Andre Nel has just come off the most successful season for Plattner Racing of individual winners trained, despite the disruptions of Covid and lockdowns. The stable sent out 66 winners from 532 runners at a tick over 12%. Supplemented with 65 seconds and 72 third places, Nel managed the highest percentage place strike rate of all top trainers in South Africa.
Nel used to run Sabine Plattner’s thoroughbred breeding operation, La Plaissance, before switching over to the training game. Their well-resourced private facility of Rondeberg is situated up the West Coast in a nature reserve. It’s from this idyllic base that Nel conditions 50 horses in training – half of them being younger, unproven types.
Its Plattner’s policy not to pressure racehorses early and Nel duly follows a patient, build-them—up-steadily approach. This style has cost the yard a shot at juvenile and Classic honours, but Nel reckons that is a price worth paying to truly optimize their careers over the longer term. When eventually sent to the racetrack they are robust and ready to run competitively – hence the admirably high ratio of Nel’s charges that get into the frame.
Nel is always full of pertinent insights when discussing his charges. He has an analytical mind and is a strategic thinker with a sound and realistically grounded sense of what is best for each horse. Like all experienced trainers he uses his eye to gauge horses’’ physical wellbeing, but he is also keen on precisely measuring their training workouts using high-tech GPS gadgets strapped to their girths. Data about heart rates, sectional timing and pace work is generated, then carefully logged by Nel, so that he can refer to each horse’s fitness profile whenever needed.
Flamboyant and uber-talented, Grant van Niekerk is the retained jockey for the stable whilst Jason Smitsdorff and Callum Dixon are fully competent back up’s who share the work riding burden in the mornings. Discussing some of the better older horses in the yard ahead of the Cape Summer season, Nel had this to say, “Pleasedtomeetyou has lost some toe but is doing well enough. He will target the Matchem Stakes over 1400m next. Chrome Yellow hated it up in KZN, so we need to get him back to best for the stayer’s races coming up later on. Warrior Bling is an up-and-coming stayer, and the plan is to progress him steadily through the longer distance handicaps scheduled earlier in the season.”
Nel is understandably reluctant to tout unexposed, young horses. However, there are three with potential that he mentioned when quizzed before Tuesday’s races at Durbanville. “Chansonette is stepping up in trip and we hope she can eventually be a Feature grade filly. Master Redoute is a nice, decent horse with scope. So Flawless, only a slight filly, will next go for the Victress Stakes at Weight for Age which may be a bit strong. She is doing well though and has a good turn of foot, even if never looking flashy, and I’ll try find a suitable Listed race for her over 2000m.”
As it happened, both Chansonette and Master Redoute went on to fluently score in their respective contests at the midweek meeting, with Razzle Dazzle Em earlier winning a nip and tuck decision over Field of Vision to notch a fine treble for the yard.
Plattner Racing continue to invest in SA bloodstock and have carefully considered, long term plans. About 80% of their racehorses are bred at their Stud farm, with another half a dozen bought in annually from the various Sales around the country. Nel’s knowledge of mares, having worked as Stud Manager at La Plaissance, proves invaluable when training their stock – he knows each individual’s quirks and attributes.
Negotiating the export protocols is a fraught exercise for SA Breeders and owners, but the intention for Plattner is to export their better mares to Australia and, after mating to top sires, bring the progeny back to this country to strengthen the South African thoroughbred gene pool.
Breeding has never been an exact science however and fickle fortune plays a role. To illustrate, Plattner Racing has done well with the progeny of Querari, and Nel recounts the back story, “We supported Querari (finished 6th on the 2020/21 sires list) from the outset – but only by default. We had ten mares down to be serviced by Jet Master, but he died suddenly so we had to switch and used Querari instead. Early on we could see what worked and what didn’t.”
Nel adds, “We were always big supporters of (legendary champ,) Silvano, but he too has now died. Right now, of the freshmen sires I give One World a big positive and believe he’s the real deal.”
Nel is diligent about his job and is deservedly getting the results, yet remains an unassuming, restrained character who shuns the limelight. Reading between the lines, Plattner Racing aspire to again have big race runners and be a force in G1’s. Till that comes about, this highly professional stable will strive to sustain strong strike rates and consistent race-track performances.
A lot of analysis, hard graft and equine handling skills go into any Plattner Racing entry before it gets to the racecourse. Horseplayers around the country would be well served to factor Nel’s runners into their wagering plans. With close to half of them getting into the money every time they step out, it’s prudent to have Nel’s well-presented and purposefully placed entries on your betting tickets.