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It is LKP day on Saturday and Jet Dark will be out to make it three wins in a row in South Africa’s most prestigious weight for age mile (L’Ormarins).

The South African racing community are bracing themselves for L’Ormarins King’s Plate day this Saturday (January 7), which will be one of the most star-studded meetings seen in recent years.

The King’s Plate was known as the Queen’s Plate during the long reign of the recently late Queen Elizabeth II.

The final field for the King’s Plate was announced last Wednesday.

It saw eleven high class thoroughbreds declared.

The Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Charles Dickens will be attempting to become only the third three-year-old to win the King’s Plate since Yataghan won it 50 years ago in 1973  and yet, despite also being drawn wide in nine, he is made a 5/10 shot by Hollywoodbets.

Such is this Drakenstein Stud homebred colt’s reputation.

Two years ago the Justin Snaith-trained son of Trippi, Jet Dark, became the second three-year-old to win this big race since Yataghan.

The other three-year-old to have done it this century is the Snaith-trained Gimmethegreenlight, who won it eleven years ago on January 7, 2012.

Jet Dark is also drawn wide, in ten, and is a 9/2 shot with Hollywoodbets to win the prestigious weight for age event for the third time in succession.

Kommetdieding, drawn eight, was last year’s runner up and is an 11/2 shot.

The other runners are 16/1 and higher.

Another point of interest is that Christophe Soumillon has been given the ride on the Eric Sands-trained Golden Ducat.

The France-based Belgian has three other good rides on the day on the Peter Muscutt-trained Isivunguvungu in the The Franschhoek Motor Museum Winchester Sprint Cup over 1000m, the Mike de KOck-trained Desert Miracle in the Grade 2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes over 1200m and the Gavin van Zyl-trained Winter Air in a handicap.

Meanwhile the Grade 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes saw a field of eight top class females declared.

The defending champion, the Snaith-trained five-year-old mare Captain’s Ransom, has a nice draw of three and has been made an even money shot by Hollywoodbets. 

This 1800m trip is at the upper end of her stamina range. If it was over a mile, she would likely be the same odds as Charles Dickens.

Marina would have progressed since her narrow third in this race last season and is third favourite at 5/1. She is capable of coming from off the pace so the draw of six should not be a concern.

The second favourite at 33/10 is the Hollywoodbets Durban July winner Sparkling Water, who jumps from draw seven. She enjoys this course having won the Grade 2 New Turf Carriers Western Cape Stayers over 2800m in her only ever appearance here on WSB Met day last year.

Last season’s Equus three-year-old champion Rain In Holland has failed to recapture her Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara-winning form so far this season, but will appreciate being back in Grade 1 company because she is capable of finishing resolutely, particularly in strongly paced races. She is out at 10/1 due to her two below par comeback runs following a procedure for an entrapped epiglottis, but she does have the advantages of pole position and Piere Strydom aboard.

Ahead of her in the betting is 8/1 chance Make It Snappy, winner of the Grade 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas and one who could still be anything considering she has only had four career starts. This Dynasty filly should enjoy the step up to 1800m, but she does have to overcome the widest draw of all.

The other two runners are Cape Fillies Guineas third-placed Hold My Hand and Echo Of Life, a Candice Bass-Robinson-trained stablemate to Marina who has won three times but who was well beaten in the Cape Fillies Guineas.

CLICK HERE to see all the fields in the action-packed LKP meeting.