Fourie could face tough choice between two stars in King’s Plate

At Christmas top jockey Richard Fourie will have a big decision to make. It’s not what presents to buy for his wife and two daughters. Rather, should he partner Captain’s Ransom or Jet Dark in the L’Ormarins King’s Plate at Kenilworth on January 7?

It’s a tough call for the 36-year-old because he’s ridden Captain’s Ransom for most of her career and was aboard Jet Dark when the colt won the grade 1 Champions Cup at the end of July.

That this clash is likely to take place is great news for racing fans and Justin Snaith, trainer of the two horses, has indicated that horse-of-the-year Captain’s Ransom could be headed for the early January race.

Interviewed by Justin Vermaak, head of Cape Racing Operations, Snaith said there was a “good chance” the daughter of Captain Al would be in the King’s Plate line-up.

Captain’s Ransom gave owner Suzette Viljoen and punters plenty to celebrate last term with the only blot on her copybook being her defeat by She’s A Keeper in the Garden Province Stakes on Durban July day.

Jet Dark ran second behind the Business Day tip, Sparkling Water, in the Hollywoodbets Durban July and last season’s Queen’s Plate winner is on course for another successful campaign.

Snaith revealed  a trip to Saudi Arabia for the $20m South Arabia Cup in February had been discussed. “Eighteen-hundred metres on dirt is right up Jet Dark’s alley, and there are 20-million reasons to go there.”

Unfortunately, the former champion trainer said that — while there was talk of the export route opening up by the end of the year — he believed time was running out for this overseas foray.

What will have surprised racing followers is Snaith’s statement that he had been “looking at emigrating”.

“I said to my brother, Jonathan, that I didn’t see Cape racing surviving — happily there has been a complete change in the last few months.”

What will delight owners and trainers with runners during the Cape season is the increase in stakes for most of the feature races.

The stake for the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas — scheduled for December 17 — has had a huge shot in the arm with the gross stake increasing from R750,000 to R2m.

The Western Cape Fillies Championship has seen its stake upped to R400,000 from R150,000 while the grade 2 Concord Cup (formerly the Selangor Cup) is now worth R500,000 compared to R175,000 last term.

There’s a 50% increase for the Jonsson Workwear Derby (February 25) with the stake for the Cape Classic doubling to R250,000.

Vermaak told the Sporting Post: “We are very excited with the extensive changes and — for a start — good news for the region is the upgrade of the Cape Mile from a non black-type feature to a grade 3.”