Legal Eagle has been installed 3-1 favourite for the Sun Met by World Sports Betting with Edict Of Nantes next on 9-2. But on the evidence of Saturday’s Green Point it’s going to be a battle royal between the two in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate let alone in the Met.
Legal Eagle (Liesl King)
They were divided by only half a length in the Kenilworth Grade 2 with the Mayfair pair challenging either side of the pace-setting Captain America.
Anton Marcus, repeating last year’s win, said: “I was loathe to get into a dogfight with Captain America too soon, especially as Sean had left a bit in the locker. But it’s going to be close again in the Queen’s Plate – one is an improver and the other is holding his form.”
Derek Brugman observed: “Edict Of Nantes has matured and strengthened up. Last season you had to push him over a mile but now you don’t.”
The Mayfair racing manager, quizzed about Legal Eagle’s apparent vulnerability over the Met trip, said: “He may be better over a mile but he gets ten furlongs alright. Don’t forget, he would have won last season’s Met had it been run on this season’s weight-for-age terms.”
Sean Tarry, who missed his wife’s birthday to be at the Green Point, left the course well satisfied with both his stable star’s performance and the way it fitted into his preparation for Cape Town’s big two races.
Edict Of Nantes
“This second race back is always the tricky one,” he explained. “Nobody expects anything in the first one and in the second one you have to leave the horse a little bit underdone. At the same time you can’t let him fluff his lines. After today we know exactly where we are with him and hopefully there is enough left in the tank to find another gear in the Queen’s Plate.”
Glen Puller is debating whether to run Silicone Valley in the January 6 showpiece after the 12-1 chance finished fast under Donovan Dillon to snatch the WSB Cape Merchants. The gelding was only beaten four and a half lengths when fifth in last season’s race.
Runner-up Dutch Philip reverts to a mile in Saturday week’s Cape Guineas before going for the big money in the CTS Sprint while the gallant Tevez (somewhat insultingly priced at 55-1) earned a reprieve by finishing fourth. July hero Marinaresco finished with only three behind him but satisfied his trainer who said: “He can’t be competitive in a sprint but this should have put him where I need him for the Queen’s Plate.”
By Michael Clower
