There is not much of her, which probably explains her R700k price tag considering that her full brother, Legislate, won the Vodacom Durban July, but Statute has a good set of wheels. Just how good will be tested at Greyville tomorrow when Michael Roberts has pitted her against some really smart opposition.

After this race, Roberts should know just where he stands with his filly with Champions Season in mind and the Gr2 Daisy Fillies Guineas likely an immediate target.

Statute hacked up on debut at Scottsville and was then sent against some smart fillies in the Flamboyant Stakes at just her second outing.

“Unfortunately, the race didn’t pan out for us,” said Roberts. “I didn’t think she could win it but was hoping for a place.”

“But she’s got class, there’s no doubt about it.”

Will she get a trip? Part owner Dr Nic Labuschagne is confident. “She will go a lot further and even the trip like her brother.”

It is a little worrying that Statute fluffed her lines in her only start around the turn but she has only had three starts and the experience will have done her good.

Roberts has engaged Anthony Delpech and from a plum draw, the trainer appears to have all his ducks in a row.

Still it will not be easy. She takes on two proven older fillies in Premier Dance and Ngaga and possibly the best one-time winner in the country, Dawn Calling.

Ngaga has trialled well since her arrival in KZN but her earlier form has been over further and this 1400m trip may be a touch on the sharp side given the strength of the opposition. Premier Dance would probably prefer it a little further too but in her favour is her recent outing in the Gr1 Klawervlei Majorca Stakes where she finished three lengths off the top class Snowdance.

She has sprinted well in the past so she may prove the biggest threat to Statute.

The luckless Dawn Calling is over arguably her best course and distance and was a close-up second to her smart stable companion Fiorella at Scottsville last time out. She is not well in at these weights but does look capable on her day.

Anton Marcus had a red-letter day at Greyville on Wednesday with four winners and can get the Pick 6 rolling with Antony Hotspur for Alistair Gordon. Going down a neck on debut behind Gat Henshaw, Antony Hotspur was not seen out again for nearly nine months before cruising up in a barrier trial. Marcus only rode the barrier trial that afternoon with no further mounts which probably tells a tale.

The fourth, another Pinnacle Stakes event, is a bit of a puzzle with some smart sprinters in the line-up. Vision To Kill is a top class filly and made a smart return after a break when getting the better of the lightly weighted Hashtag Strat over the Scottsville shortcut early last month.

Vision To Kill was a victim of the virus that has been plaguing Ashburton recently. “She was really hard hit,” revealed, Beth Gadsby. Ominously for Sunday’s opposition, husband Paul said of that race, “I think she was only 70 to 80% fit.”

Gadsby has his eye on the Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint in May but Vision To Kill has obviously taken her come-back run well although she steps up to 1200m.

Sunset Eyes has come well since arriving in KZN and will be looking for his fourth win on the bounce. Brett Crawford’s runner is taking on much stronger company but the form of his recent win has worked out well and even at this late stage in his career could still be under the handicapper’s radar.

If one looks past Vision To Kill, it’s not an easy race and exotic bet punters will do well to fill in a few more blocks on the betmark cards.

By Andrew Harrison