Category Archives: Y-Champions Season

Willow Magic (Nkosi Hlophe)

Quality lineup for POST Merchants

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The Sean Tarry-trained Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge runner up Willow Magic is one of the best weighted runners in the Gr 2 Post Merchants, which will be run over 1200m at Greyville next Friday night.

The former Gr 1 SA Nursery (1160m) and Gr 2 Investec Dingaans (1600m) winner has lost some of his speed and is probably better over extended distances these days, but he did record an excellent time over 1000m in his comeback from a 14 month layoff in January and in his penultimate start he finished a decent fifth in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint over 1200m. He will be freshened up for this race and his class could carry him close from a fair draw of seven under Piere Strydom.

The weights for the race were set before the Gold Challenge, for which he received a four point raise, so he carries 56kg instead of the 58kg he should be carrying off his 107 merit rating.

His three-year-old stablemate Bichette was favourably drawn when running fourth in the Tsogo Sun Sprint and has landed another good draw here of six. The weight conditions favour fillies, as they receive a 2,5kg allowance, and she will be ridden by champion jockey S’Manga Khumalo.

The Charles Laird-trained Normanz has landed a plum draw of five and his early speed coupled with his resolute finish will make him a huge runner under Anton Marcus. He is officially not very well treated at the weights, but won the Gr 1 Golden Horse Casino (Tsogo Sun) Sprint last season and this can’t be considered as tough a task.

Aurum Pot’s defeat of Sheik’s Brashee over 1160m in his penultimate start now reads well as the latter went on to finish third in the Tsogo Sun Sprint. Aurum Pot is drawn well in three and this speedy sort has to be considered from draw three for the in form Alec Laird yard.

In form Mike Azzie will be out to prove a point with Isphan, who was left out of the Tsogo Sun Sprint despite his 104 merit rating having been higher than one or two that were included. He ran the prolific winner Trip Tease to 0,3 lengths over 1000m in his penultimate start and then ran a decent fifth in the Gr 1 Computaformm Sprint over 1000m, beating the like of Willow Magic and Tevez. He is drawn fairly well in eight and championship chasing Gavin Lerena is aboard.

Daring Dave didn’t enjoy the best preparation going into the Tsogo Sun Sprint but ran a fair race. His trainer Justin Snaith won this race last year and he is drawn well over a suitable trip.

Brutal Force is drawn 13 but the early pace and resolute finish of this strong horse could see him in the shake up. Nothing went right for him in the Tsogo Sun Sprint but otherwise he would likely have confirmed that he had improved with gelding.

Tevez is known for his exceptional turn of foot from off the pace, which makes him ideally suited to Greyville. He finished a 1,85 length fourth in this race last year with joint topweight, but this year is sole topweight and faces a better field, although he is drawn two as opposed to nine last year.

Moofeed is an ultra consistent type and this is an ideal trip. He has a tough draw of 14 but is capable of a strong late run.

Kingston Boy has a fine turn of foot and ran second in this race last year from pole position, but he is now four points higher in the merit ratings and drawn wide in 15.

Sheik’s Brashee remained on a 103 merit rating despite his Tsogo Sun run, but Scottsville is his best track and he has to contend with the widest draw of 16.

Royal Zulu Warrior won over course and distance in March in a Pinnacle Stakes event but has a harder task here in a handicap and he is getting a bit long in the tooth.

Showmetheway benefitted from a change to hold up tactics last season and ran third in the Gr 1 Mercury Sprint, so having run a two length sixth in this race last season he can’t be discounted despite being ten points higher in the merit ratings and drawn a tough 12.

Diamond King faces a tough task at the weights on official merit ratings but has never fulfilled his considerable potential and could surprise.

Equity Kicker is another who might prove better than his current merit rating suggests and he could also be a dark horse.

Royalsecuritypower is largely kept to 1000m these days but has won over course and distance before. He is drawn in pole but has never faced a field as strong as this before.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Willow Magic (Nkosi Hlophe)

Legal Eagle (JC Photos)

Tarry eyes Jubilee opportunity

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The Gr 3 Jubilee Handicap to be run over 1800m at Turffontein on Saturday provides a last gasp opportunity to qualify for the Vodacom Durban July and among the runners will be a previous July winner Heavy Metal as well as his two exciting Sean Tarry-trained stable companions Cagiva and Legal Eagle.

The July weights were set yesterday, meaning that the Jubilee winner and runner up could come into the race well handicapped on official merit rated terms.

Tarry said, “It’s a last chance to qualify Cagiva and Heavy Metal and they could come into the July brilliantly weighted. They are both doing very well. Cagiva has a few issues but I was very satisfied with his comeback races and think he might have been overlooked for the top 25 on the July log as he ran a two length third to Wylie Hall in the Gr 2 Colorado King Stakes over 1800m. He has the draw and has Piere Strydom aboard and I think if he runs in the first two or three he could get into the July. Heavy Metal could be the fittest of the three horses and it is now up to him. He has done nothing wrong and ran a good time coming back. He is back in form and S’Manga knows him well. All three have big chances but we have left a little bit in the tank for Legal Eagle (who was an impressive winner of the Gr 1 SA Derby).”

Tarry said Gold Onyx had overraced on Saturday in the Cup Trial and then moved too early, so it was not at all his run. However, the run should have brought him on for the July.

He was very pleased with Halve The Deficit’s 2,15 length sixth in the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge. This horse will be interesting in the July receiving 5,5kg from Futura, who was only a length ahead of him on Saturday.

Tarry’s filly Tamaanee ran disappointingly the previous week in the Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 but was found to have lifted a shoe and the shoe was bent into her foot. That run can be ignored and on previous form she must be a runner in the July.

Meanwhile, the yard’s dual Gr 1 classic winner French Navy is doing well after his Daily News 2000 victory and clearly loves Greyville, so is another who could give Tarry a third July victory.

The yard’s star filly Siren’s Call ran way below par in the Daily News and will now deservedly be given a holiday. She went within a stride of landing the Triple Tiara and will be targeted at next season’s Cape Summer Of Champions Season.

Tarry’s top class sprint-miler Willow Magic ran a cracking second in Saturday’s Gold Challenge and is consequently well weighted for the Post Merchants, which is to be run on 19 June, as the weights were set before he was given a four point merit rated raise. Bichette, also a sprint-miler type, is also well weighted in the Post Merchants, because fillies receive a 2,5kg weight allowance. However, the Post Merchants field was announced 11 days in advance and Tarry is still monitoring Willow Magic to see whether he is ready to race again, while the draws for the Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes could have a bearing on whether Bichette takes her place.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Legal Eagle

Vodacom Durban July Weights

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Futura, fourth in last year’s R3 million Gr 1 Vodacom Durban July but on a roll since, was allotted top weight of 60kg for this year’s running on the first Saturday in July. On Saturday Futura made up all of ten lengths on stable companion Legislate in the home straight of the Gr1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge and will relish the longer trip.

2013 winner Heavy Metal has toured the word since that win and although he did not feature in Dubai and his form since his return has not been anything to write home about, he does come into the race off bottom weight for his age group. He is due to run in the G3 Jubilee Handicap at Turffontein on Saturday along with stable companions Cagiva and SA Derby winner Legal Eagle.

Punta Arenas was raised three points for his win in the Gr 3 Cup Trial last Saturday and is now merit rated 109. He will carry 54,5kg in the July. Helderberg Blue finished a 2,5 length fourth in the Cup Trial and has been lowered to 107 so he will carry 53,5kg and will be 4,5kg better off with top weight Futura for a 2,35 length defeat in the J&B Met. Dynamic was used as the line horse in the Cup Trial but carried 0,5kg overweight so has been raised one point to a merit rating of 101. However, this will not affect his July weight as the minimum weight for four-year-olds and older is 53kg. Therefore Dynamic will be 2,5kg under sufferance in the big race. Helderberg Blue and Dynamic were both among the five horses just outside the top 20 of the last July log. The scratching of Legislate and No Worries will provide openings for runners outside of the original log.

Halve The Deficit finished sixth in the Gold Challenge and remains on 109 and will carry 54,5kg.

helderberg blue lk

July weights announced today

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The Vodacom Durban July weights will be published today and the Gr 3 Cup Trial winner Punta Arenas has been the most unfavourably affected of the big race’s contestants after the handicapping changes made in the wake of Saturday’s big Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge meeting. The connections of Helderberg Blue have the most to smile about, although he is still a borderline cases just to make the final field.

Punta Arenas was raised three points for the win and is now merit rated 109, meaning he will be set to carry 54,5kg in the July. Helderberg Blue finished a 2,5 length fourth in the Cup Trial and has been lowered to 107, meaning he will carry 53,5kg and will be 4,5kg better off with the July favourite and topweight Futura for a 2,35 length defeat in the J&B Met. Dynamic was used as the line horse in the Cup Trial but carried 0,5kg overweight so has been raised one point to a merit rating of 101. However, this will not affect his July weight as the minimum weight for four-year-olds and older is 53kg.

Therefore Dynamic will be 2,5kg under sufferance in the big race. Helderberg Blue and Dynamic were both among the five horses just outside the top 20 of the last July log. Legislate’s scratching will provide an opening and they will also likely leapfrog Athina, who was in 20th place on the last log before trailing in last in Saturday’s Cup Trial. However, this means that as things stand two top 20 July log incumbents will have to be dropped by the final field panellists to make places for Dynamic and Helderberg Blue in the final field of 18.

Futura, Halve The Deficit and No Worries, who finished fourth, sixth and ninth respectively in the Gold Challenge, remain on their merit ratings of 120, 109 and 111 respectively, meaning they will be set to carry weights of 60kg, 54,5kg and 55,5 kg respectively in the July. The Cup Trial’s King Of Pain was unsighted in the last July log and his 4,9 length eighth in Saturday’s Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge is unlikely to earn him a place in the final field. The handicapper has duly dropped him four points to 110.

The Gold Challenge runner up Willow Magic was raised from 103 to 107 and third-placed Bezanova, who was a neck further back, was raised two points to 107. However, neither of them are July entries. The 1,4 length fifth-placed Night Trip was raised five points from 101 to 106, while last placed Ashton Park was lowered from 108 to 106, but neither of them are July entries either.

The other merit rating changes made in the Cup Trial were to the runner up Wild One, fifth-placed Kochka, seventh-placed Bold Inspiration and tenth-placed Whiteline Fever. Wild One, who was runner up in last year’s Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup and is on course for that race again, was raised one point to a merit rating of 100. Kochka was lowered two points to 101 and might be hard to beat in the Listed Thukela Handicap over 1600m on July day, which is his new target after being scratched from the big one yesterday. Bold Inspiration and Whiteline Fever were each lowered two points to merit ratings of 99 and 103 respectively.

By David Thiselton

Helderberg Blue (Liesl King)

Dynastic Power (Nkosi Hlophe)

Elley duo on track for July

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Cape Trainer Stan Elley will have a final tilt at the Vodacom Durban July before retiring at the end of the season and is likely to be double-handed as Saturday’s Gr 3 Cup Trial winner Punta Arenas and his Gr 2 Betting World winner Dynastic Power are both still on course for the big race.

Punta Arenas pulled up well after his flying finish in the Cup Trial over 1800m at Greyville on Saturday under Ian Sturgeon, but Dynastic Power’s well below par effort in the same race was explained by him pulling up lame on one hindleg.

Elley said, “Puntas was hundred percent sound next morning but Dynastic Power had an issue with his stifle and I have no doubt it affected his performance. But I expect it to respond well to treatment and he will be back in full work in a day or two.”

Elley has a good record in the July. Small yards to have gained a place in the big race can be counted on one hand this century, yet Elley has done it twice. His Badger Land colt Red Badge ran third in both 2003 and 2004.

Passionate racing men Mike Fullard and James Drew were shareholders in Red Badge and own Punta Arenas in partnership with Butch Watson-Smith. Punta Arenas has already had two attempts at the July, finishing a 5,75 length 12th in 2013 and a 3,85 length 8th last year. This year there will be no biting of fingernails for the connections before the final field announcement and draw ceremony on June 23 as the six-year-old Silvano gelding’s win on Saturday secured him a place. However, they will be hoping their beloved galloper finally lands a good big race draw. He was drawn 17 and 13 in his first two July runs, while his respective third and fifth-placed finishes in the J&B Met were achieved from draws of 13 and 11.

Watson-Smith is also a shareholder in Dynastic Power together with John Kinsley, Braam van Huyssteen and Okkie Schoeman. The strapping four-year-old Dynasty gelding moved up powerfully around the final turn in the Betting World 1900 on May 15 before staying on strongly to win by a neck from Power King with Punta Arenas a further 1,25 lengths back in third. He was poised to strike from second place in the Cup Trial on Saturday but found nothing and finished 12,8 lengths back. However, Betting World 1900 winners are usually automatic July qualifiers. Dynastic Power’s other career Graded Stakes victory was in the Gr 3 Winter Derby over 2400m at Kenilworth, so he will have no problem staying the July 2200 trip.

Greg Cheyne, who won the July in 2009 on Big City Life, looks likely to remain aboard Dynastic Power and Ian Sturgeon, who finished second on Sushisan in the 2006 July, will continue his productive partnership with Punta Arenas.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Dynastic Power (Nkosi Hlophe)

Willow Magic (JC Photos)

Post Merchants Final Field

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The four-year-old Australian-bred colt Willow Magic, second on Saturday to Legislate in the Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1 600m, will be back at Greyville in two weeks’ time to contest the R350 000, Grade 2 Post Merchants over 1 200m.

The Sean tarry-trained chestnut, that finished a close third to Moofeed in the Tommy Hotspur over 1 000m at Turffontein in February and three-and-a-half lengths fifth to Captain Of All in the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint over 1 200m last month, ran a fantastic race in the Rising Sun Gold Challenge, racing handy and staying on for second to the Cape champion at level weights.

Piere Strydom retains the ride on this seemingly versatile individual and will again meet Sheik’s Braashee and Bichette that finishes just ahead of him in the Scottsville race. Sheik’s Braashee has a bad draw at 16 but Bichette is drawn alongside Willow Magic at six which sets it up for a good clash between them.

But there a few runners that are in with chances and one would have to ignore the run of the Mike de Kock-trained colt Moofeeed in the Tsogo Sun Sprint and look more to his narrow defeat by Gulf Storm in the In Full Flight Handicap. He had finished in the first two in his six races before that and his last effort was definitely out of character.

The Cape runners Tevez and Daring Dave are proven top sprinters in their home town with Tevez having won the Merchants at Kenilworth from Daring Dave.

justin snaith with legislate

Legislate out the July

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Saturday’s Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge winner and reigning Equus Horse Of The Year Legislate will not defend his Vodacom Durban July crown, but might well still take part in one or two Champions Season Gr1s. The brilliant Justin Snaith-trained four-year-old Dynasty colt will be nominated for both the Gr 1 Mercury Sprint and the Gr 1 Champions Cup, which are both to be run at Greyville, on July 17 and July 25 respectively.

Meanwhile, the Snaith’s ruling July favourite Futura is “very much” on track for the big race and so is Saturday’s Gr 3 Cup Trial third-placed Dynamic.

The yard have pulled Legislate out of the July in his “best interests.” They had ruled him a doubtful starter at the beginning of May, as he expended a lot of energy after his scratching at the start of the Drill Hall Stakes on May 2, and the feeling at the time was that a tilt at both the Gold Challenge and the July would be too much to ask of him, especially as he would be asked to carry a big weight in the July. The yard have stuck to their guns despite Legislate having won Saturday’s Gold Challenge, which was always his chief Champions Season target.

Futura, winner of both the Gr 1 L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate and J&B Met, flew from last place in the Gold Challenge over 1600m on Saturday to finish 1,15 lengths back in fourth, while Dynamic likely boked his place in the July by staying on strongly for a 1,75 length third in Gr 3 Cup Trial over 1800m.

Jonathon Snaith said, “Futura has pulled up like a lion and Dynamic also pulled up well. I think Dynamic is a massive runner in the July with around 53kg on his back with Richard Fourie riding. He has run very well in three feature races in KZN, all from wide draws. After his Met run he was found to be sick with the same virus that affected Legislate. Bar that run his form has been unbelievable. He is a huge runner.”

By David Thiselton 

Picture: Justin Snaith and Legislate (Snaith Racing)

Solid Speed (Nkosi Hlophe)

Track & Ball Derby and Oaks

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Strong entries have been received for the two former “classic” events, the Track & Ball Derby and the Gold Circle Oaks to be run over 2 400m at Scottsville in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday, June 21.

The two races, formerly run under classic conditions for three-year-olds at level weights at Clairwood, are now open to all horses at weight-for-age plus penalties and have drawn competitive-looking entries for both events.

The Track And Ball Derby has attracted 25 entries including Vodacom Durban July entry and KRA Guineas winner The Conglomerate and Lonsdale Stirrup Cup winner Solid Speed that also won the Highland Night Cup. Disco Al, second in the Lonsdale, is also among the entries along with last year’s Gold Vase winner Hot Ticket and the winner of the East Cape Derby, St Tropez

Wild One, winner of the Lonsdale last year and third and second respectively in the Gold Vase and eLan Property Group Gold Cup has been nominated along with the Caradoc Gold Cup winner, Kingston Mines

Among the 22 entries for the Gold Circle Oaks, there are 13 four-year-olds and one five-year-old with the Duncan Howells-trained Ideal World filly Patchit Up Baby one of the leading three-year-olds having run third to Pine Princess and Siren’s Call in the SA Oaks at Turffontein.

Mike Bass has entered the Trippi filly Shingwedzi that finished third in each of the J&B Stayers and Chairman’s races at Kenilworth and the Neil Bruss-trained Zante finished fourth behind Smart Call in the Woolavington 2000.

Supplementary entries will be accepted on Friday June 12 with declarations due on Monday, June 15.

american pharoah gettyima

A historic weekend of racing

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There were a feast of racing accomplishments over the weekend, including Legislate’s successful return in the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge, but the highlight was no doubt American Pharoah becoming the 12th horse in history to win America’s Triple Crown.

“And the 37 year wait is over! American Pharoah has won the Triple Crown!”, roared the overwhelmed commentator and the massive crowd did not stop cheering for the big Bob Baffert-trained colt by PioneerOf The Nile, who hardly looked as if he had been in a race.

It was one of the rides of the century by Victor Espinoza. Usually a horse with stamina doubts will be given a chance by dropping it out, but instead Espinoza, despite a tardy start, took American Pharaoah straight to the front. The tall horse relaxed beautifully at a steady gallop. The Mike de Kock-trained Mubtaahij travelled well throughout behind him on the rail and was switched out to challenge around the final turn.

Meanwhile Frosted had slipped through down the inside and went with Amrican Pharaoah when he kicked for home. Mubtaahij fought on bravely but was no match for the front two. Meanwhile, the crowd’s roar dipped momentarily and millions of viewers around the world also held their breaths.

Could Frosted become the 14th horse in the last 37 years to spoil a Triple Crown party? And the answer was no as American Phraoah found extra and pulled clear. The roof of the grandstand virtually lifted off as he passed the line five lengths clear. There was then a six lengths gap back to Keen Ice, who beat Mubtaahij by a length.

The rest of the eight horse field were unsighted and a sign of American Pharoah’s greatness was that despite apparently ambling for most of the journey his time of 2 minutes 26,65 seconds was only 2,65 seconds slower than the immortal Secretariats 31 length romp in the Belmont Stakes in 1973. Affirmed was the last to have achieved the Triple Crown in 1978 and the year before that Seattle Slew did it. In the build up to American Pharoah’s bid Seattle Slew’s trainer Billy Turner commented, “The way he (American Pharoah) ran in the Preakness, it sure looked like it didn’t take anything out of him.”

It looked the same after Saturday’s history-making accomplishment. Most race fans like to think great horses have a certain showmanship about them and know they are good, but American Pharaoah’s demeanor throughout the wild cheering post race was one of nonchalance and he remained relaxed to the point of being almost half asleep. This horse looks to be a legend in the making and he will no doubt become a great asset to the Sport Of Kings.

At Greyville, Legislate showed once again that he loves to run fresh and that he also loves Greyville. Richard Fourie gave him an enterprising ride, taking him to the front and on course part-owners Dennis Evans and Jack and Nancy Mitchell would have been thrilled to see him back to his best. His kick at the top of the straight was enough to send him clear and he was then able to hang on from a brave Willow Magic, who showed his class in his first trip beyond a sprint since he had won the Dingaans 19 months ago.

The lung infection that blighted Legislate’s L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate run has clearly not had any long term effect and it will be no surprise to see him announced as a definite to defend his Vodacom Durban July crown, now that he has accomplished his main Champions Season goal. Bezanova showed his liking for Greyville again by finishing third. Futura made up a lot of ground from last in the steady-paced race to finish a 1,15 length fourth and should be spot on for the July.

Punta Arenas deservedly won the Gr 3 Cup Trial under the underrated jockey Ian Sturgeon, as he has had to contend with a plethora of wide draws in big races since landing his first graded success in the Gr 3 Winter Derby three years ago. The six-year-old Silvano gelding is an evergreen sort who always gives the impression he loves his racing. It was a fitting win for popular Cape trainer Stan Elley, his second Graded success in the space of a month at Greyville, as he had announced earlier in the week that he would retire from training at the end of this season.

Hammie’s Hooker has always appeared best at 1400m and she duly defended her crown in the Gr 2 Tibouchina over 1400m. She put up a career best effort in last season’s Gr 1 Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes over 1600m on July day when going close against the brilliant Beach Beauty, and will need to again because Same Jurisdiction ran a cracker in the Tibouchina, her comeback from a luckless Johannesburg campaign. Coming from near the back, she was doing her best work late.

The Neil Bruss-trained Go Deputy filly Flying Ice remained unbeaten when winning the Listed Devon Air Stakes under Weichong Marwing, beating a still green looking Almashooqa. This was a deserved win for owner Michelle Paterson, who now resides in Australia, as her first expensive purchase for Bruss, Savannah Air, turned out to be a “wobbler”. However, Paterson did not throw in the towel and her second purchase for him, a R10,000 Go Deputy called Bandana Girl, has won a race and she now has a lot to look forward to with Flying Ice.

The impressive 3,25 length winner of the Listed Gatecrasher Stakes Rabada provided  an exciting moment for KZN breeding as he is by the promising Summerhill Stud sire Brave Tin Soldier. Jockey Anton Marcus confirmed he was still green and would likely be even better as a three-year-old.

In Harare an incredible crowd of over 70,000 poured into Borrowdale for the Gr 2 Ok Grand Challenge, where the side attraction was a plethora of cars and other prizes being  given away. The St. John Gray-owned-trained-and-bred six-year-old Jam Alley gelding Yer-Maan became the second horse in two years to do the Gr 1 Castle Tankard-Ok Grand Challenge double, following Silvano filly Equina achieving it last year. Yer-Maan, ridden by Zimbabwean Champion jockey Quinton Riddle, will no doubt try and go one better by winning the Gr 3 Republic Cup in early July.

At Epsom Downs in the UK, Frankie Dettori won the world’s most famous race, the Epsom Derby, on the unbeaten John Gosden-trained Golden Horn, who quickened in emphatic style in the closing stages to win in the manner of a great horse. It was also a second Derby win for Gosden.

By David Thiselton 

Picture: American Pharoah winning the Gr1 Belmont Stakes (Getty)

legislate rising sun

Media Release: Legislate rises again

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The four-year-old Dynasty colt Legislate held on tenaciously to win the R1-million, Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge at Greyville Racecourse on Saturday but there is still doubt whether last year’s Vodacom Durban July winner will line up to defend his crown in Africa’s Greatest Horseracing Event in a few weeks’ time.

For the Justin Snaith stable it was a plan that came together but not, one might think, without some tense moments when the Sean Tarry-trained Australian colt, Willow Magic, challenged strongly in the final dash to the line after tracking the champion for most of the race. There might even have been a few anxious seconds when stable mate and race favourite Futura unleashed his run down the outside of the field and was gaining with every stride.

Snaith had stated publicly before the race that the Rising Sun Gold Challenge was Legislate’s “mission” for Champions Season and warned after the event that his charge must still be considered a doubtful starter for the R3.5-million Vodacom Durban July which he won on an objection last year. He stated in his pre-race interview that the top horses had to be carefully managed because they were extremely valuable for stud and later said the decision to run Legislate in the July would be discussed early this week and a decision made and publicised possibly by midweek.

Jockey Richard Fourie deserved the credit for Legislate’s win, getting him out like lightning from the widest draw and sending him to the front to dictate the pace ahead of No Worries and Willow Magic with Futura rather sedately getting under way and settling in at the back of the field. In spite of the going being very much on top, the pace was not anything to write home about as the winning time of 96.11 secs was only .20 secs better than the average and well below the 92.99 secs course record. It was also considerably below the time of 94.14 secs the colt set when winning the KRA Guineas last year.

So Fourie confidently set the pace he wanted possibly bearing in mind that his mount was a little short of fitness which seemed to show in the final 200m of the race where only the colt’s guts kept him ahead of Willow Magic to win by three-quarters of a length.

Willow Magic under Piere Strydom ran a fantastic race being some 7kg on straight handicap out at the weights with the champion, and the Alec Laird-trained Bezrin gelding Bezanova produced one of his best efforts to take third place less than a length behind Legislate.

Then there was the run by Futura. Travelling at the back of the field some 10 lengths off the pace, Sean Cormack took him to the outside rail for his run when they hit the home straight giving Legislate eight or 10 lengths start. He produced the powerful finish he is known for and at the line was a mere 1.15 lengths behind his stable mate.

The only remaining question from this race is how the handicappers will deal with Willow Magic and Bezanova? Neither is a July candidate.

The training accolades for the meeting could go to Stan Elley who has declared that he would not renew his licence at the end of the season. His six-year-old Silvano gelding Punta Arenas, that ran a top race for third place behind stable companion Dynastic Power in the Betting World 1900, powered home with a strong finish to win the Grade 3 Cup Trial over 1 800m and in so doing leaving the July selection panel no choice but to confirm him as a runner in the big one on the fourth of July.

He did it from a wide draw and from near the back of the field to beat the Mogok gelding Wild One across the line by 1.25 lengths. The Mike de Kock-trained five-year-old was having his first race since running second to Wavin’ Flag in the Grade 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup at the end of July last year.

He is not a Vodacom Durban July entry but both Dynamic and Helderberg Blue, that took third and fourth places, are. They were settled just outside the top 20 on the July Log and might have done enough to make the big race field.

The Grade 2 Tibouchina Stakes was won for the second year in success by the Mike Bass-trained Trippi mare Hammie’s Hooker. She is a top mare but could find a formidable opponent in the Jonssons Workwear Garden Province at Greyville on Vodacom Durban July in the Duncan Howells-trained Mambo In Seattle filly Same Jurisdiction.

The three-year-old was ridden from the back of the field by Anton Marcus who swept her to the outside rail for her home run and she produced a superb finishing run to fail by half a length. Maybe Yes from the Brett Crawford stable made the running and stayed on for third place ahead of Red Flame from the Neil Bruss stable that had earlier won the Listed Devon Air Stakes with the filly Flying Ice.

One of the most impressive performances on the day was that of the Brave Tin Soldier colt Rabada in the Gatecrasher Stakes which he won by 3.25 lengths. The two-year-old had won his first race in fine style for trainer Mike Azzie and in spite of looking quite green on Saturday, put the race to bed a long way from the finish.