Queen Supreme reigns in Paddock Stakes

MIKE de Kock was in two minds whether to run Queen Supreme in Saturday’s Gr1 Cartier Paddock Stakes over 1800m at Kenilworth. But in the end he was glad he did, as she won the prestigious race in breath-taking fashion, starting 11-4 second favourite.

Mike told: “She missed three weeks of work, but recently she started blossoming, she was working like a five-furlong horse and she’d improved on her run in the Summer Cup, where she’d finished an admirable fourth in top-level open company.”

The way Queen Supreme pulled away from her rivals over the last 250m was quite riveting to see. She found another gear and put them to bed long before she crossed the winning line, leaving a host of excellent contemporaries gasping for breath.

Queen Supreme won by 2.50-lengths, with just a quarter of a length separating the next four runners. Driving Miss Daisy finished second, a short-head in front of Silvano’s Pride, with further short-heads separating Miyabi Gold (fourth) and the favourite Front and Centre (fifth).

Callan Murray, who rode a beautiful race on Queen Supreme, commented: “She was still a bit weak in the Summer Cup, but she finished the race off like a smart filly. I didn’t ride her for a month after that, but when I got on her recently I was surprised at how she’d improved, I didn’t think she’d get beat today!”

He added: “We had a good run in transit and it was a genuine pace. I made the mistake of moving to early on her before so I sat longer today. I was impressed with the way she quickened up.”

Queen Supreme, by Exceed and Excel from Call Later (Gone West) is owned by the partnership of De Kock, Jessica Slack (for Mauritzfontein Stud), Larry Nestadt, JJ van der Linden and Noeline Malherbe.

Mike said: “It’s just fantastic to win a race with some of my nearest and dearest friend, people I like and care about. We’ll put Queen Supreme in the Majorca Stakes, I’m not sure about the Met, we’ll be discussing that.”