A Guide to the 2021 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate

This year’s L’Ormarins Queens Plate will be spectator-less, but certainly not feature-less. The 10 race card for day 2 of the festival is packed entertainment throughout.

We’ve put together Queen’s Plate betting tips and blitz previews for each race on the day. They have been thoroughly dissected to give you just enough info to make an informed bet. Click on each race to preview our bettings tips and race previews.

 

Race 1 – 1100m Maiden Plate

The day starts off with a 1100m sprint for any maidens. The field is made up of raced 3 year olds bar one, with just two fillies out of the eight starters. Being a work riders race leaves a few grey areas, making it a less than confident betting prospect, but a fun way to start the day.

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I wouldn’t normally opt for a short price in a work riders race, but this filly ticks all the boxes. Erin-Lee Watkinson seems a consummate professional with her 50% strike rate to date. She rode this selection on debut and was touched off late into second. The horse she beat into third that day has franked this form, winning next time out. A small win selection to start the day off, perhaps include in some speculative doubles and trebles.

Race 2 – 1400m Maiden Plate

Another maiden plate, this time over 1400m for fillies and mares. This field has a tad more experience and some standout contenders. Once again a tricky betting prospect, but with more form to go on, we should have a slightly better guide.

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From the 1 draw, I prefer Grant van Niekerk’s opportunities in a race where a handful of runners could pop up. She’s run 2nd four times in a row, fluffing her last race in a minor feature event in November. 2 months off and the services of a top jockey make the odds on offer seem more valuable that elsewhere in this one. Another tentative dip for me here.

Race 3 – 1000m Juvenile Plate

This 2 year old sprint up the 1000m straight is best described as a minefield. Three unraced runners, and four with one run under the belt make for tough tipping. The decision will be between siding with the only runner to have won, the two fillies getting generous allowances or getting a palm reader to pick from the remaining five.

– The bookies have sided with the lightweight filly, Kwinta’s Light. I’m less enthused and need some value to get interested in this one. African Rain competed well with numbers 1 and 4 last time out, hitting a speed wobble towards the end. With the services of Aldo Domeyer a much stronger finish is possible, and the extra value on offer entices me more. I’ve said it in the previous races, but I’m treading lightly again in this one.

Race 4 – 1200m Pinnacle Stakes

In this 1200m speed show, we’re getting to watch two of the country’s best sprinter against a very unexpected field with a couple of horses favouring distances more than double this. Strathdon and Doublemint are classy horses, but simply there to make up the numbers.

– It’s not often Russet Air and our selection are this far apart in odds. It’s a two horse race, and over the years these two have provided back and forth competition, but Kasimir had the upper hand in their last start beating Russet Air by almost 3 lengths carrying the same weight. At super short odds this is hardly a betting prospect, but this pick is likely to be one of the best bets of the day.

Race 5 – Premier Trophy (Grade 2)

Another deserving short priced favourite headlines this Grade 2 1800m race. With no allowances it looks to be unevenly matched favouring the high rated horses, and the betting reflects this.

– This 4 year old gelding is an ultra-consistent Graded race winner at the top of his game. After a layoff from the end of last season, he reappearance seem to be needed, getting touched off late into 2nd in a weaker field than this. He’ll be aimed at the Met next month but will likely want this victory to provide the basis for that. Even though we’re dealing with another short price, it’s definitely the best horse you could want to back here.

Race 6 – Paddock Stakes (Grade 1)

In my opinion this is the best race on the day. This weight-for-age 1800m thriller is packed with multiple storylines and opinions. We’re dealing with another short priced favourite, but I don’t see it being as straight forward as that.

– It’s not often in this game world you get a top class horse like this going for her tenth win in a row, unbeaten in her career. She’s blitzed everything she’s come up against, and this challenge lays out more for her to overcome. Her first run in the Cape, first time round a left-hand turn and a hideous draw are all factors. I have to believe if she is as good as she’s shown, then these are new experiences rather reasons she won’t win. Although I suspect it’ll be closer than the odds suggest, I’m siding with history and shouting her home.

Race 7 – Summer Cup (Grade 1)

This 1600m weight-for-age headlines the day and sees a debutant top the boards, followed by a handful of worthy veteran contenders. With the whole field bar one running off level weights, the attention automatically turns to those highest rated with the best prep for this distance.

– Despite this being her first effort in the Queen’s Plate, she’s 3 from 3 over this course and distance. One of these was a Grade 2 in December, where she beat contenders like Rainbow Bridge and Cirillo in identical conditions. Justin Snaith has a dominant presence in this race with half the field. It’s likely he’ll use this to play the race out exactly to Belgarion’s liking. Barring mid-race hiccups, this is one of my better bets on the card.

Race 8 – 1200m Handicap

Back to normality after some main race excitement, this 1200m handicap is quite open with a lot of value on offer if you can pick a good thing from the pack.

– One of the more lightly raced contenders, this 4 year old seem to have plenty of improvement to come. Last time out over the shorter 1000m trip he didn’t get the best of rides but still found the line. Having hit the front and won going away suggests another 200m could be even better. There are more proven picks in this one, but at generous odds, this looks a bang on each way bet to take.

Race 9 – 1600m Maiden Plate

The betting suggest this 1600m maiden plate doesn’t have much in the way of depth. Despite there being no mysterious unraced runners, it seems you’re either siding with the favourite or going rogue with almost any other runner coming in contention.

– I’m not sure I’ve ever tipped this many favourite on one day, but siding with this one seems the right play. He did all but win over course and distance last time out, and the A Team of Snaith and Fourie will know what’s needed to get through this. The odds may shorten as we get closer to race time, but I see this as another decent bet.

Race 10 – Chairman’s Cup (Grade 3)

This 2500m Grade 3 is a great way to end the day. It seems wide open and the betting reflects this. In predictable tradition, I’m all about finding a big price in the last, and this roulette wheel of a race gives us just that.

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If you can’t spot this one in the betting, keep scrolling. At the time of writing its bottom of the boards, but there’s a lot to like about the odds on offer. A lot of these ran an identical Grade 3 in December, and there have been minor weight adjustments based on that result. It’s likely to be a slow run affair and that seems to suit this pick. He ran on well last time out, finishing a length off the winner and a with little more luck could be feature. The each way value here is enough for me. Good fortunes in the lucky last to you all!