But what would have happened had Act Of War not fallen victim – almost certainly to the bug that is sweeping as mercilessly and as randomly through the Cape Town stables as the devil’s scythe – is a matter of expensive conjecture for those who backed him at 1-3.

“I was happy to track the leader but 500m out I knew I was in trouble,” reported Piere Strydom whose triumphant record-breaking roll went into sharp, albeit temporary, reverse on three beaten Grade 1 favourites.

The course vet reported that Act Of War was “mildly fatigued” but Joey Ramsden found him far worse when he inspected him in the racecourse stables, saying: “He is a very tired horse and he is blowing hard. This wasn’t his run – he emptied out too quickly for that – and he finished in a heap with horses rated far below him.”

Gavin Lerena boldly made all the running and then set out to really stretch the field as he turned for home. Asked when he realised he had the favourite in trouble, he replied straight-faced: “When I worked my horse last Monday!”

Matthew de Kock, assistant to his father, added: “We made the running because we knew he could get the distance and we wanted to make sure that it was a true run race. This is a special horse and I was screaming for him the whole way up the straight. He is now looking at the SA Classic and Derby.”

Angus Gold, racing manager for owner-breeder Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, said: “Ertijaal had colic as a young horse. We had to open him up and it was touch and go whether he would survive. To win a Derby 18 months later is quite something.”

Lerena and De Kock jnr repeated the tactics with Kingston Mines in the J & B Urban Honey Stayers and the Archipenko four-year-old will go for the Gold Bowl at Turffontein in April.

Mike Bass, 70 today, celebrated early when Inara gave him his fourth Klawervlei Majorca in ten years.  Grant van Nierkek took full advantage when Cold As Ice’s suspect stamina began to tell in the final furlong.

Strydom, confirming this was the reason why the 18-10 favourite drifted towards the middle of the course, added: “I saved her and saved her as long as I could.”

Kevin Sommerville, racing manager for the Trippi filly’s owner-breeder Gaynor Rupert, said: “She is qualified for the Breeders’ Cup after winning the Paddock Stakes. At the moment that is only an option but Mrs Rupert will sit down with Mike and discuss it.”

But before that lies a still-to-be-decided campaign with another crack at the Vodacom Durban July among a high class list of possible options.

“I’m not sure what we are going to do – we will have to sit down and discuss it,” said Brett Crawford. “The way they have changed the conditions of the July means that the race is never easy but I would have been disappointed if he hadn’t won the Met as well as he did. I was super confident because he has improved so much since winning the Queen’s Plate and on Saturday he really showed his class. This was his third Group 1 and he has only run in four of them.”

The Guy Murdoch-bred Dynasty colt was only the fourth in 20 years to complete the Queen’s Plate-Met double while this was the second Met success for Crawford who said feelingly: “It has taken 12 long years to get back to this podium” – and the third for Bernard Fayd’Herbe who shot his mount through a narrow gap just under a furlong from home.

Fayd’Herbe said: “I could see the gap coming and I was going so well that I was confident of getting through it. I had a very easy race.”

The four-year-old was bought by John Freeman for R500 000 as a yearling for Jack Mitchell (whose father and uncle owned the 1968 winner William Penn) after outbidding Irish agent Peter Doyle who was acting for Ian Longmore. The latter then asked Mitchell if he could come in while Freeman held on to “a very small leg.”

Gold Onyx, who ran on like a train under Grant Behr to snatch second, is to be prepared specifically for Durban’s greatest race.

Sean Tarry said: “This was a fantastic effort. He was drawn badly yet he ran above his rating. He doesn’t seem to enjoy Jo’burg so he will have a holiday and then I will prep him for the July.”

Grant van Niekerk reckoned he might have held on to second had long-time leader Helderberg Blue been better drawn – “But I think I made the correct decision to let him use himself.”

The 2 min 5.38 sec time was the slowest for ten years and nowhere near fast enough for 18-10 favourite Louis The King who raced handy but weakened into sixth with most uncharacteristic tameness when push came to shove.

Geoff Woodruff said: “Louis needs to be sat further back and off a hot pace. I am certainly not blaming Piere Strydom but, no disrespect to Futura who is a very good horse, if you were to run the race again at a different pace you might get a different story.

“I am very disappointed at the pace we’ve seen in Cape Town this season – it has been ordinary to say the least – and both Louis and Tellina (fourth) will now go back to Jo’burg for the big races there.”

Crawford will be there too even if it is decided not to send Futura because Captain America, who made most under Fayd’Herbe to defy top weight in the Carol Bouwer South African Luxury Emporium Handicap, is to be aimed at the HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes on 28 March.

THE Brett Crawford-trained Dynasty colt Futura was touted as a Gr 1 R2,5 million J&B Met winner as long as a year ago and showed world class ability at Kenilworth today when storming clear to win the big race with ease under Bernard Fayd’Herbe.

The magnificent looking bay won the Gr 1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate just three weeks ago, despite having had an interrupted preparation due to coughing, and has now clearly come into his own. This was his third Gr 1 win and he is likely to add to that record.

The form of the Queen’s Plate was franked as the seven-year-old Sean Tarry-trained Gold Onyx, a close up third in the latter race, finished runner up.

One of the biggest question marks before today’s race was the pace and Punta Arenas, as he did last year, easily overcame a wide draw to find a handy position. Helderberg Blue then came around him to take it up. The favourite Louis The King was handy as was Tellina.

Futura was in midfield and Fayd’Herbe was so confident that he was able to afford a cheeky remark at about the 1400m mark to Karl Neisius, who was on his inside on Power King, that he thought he was going to win the race easily.

The pace was not quick and there was a cavalry charge in the straight. Helderberg Blue and Punta Arenas were holding on grimly in front, but Fayd’Herbe still had plenty of horse and when he asked the question the response was instantaneous. Futura burst through and it was race over at the 200m mark as his chief market rival Louis The King was making no impression.

Futura went on to win by 2,25 lengths from Gold Onyx, who ran on strongly to pip a brave Helderberg Blue for second. Tellina stayed on well for fourth ahead of last year’s third-placed Punta Arenas.

It was third time lucky for owners Ian Longmore and Jack Mitchell, who owned the luckless Crawford-trained Jackson, who was strongly fancied in the last two runnings of the Met but failed. Longmore and Mitchell own the Guy Murdoch-trained Futura in partnership with John Freeman. Mitchell became the first since Marsh Shirtliff and Arthur and Rina Webber, owners of the great Pocket Power, to hold the Vodacom Durban July, Queen’s Plate and Met titles simultaneously, as he also won the former race with Legislate. Fayd’Herbe rode Pocket Power to three Met wins, while Crawford won the Net in 2003 with Angus.

Futura appears to be a natural and is easy to work with, according to Fayd’Herbe, while Crawford said he hadn’t been nervous in the build up as the horse had done everything right.

Earlier, Mike de Kock landed his second Gr 1 in successive weekends at Kenilworth when the magnificent specimen Ertijaal, an unbeaten Australian-bred colt by Hard Spun, left the odds-on favourite Act Of War toiling in his wake to win the Investec Cape Derby by 4,75 lengths.

Gavin Lerena took Ertijaal to the front and Piere Strydom had Act Of War perfectly positioned on the rail behind him. Ertijaal used his big stride to stretch away in the straight and Act Of War was under pressure to stay in touch. Ertijaal became more and more impressive the further he went and it was soon clear that Act Of War was not going to catch him. Lerena saluted as he crossed the line, while Act Of War’s fans began sweating that he wouldn’t make a PA place as his Joey Ramsden-trained stablemate Liquid Mercury and the Yogas Govender-trained Krambambuli had begun closing on him. In the end he just scraped in for second.

Mathew de Kock was emotional in the winner’s enclosure revealing that this horse almost lost his life through colic as a youngster. Angus Gold, the racing manager of owner and breeder Sheik Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, was on course to accept the trophy.

The Gr 1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes was an equally fascinating contest and centred around the brilliant Ramsden-trained three-year-old Cold As Ice’s ability to stay the trip. Her cause was not helped when she found herself in front with Strydom looking over his shoulder hoping that somebody would take it up.

Eventually the long striding Jet Supreme went around her giving Cold As Ice cover for most of the turn. Cold As Ice went for home early and stayed on gallantly. However, the Mike Bass-trained Gr 1 Maine Chance Paddock Stakes winner Inara began eating up the ground with a strong run down the inside. The latter just got her nose down in time to pip a gallant Cold As Ice.

The Glen Kotzen-trained four-year-old Jet Belle repeated her Paddock Stakes third-place finish and two more four-year-olds Red Flame and Lanner Falcon were next best.

Inara, a three-year-old Trippi filly owned and bred by Drakenstein Stud, had finished a 2,5 length second to Majmu in the Gr 1 Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas before her two successive Gr 1 wins and left many wondering how good the latter is. There is now no question that the three-year-old fillies crop is exceptionally strong this season.

The Listed Sun International Summer Juvenile Stakes was expectedly fought out by the smart colts Buckinghampshire and Seventh Plain. The latter started favourite but the former, a Justin Snaith-trained Australian-bred by Lohnro, took full advantage of his 3kg pull to slowly wear the latter down in an exciting tussle.

Dennis Drier will go home to KZN without a Cape Gr 1 win for the first time since the 2011/2012 season after Captain Of All’s hair’s breadth loss in the Betting World Cape Flying Championship last weekend, but today Balkan and Triptique gave him two wins, both ridden by Sean Cormack, and he had a Listed second with Seventh Plain.

Cormack had a memorable four-timer, having also ridden the Ramsden-trained Swannee Rose and the Snaith-trained Ultimate Dollar to victory.

Crawford and Fayd’Herbe also had a double together as Captain America won the tenth race in fine style despite carrying a welter burden.

De Kock and Lerena secured a Graded double on the day when they won the last race, the Gr 2 J&B Urban Honey Stayers over 2800m, with the four-year-old British-bred Archipenko gelding Kingston Mines.

David Thiselton for http://www.goldcircle.co.za

Pictures: Liesl King

A South Westerly wind is predicted by WindGuru and this should favour low draws in races down the straight.

The Gr 1 Investec Cape Derby features the high class Act Of War who should enjoy the step up in trip and he looks hard to oppose. The biggest danger is the unbeaten Ertijaal, a long-striding sort who relish both the trip and the long straight. Light The Lights was found to have a lung infection after his disappointing Gr 1 Grand Parade Cape Guineas run but has been doing well lately and as a progressive type who will relish the trip he looks to be the dark horse.

The Gr 1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes is packed with class and very competitive. However, the three-year-old fillies crop looks special this year. The potential superstar Cold As Ice has tremendous cruising speed and was running on when winning a Gr 2 over 1400m which gives hope she will stay the trip. Inara impressed with her runner up finish in the Gr 1 Avontuur Estate Cape Guineas and then won the Gr 1 Maine Chance Paddock Stakes despite being squeezed out in the straight.

Carry On Alice is full of class and effective over this trip.  Hammie’s Hooker showed signs of being a high class miler last season and was ridden too aggressively in the Paddock Stakes. Jet Belle was an unlucky third in the Paddock Stakes and has always struck as a potential Gr 1 winner.

Arcetri Pink can be devastating on her day but needs a good pace. Priceless Jewel is likely fresher than the others having only run in sprints and

finished a fine third last year. Red Flame at last gets the opportunity to prove herself at this level over her best trip, but she has unfortunately drawn wide.

Maybe Yes won the Gr2 KRA Fillies Guineas last year when showing a superb turn of foot. However, Cold As Ice is tipped to beat Inara with Carry On Alice, Hammie’s Hooker and Jet Belle next best.

The Listed Sun International Summer Juvenile Stakes, which forms the first leg of the Pick 6, is often won by a horse flying under the radar, but the Dennis Drier-trained Seventh Plain did create a huge impression on debut, lengthening beautifully when hitting his considerable full stride. He is a possible banker.

The speedy Buckinghampshire is rated by the Justin Snaith yard as one of their best bets of the day.  He was slow away and rushed when beaten by Seventh Plan but now receives 3kg. The Glen Kotzen-trained Princess Royal is a half-sister to a former winner of this race, the brilliant Princess Victoria, and won well on debut.

The second leg of the Pick 6 is a competitive handicap over 1200m and taking draws and form into account Bold Var could be the one to side with. Zingaro, Mister Matchett, Uncle Jim, Tour De Var and Azincourt make most appeal of the rest.

In the last leg of the Pick 6, Ultimate Dollar, St. Tropez and Fire Master have given the impression that they can go on to bigger things.

In the first leg of the PA Swannee Rose has a big chance from a nice draw. Summer Cruise should be cherry ripe and is drawn well over a step up in trip she should relish. Crystal Cavern has the class and form to win but has a wide draw to overcome. The same can be said for Seven Grand. Princess Salme has come down to a winning mark and is drawn in pole with Piere Strydom up.

Sail South is full of class and can win the tenth if the pace is better than in his last race over 1400m in which he didn’t settle. Ze Kaiser is over his feet problems so should also be included and Piere Strydom will suit Big Cat’s style. Night Trip and Captain America have big weights but are classy types that can’t be ignored.

The classy Indaba looks the one to beat in the eleventh, but Pecan Nut will be a big runner too.

Dynastic Power is the class horse in the Gr 2 J&B Urban Honey Reserve Stayers and is better than his merit rating. He will stay too but all of Coltrane, Shingwedzi, Mountain Master, Gothic, Ash Cloud and Wavin’ Flag have to be considered too.

He was held up at a crucial stage in the L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate before flying home for second and that was only intended as a “bring on” race. The Triple Crown hero carried a big weight to victory in the Sansui Summer Cup and is very much at home over 2000m.

Futura showed fine finishing speed in his Vodacom Durban July third place run as well as when winning the L’Omarins Queen’s Plate, despite a slow pace in both races. He will appreciate this distance and is likely to be finishing strongly.

Punta Arenas finished third at a big price last year and will be cherry-ripe after a good preparation. His wide draw might favour him as it did last year, as he won’t have to expend much energy in finding a handy position in a likely slow paced race. He has a resolute finish and could present the best place value in the race. Power King is getting better and better after gelding and should now be at his peak. He is 1kg better off with Arion for a 1,25 length beating in the Peninsula Handicap over 1800m, in which he was doing his best work late.

Tellina placed in two Gr 1s over this trip at Turffontein last season and will be having his second run after gelding. He finished fifth in the Queen’s Plate, a race that was intended to bring him to his peak.

Dynamic went close to upsetting Capetown Noir over this course and distance in the Investec Cape Derby two years ago and has impressed in his unbeaten run this season. He is said to be getting “better and better” in work and from draw 6 could take advantage of a lack of pace by being right up there before staying on. However, trainer Justin Snaith’s yard has been badly affected by a virus that appears to be rife in Cape Town at present and it is hard to fancy their horses with confidence at present.

Gold Onyx has a short run in and was a touch unlucky not to get a clear passage in the Queen’s Plate after cruising in behind for much of the straight. He gets on well with Grant Behr, who has retained the ride, and he stays this trip these days. Arion takes a lot of work and is not the soundest, but his Peninsula Handicap win proved that he was at his peak, so he has probably just been kept ticking over. Jet Explorer will go into the Met off a good preparation, unlike last year when pulling a shoe and banging his leg in the Met Gallops. He is always a dangerous contender at his peak and will be 1,5kg better off with Futura and Louis The King for beatings of between one and two lengths in the Queen’s Plate. He does have a slight stamina doubt, but in a slow paced race he should get this trip.

Killua Castle’s best form was always on the Turffontein Standside Track until he waltzed in last time out in the Gr 3 London News Stakes over 1800m on the Turffontein Inside Track, so he looks to be coming into his own. He is only 1kg worse off with Louis The King for a narrow defeat in the Summer Cup. Helderberg Blue’s temperament let him down last season, but is now under control. He was forced to go for home too early when fourth in the Peninsula and trainer Mike Bass also admitted said that he had probably not done enough with him in work before that race. He does have a wide draw to overcome. Paterfamilias will be having his third run after a year’s layoff and could earn if showing the same form of his Premier Trophy third place last season. He also has a wide draw, but Bass expects both him and Helderberg Blue to run their best ever races.

Johnny Rockets is not a sound horse so is unreliable, but is capable of a strong finish and if he is able to fully let himself down, which he doesn’t tend to do, he could earn a cheque.

Astro News was a close up sixth to Igugu as a three-year-old, but has only placed once in ten Gr 1 outings.

The scratching of Legislate and Justin Snaith’s admission that his yard is battling to contain a virus has changed the dynamic of this race so the selection has altered slightly from last Sunday and is now Louis The King to beat Futura, with Punta Arenas, Power King and Tellina next best. However, Dynamic remains the dark horse as he looks to have the potential on his day to upset the favourites.