KWAZULU-NATAL BREEDERS MILE (Non-Blk Type) – 1600m -R 650 000                   

LEGAL COUNSEL

Trainer: Sean Tarry 

Jockey: Andrew Fortune

BRED BY: Blue Sky Thoroughbreds

OWNED: Messrs J I Bloch, E A Braun & A C P Cotterell, Jessica Koster, Mr & Mrs C R Stonebridge

Fortune keeps ‘Legal Counsel’

Andrew Harrison

Andrew Fortune is an absolute master in the saddle and his talent was on full display at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday 22 June 2025. 

He warmed up with a masterful display on The Golden Goal for Doug Campbell but the cherry on the cake was Legal Counsel in the KZN Breeders Mile.

Justin Snaith is on record that his runners would come into their own as Champion Season progressed and Legal Counsel gave credence to his views but in truth, yesterday’s race was always on Snaith’s radar. 

After winning at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, Snaith earmarked the KZN Breeders Mile and the plan worked out as Legal Counsel was given a superb ride by Fortune jumping from a wide draw with main rival Cherry Ano in a plum gate.

Drawn wide at his previous start, Legal Counsel did well to finish a close-up second to Thisiswhatitmeans and MJ Odendaal’s charge franked that form, winning his fourth race in succession last Wednesday.

Fortune had no hesitation in going forward from his wide gate as Go Grayson Go set a decent gallop. Crossing the subway, supporters will have been in two minds. Fortune had hardly moved so it was a case of; is he playing the opposition on the break  or is the tank is empty? 

It proved to be the former as he gently coaxed Legal Counsel into the lead and was not for the catching with a well beaten Cherry Ano touching off a game Go Grayson Go for the minor money. 

How much did Legal Counsel have left, only Fortune, Snaith and the owners will know.

The scratching of Eastern Highlands from the first may well have opened the way for Blackjack Randall but that’s all speculation as Mike Miller’s charge made all for an easy victory. The first time blinkered son of Danon Platina made short work of the opposition as Tristan Gooden barreled him out of the gate and was not for the catching with Director making a vain attempt to close the gap and the balance stretched out like the washing.

After Donald T dropped the bombs yesterday, there were a few the fell out of love with the USA but not the punters who went in late to see Love The USA top of the boards for the second.

However, the filly missed the target and after making the pace, folded in the straight. If you want to know how fit you have to be to be a jockey, look-up the replay of the finish to this race on the GTV YouTube channel. Chad Little and Athandiwe Mgudlwa were neck and neck over the final furlong as Act Of Grace and Charge It battled it out with Charge It getting home by the narrowest of margins for Alyson Wright.

Fortune, deputizing for Denis Schwarz on The Golden Goal for Doug Campbell in the third, tracked the pace on the rail and got his mount to build up momentum in his hands getting to the line with a couple of backhand slaps. There is a lot of substance to the filly Queen Of The Air and she ran on smartly for second and should be worth following. Favourite Cassandra was unruly in the gate and underwent a vet check before being reloaded  but was never going well and beaten a long way out.

 Campbell was back in the winner’s circle with owner/breeder Sir George Albu 30 minutes later as George’s Magic finished with a wet sail under Serino Moodley to open the Pick 6. Favourite Master Silvano was a little awkward out of the gate before Sean Veale set sail for the lead. He cut in, in front of Fortress Of Fire who was forced to ease for a few strides. These to led into the straight and looked set to fight it out but George’s Magic slid through smartly up their inside to win going away.

Window To My Soul and Tee Dog vied for favouritism in the fifth but they may as well have stayed in their boxes as Quinn’s Time made short work of his opposition. Stepped up in trip by Glen Kotzen, he sat in just off the pace but once asked to run by Cole Dicken, he had the entire field off the bit crossing the subway as he quickened up smartly, drawing off to win as he liked. Tee Dog held on for third behind Call Me Wild with Window To My Soul never in the hunt.

Hat’s Queen came into the KZN Breeders 1900 with useful Graded race form but never got in a blow. She drifted alarmingly in the betting, from deep in the red to around 13-10 before the off and the market was spot on.

Pedestrian early fractions raised a further red flag with Givers Grace  out in front but ambling along with Hat’s Queen seemingly comfortable in midfield.

Turning for home Gavin Lerena stoked up Hat’s Queen in a matter of strides but she was out-sprinted by Robbie Hill’s filly Queen Amina and the rest of the lightly weighted opposition and the favourite failed to hit the boards. Tristan Godden got the best out Queen Amina and his filly had the race won a long way out. 

Darryl Moore does not have a big string but has a solid pedigree in racing and is having a good run of late. Richard Fourie, who has tapped off considering his charge for last season’s record-breaking championship,  elected to stay with the ride on Tara Star for Moore in the KZN Breeders 1200 and like the professional that he is, he learned well from the filly’s last start and made all. There was a scramble for the minor placings but Fourie had the race won a long way out.