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Trainer Justin Snaith has confirmed a start in the R1 million L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate at Kenilworth on January 12 for Run For It.
Snaith believes Run For It needs 2400m but is happy to chase the big money in the G1 Queen's Plate (1600m) on his way to the J & B Met on February 2.
This will be the first Queen’s Plate for Run For It whose best performances tend to come in the J & B Met. He was third as a three-year-old in 2011 and last season he finished fourth.
There are 15 entries for the Queen’s Plate led by What A Winter, champion miler Variety Club and classy four-year-old Jackson.
Supplementary entries close on December 31 and may include Champions Cup winner Master Plan.
Master Plan's trainer Greg Ennion said: “We were going to give the Queen’s Plate a miss but he took his run so well that I think he may well take his chance.
“The distance will be a bit short for him but I would rather run him than gallop him and it will be his final prep for the Met."
The R1-million Paddock Stakes over 1800m on January 12 drew 21 entries, headed by Dennis Drier’s outstanding five-year-old mare Beach Beauty.
The popular English Garden, suspended for 180 days after bursting a blood vessel in the Premier Trophy, has been retired.
His most notable win came in last year’s SA Classic but he was also second in the SA Derby and third in the Daily News and Durban July.
Queen’s Plate Entries
Horse, age/sex, merit rating, trainerWHAT A WINTER (5H) 120 Mike Bass
VARIETY CLUB (4C) 118 Joey RamsdenJACKSON (4C) 116 Brett Crawford
BRAVURA (6G) 113 Joey RamsdenRUN FOR IT (5H) 109 Justin Snaith
SLUMDOGMILLIONAIRE (4C) 109 Gavin van ZylCHANGINGOFTHEGUARD (4C) 107 Justin Snaith
DEPARDIEU (4C) 107 Dean KannemeyerTAIPAN (4C) 107 Dean Kannemeyer
TRIBAL DANCE (4C) 107 Vaughan MarshallCASTLETHORPE (5G) 106 Mike Bass
FABIANI (7G) 106 Glen KotzenICE MACHINE (4G) 106 Garth Puller
MARTIAL EAGLE (7G) 106 Yogas GovenderBULSARA (6G) 102 Gavin van Zyl