There was no doubting the star attraction at Kenilworth on Saturday and What A Winter duly thrilled the crowd

with an effortless victory in the Gr 2 Diadem Stakes over 1200m. Castlethorpe ran on late for second ahead of Cap Alright and

Magico.

Cap Alright took up his expected role as pacemaker as What A Winter disputed second place with Magico. Shades Of Indigo and Depardieu were next best with Castlethorpe near the rear with In A Rush and Jinzo.

What A Winter was asked to go about his business about 300m out and the race was over in a matter of strides. He sailed past the gallant Cap Alright and it became a matter of how far he would win by. Bernard Fayd’Herbe had time to ease him down as they crossed the line nearly three lengths of clear of Castlethorpe, the latter producing a late run to snatch second.

What A Winter was recording his eleventh win from 20 starts and understandably went off at prohibitive odds of 9/20. There really isn’t a horse in the country who can live with him over 1200m when he’s on song and this was always going to be an exhibition if he was anywhere near his formidable best. The Cape Flying Championship – a race in which he already boasts a win and close second to supermare Val De Ra in its last two editions – would be his logical next target, but trainer Mike Bass

did allude after the race to the possibility of a tilt at the Queens Plate if he drew well.

Castlethorpe turned in his best effort in some time, but this run was not as a big a surprise as his odds of 33/1 suggested. He’s had a few races now where he was either unfavourably weighted or racing over a trip that stretched his stamina (sometimes a combination of both factors) and he clearly relished racing at level weights on this occasion.

Cap Alright has come on really well and he now boasts a win and two placings in three races against What A Winter this season. That’s a more than respectable record and he showed plenty of courage in staying on after doing the hard work early on.

Magico seems to have put his injury problems behind him for now as this was his second decent run in succession – something he has not managed too often in the latter half of his career. He is a very capable sprinter at his best and will have every chance of making the frame in the Cape Flying Championship if he can maintain this sort of form.

Earlier in the day, racegoers were treated to two impressive displays of speed in the supporting features.

The listed Laissezfaire Stakes over 1100m saw trainer Dennis Drier continue his impressive summer run in Cape Town as hot favourite Sunshine Rock ran out a convincing winner. The daughter of Rock Of Gibraltar was always in the vanguard, pacing it out with Agra and Blouberg Beach, but once given some rein by Sean Cormack, she surged clear and gave notice of bigger things to come as she recorded her fourth win from just five starts. Reflective Image continues to show admirable consistency and she ran on well from off the pace, as did third-placed Enchanting Cathy, who ran a blinder considering the step up in class she was taking. Valdivia stayed on for fourth and while she is clearly still competitive against the top sprinting fillies around, she is struggling to replicate the brilliance of her early juvenile efforts.

The Var Syndicate’s innovative Need For Speed series does not yet enjoy black type status but that is only a matter of time as it has already thrown up a number of absorbing contests in its relatively short history. Despite the scratching of ultra-promising Cape Royal, the 1000m dash produced a fine spectacle and – appropriately enough, given the speedball that stallion Var was during his racing days – a great display of front-running from Eastern Cape raider Muscatt. Odds-on favourite Barbosa tracked him throughout and looked set to impose himself as he moved up threateningly a furlong out but Muscatt had other ideas and he found another gear to kick clear and win convincingly enough in the end. This was his third win from four career starts and trainer Gavin Smith will surely be considering further raids on the major centres after this performance.