Green Point Stakes victory was no fluke as he raced past the opposition beat with One World running one well in second and Rainbow Bridge another cracking run in third. Nemesis Do It Again isn't running to form and hasn't been himself of late. He was well beaten. 

“I can’t believe how easily he won,” said delighted jockey Craig Zackey. “This horse is definitely one of the loves of my life. We all know how good he is after today.”

The start of the race had a 20 minute delay as first the shoes of Pack Leader and Twist Of Fate had to be replaced and then both Do It Again and 7-10 favourite Hawwaam had to have their respective bridles refitted.

The unpacking of the race with be more about the run from Hawwaam than the win of Vardy and unfairly so as the Adam Marcus runner was all class in his win and franked the form of the Cape horses as being superior to the Gauteng form. Both Hawwaam and Soqrat flopped in the Cape with One World running to his form behind Vardy. 

The 20 minute delay no doubt did nothing good for Hawwaam but that would be only an excuse as he was well behaved behind the stalls and jumped out well. He was just beaten by a better horse over the distance. The key question is does he need the 2000m now of the Sun Met, a race he cannot be discounted in, but he has to put this race behind him. 

Time will tell.