Horse of the Year Futura delighted Justin Snaith when galloped over 1 400m yesterday in the five-year-old’s first serious piece of work this season.

Snaith said: “He went with a companion and he was very good so now it’s all systems go.”

Stable companion Legislate, rated a kilo below Futura, is not quite at the same level of readiness and Snaith explained: “Legislate takes less time and so we are waiting a bit longer with him – and really he only needs to be ready in January.”

No decision has yet been taken on which of the big two will represent the stable in the Green Point Stakes at Kenilworth on November 21 although, according to their trainer, “One of them will start there. The main aim with both is the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate (January 9).

“Act Of War has raised the standard and so we are going to have to raise our game but it’s all good so far.”

Last year’s Grand Parade Cape Guineas winner Act Of War broke the Durbanville 1 400m record on his reappearance in the Kuda Matchem Stakes early this month and has both the Green Point and the Queen’s Plate on his shopping list. He is officially rated on the same 117 mark as Legislate.

So too is the HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes winner Captain America who was yesterday  reported by trainer Brett Crawford to be in good heart for his reappearance in the Hollard Humdinger Pinnacle Stakes at Kenilworth on Saturday.

Same Jurisdiction, Duncan Howells’ winner of the Jonsson Workwear Garden Province Stakes on July day, has been given top weight of 60.5kg in the six furlong Cape Merchants on November 14. This is 2.5kg more than Tevez who has won the last two runnings for Mike Bass.
– Michael Clower
– Picture: Futura and Bernard Fayd’Herbe (Liesl King)