Queen's Plate Review

Great performance by Futura to win after a troubled preparation! He trailed the pace and moved up when it mattered. Excellent ride by Bernard Fayd'Herbe to make sure the horse gets a clear passage on the outside of the field. He produced a nice little turn of foot and won well. He'll be the bookies favourite for the J&B Met now I would imagine and has every right to be so as potentially he should improve and is a better horse over further than the mile trip. 

Triple Crown champ Louis The King might be the one to take out of this race, though, in my mind. He travelled really well on the inside but in contrast to winner Futura, didn't get a clear passage there. In fact Piere Strydom's hands were tied and he had to wait and suffer. Only until very late Louis The King got out into the clear and then finished like a train. In my mind he should be more suited to Met Trip anyway and Queen#s Plate was after not his target after all. In fact connections may be quiet happy to see how well he performed without getting a hard ride at all. 

Obviously the big disappointment was 2/5 favourite Legislate. He was flat to the boards 400m out and soon lost his position. That didn't look like the horse we have seen in all those heroic performances before and it was aparant that something must have been wrong with him. No surprise then when it turned out in the aftermath that there was a reason for this poor showing, indeed. Trainer Justin Sneith revealed: "Legislate's post-race vetting revealed that he has a serious viral infection. He will only run the Met if he is 100% fit."

The three year old Kingvoldt was up with the pace and looked to have a chance 2f out, just to fade off badly, which sadly may confirm that this 1.600m trip is beyond him and a drop in trip is needed to see the best of him. Wouldn't give up on him yet as he seems to have loads of gate speed and once reverted to sprinting trips, he could well find back to his best. 

Jet Explorer trailed the pace as so often and travelled particularly well. Under a patient ride, he made eye-catching progress late. He did so last year in the very same race, and for that reason doesn't strike me as one to take out here for the Met.