A.N. and G. R. Foster's 5-year-old homebred Belgarion, a winner of his last six races, headlines a field of nine runners entered for the Jan. 9 one-mile L'Ormarins Queen's Plate (G1) at Kenilworth Racecourse in Cape Town. The race winner will earn an automatic berth into the $2 million FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile presented by PDJF (G1) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series. One race prior to the Queen's Plate, Mauritzfontein (Pty) Ltd.'s unbeaten 5-year-old mare Summer Pudding leads the 1 1/8-mile Cartier Paddock Stakes (G1) for a free starting position into the $2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1).
Belgarion, a bay son of Dynasty, is trained by Justin Snaith, who has three starters in the race. Belgarion's biggest career score was July 25, when he won South Africa's most prestigious race, the Vodafone Durban July Stakes (G1) at Greyville by three-quarters of a length. He returned Dec. 12 in the World Sports Betting Greenpoint Stakes (G2) at Kenilworth. Last of eight runners at the top of the stretch, Belgarion closed with a powerful rush to defeat the favored Rainbow Bridge by a neck. That victory improved Belgarion's record to eight wins in 10 starts, and was his seventh straight triumph dating back to September 2019. Belgarion will be ridden by Richard Fourie from post 6.
Mr. and Mrs. M.L.P. Rattray's 7-year-old gelding Rainbow Bridge, trained by Eric Sands, has had some hard luck in his last two starts. In addition to his close second-place finish in the Greenpoint Stakes, the bay son of Ideal World finished a short head behind Golden Ducat in the World Sports Betting Champions Cup (G1) at Greyville Aug. 29. His lone victory last year, however, came in the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge (G1) June 28 at Greyville, defeating Vardy (SAF), last year's L'Ormarins Queen's Plate winner. Luke Ferrais will ride Rainbow Bridge out of gate 5.
The front-running Cirillo also should be a factor for owner C.J.H. Van Niekerk and trainer Sean Tarry. Hitting the board in his last four starts, Cirillo held the lead in deep stretch in the Greenpoint Stakes before being passed in the final yards by Belgarion and Rainbow Bridge. A 5-year-old bay by Pomodoro, Cirillo last won March 7, taking the Betting World Hawaii Stakes (G2). Breaking from post 4, Cirillo will be ridden by Gavin Larena.
Completing the field are two Snaith trainees—the 2019 L'Oramins Queen's Plate winner Do It Again, owned by Nick Johnson and Bernard Kantor, who will be making his first start since Aug. 29, and longshot Hurricane Harry.
Undefeated Summer Pudding Figures Tough in Cartier Paddock Stakes
In the Cartier Paddock Stakes, Summer Pudding, trained by Paul Peter, looms large over 11 rivals, having never lost in nine starts. Saturday's race will be her first at Kenilworth as eight of her victories came at Turffontein and one at Greyville. A 5-year-old bay daughter of Silvano out of Cherry on the Cake by Strike Smartly, Summer Pudding has three group 1 wins, including her most recent triumph over male rivals by 2 1/2 lengths in the 1 1/8-mile World Sports Betting Gauteng Summer Cup at Turffontein Nov. 28.
Summer Pudding's first group 1 score came March 7 in the Wilgerbosdrift S A Fillies Classic. After winning the Wilgerbosdrift S A Oaks (G2) at Turffontein June 6, she got her second group 1 of the season, defeating Driving Miss Daisy in the Woolavington 2000 Stakes at Greyville June 28. Summer Pudding will be ridden by Warren Kennedy from post 11.
The main danger to Summer Pudding could come from defending champion Queen Supreme. Also owned by Mauritzfontein (Pty), Queen Supreme, trained by Mike de Kock, is a 5-year-old chestnut daughter of Exceed and Excel. Queen Supreme captured last year's Paddock Stakes (G1) by 2 1/2 lengths over Driving Miss Daisy for her first group 1 win. Two starts later, she finished third against males in the HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes (G1) on June 27 at Turffontein. Off until Nov. 28, she faced open company again in the World Sports Bet Ipi Tombe Challenge at Turffontein, finishing second by 1 3/4 lengths. She returned to the winner's circle in her last start, taking the one-mile Computaform Online Pinnacle Stakes by 4 1/2 lengths Dec. 12. Queen Supreme will be ridden for the first time by Keagan De Melo, from post 2.
A.C. Peter's Silvano's Pride, third in last year's race for trainer Justin Snaith and the Eric Sands-trained Driving Miss Daisy, complete the field.
