Futura and Legislate dominate the betting for the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate at Kenilworth on Saturday and Justin Snaith is adamant that he has the pair primed to perfection.
Last year’s winner is 2-1 with Betting World and 19-10 with World Sports Betting. Legislate, odds-on when a virus victim 12 months ago, is 22-10 and 5-2.
Futura impressed when galloped on the course eight days ago and Legislate did a similar spin on his own over 1 400m last Tuesday with Futura’s rider Bernard Fayd’Herbe in the irons. Piere Strydom will be on board on Saturday when Snaith expects to have 33 runners.
Snaith said: “They are both spot on and it will take a very good horse to beat them. Legislate’s best run last year was in the Green Point after four and a half months off when he broke the course record and we are replicating what we did then with him.”
Both horses were checked out by Snaith’s vet towards the end of last week and given an unqualified thumbs-up – “I always do that and I give them a blood test as well to make sure there is no haemo-concentrating because that is something that can sneak up on you.”
Ominously for the opposition one of the pair has always won when they have both run in the same race in the past. The score stands at Legislate three, Futura two.
Captain America, third favourite at a best-priced 13-2, was ridden by big race jockey Corne Orffer in a gallop with three others over 1 400m on the course last Tuesday and Brett Crawford said: “He worked well and I am very happy with him.”
Anton Marcus’s mount Act Of War (15-2) “worked fantastic” according to Joey Ramsden when ridden by Donovan Dillon in a seven furlong racecourse spin on Saturday accompanied by The Conglomerate (Keanan Steyn) and Brutal Force who was partnered by a groom.
Inara (Grant van Niekerk), bidding to repeat last year’s win in the Maine Chance Farms Paddock Stakes, also saw Kenilworth 1 400m action on Saturday and pleased Candice Robinson in a gallop with Come Fly With Me (Dillon).
Premier Trophy winner Paterfamilias (15-1 for the J & B Met) misses the Queen’s Plate to go straight for the January 30 spectacular. “He was drawn very wide this Saturday and in any case he doesn’t really need to have another race before the Met,” explained Mrs Robinson.
Stable companion Tevez, who ran way below form when fancied for the Diadem, was found to have been cut into behind and was quite sore afterwards.
By Michael Clower
Picture: Legislate (Liesl King)
