Five out of province trainers will be involved in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate meeting and they have some good winning chances.

In the big one the Sean Tarry-trained title holder Legal Eagle has not been beaten in four career attempts at a mile and that includes three Graded weight for age miles. Tarry has a lot of respect for Marinaresco having taken note of his unbelievable run in the Vodacom Durban July, but Legal Eagle will likely be able to dictate considering his handy style of running, his good draw and the world class Anton Marcus in the saddle. Therefore, he is going to be very hard to beat.

Most are viewing it as a two horse race, but another out of province runner, the Mike Azzie-trained Abashiri is the one horse of the rest who has the ability to upset. The Triple Crown hero had a very tough task t the weights in the July, but ran a commendable race, and after a deserved holiday he now has his third run after a layoff. The trip is on the sharp side, but he has three things in his favour, a pole position draw, the brilliant Gavin Lerena aboard and he is a son of Go Deputy, whose progeny notably come into their own during their four-year-old season.

Tarry also runs the classy French Navy, who would prefer further and this is a likely preparation for the Sun Met, but he is capable of a place especially with Weichong Marwing up. Mike de Kock runs the three-year-old Bold Rex, who has a tough task on official merit ratings, but he is very much a progressive sort and is one of the dark horses from a good draw of six under Randall Simons.

Dennis Drier has recently won the Gr 1 Maine Chance Paddock Stakes with the brilliant Beach Beauty and his charge this year Sail has a definite shout as an improving sort who was staying on late in the Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas, although she has a tough draw.

Tarry has a fine chance in the Paddock Stakes with Safe Harbour, a long-striding three-year-old who could be the chief danger to the ultra-classy local horse Bela-Bela. Tarry’s other charge Tahini is improving, as Silvano’s do, but is up against it on her bare form.

Tarry’s first-timer in race 2, Celestina, is by Kahal out of a Jet Master maiden. The champion trainer has had a fine record with two-year-old first-timers over the last two seasons.

De Kock’s runner here Rumbavar is significantly having her second start as she is a full-sister to a filly who won by over five lengths second time out.

De Kock’s runner in the Gr 3 Politician Stakes, Coyote, looks to have his work cut out on formlines, although being by Fort Wood he might enjoy the step up in trip.

De Kock has a fine chance of landing the Gr 3 BMW Chairmans Cup with his talented stayer Smart Mart, who looks the one to beat over the suitable 3200m trip.

In Race 9 Drier’s Chestnuts N Pearls is officially well weighted over an ideal trip, but she has not run since last June and her merit rating was achieved in a two-year-old Gr 1 which hasn’t worked out too well.

Johan Janse van Vuuren’s sole runner on the day, She’s A Giver, is a most interesting contender in that same race as she will likely relish the step down to 1400m and is well drawn, although with Simons up she does have to carry 1kg over her set 51kg.

By David Thiselton