Can Legal Eagle cross the bridge?

THREE-TIME winner Legal Eagle is back disputing favouritism with young pretender Rainbow Bridge in Saturday’s L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate. Betting World entered the fray at the weekend, reckoning there is nothing between the pair at 3-1, and rival firm World Sports Betting has done the same but at 33-10. It previously had Anton Marcus’s mount second favourite.

But there are barely two points separating the top five in the betting. Prices were changing rapidly yesterday morning but July winner Do It Again was on 9-2 while you could get 5-1 about Undercover Agent and Buffalo Bill Cody.

Punters have really latched on to the last-named following repeated Tellytrack showings of the Irish-bred’s facile Pinnacle win at Turffontein a fortnight ago. He has only been beaten once in six starts.

De Kock

However Mike de Kock appeared to strike a note of caution, saying:

“He is going to be under sufferance in terms of a few pounds but he is on his way up. In my opinion he is certainly good enough to take his place. Whether he is good enough to win is a different thing altogether.” Only ten have been declared for the country’s R1.5 million premier mile prize and only twice in the past 17 years has there been a smaller field.

But the entry (12) was also historically small. Mujallad came out and Cape Classic winner Twist Of Fate has been rerouted to the BMW Politician Stakes despite being drawn 12 of 13 and having to give away 4kg and more all round. Joey Ramsden, who has won three previous Queen’s Plates and will now be represented only by 50-1 chance Hat Puntano, said: “This is the hottest Queen’s Plate for years and on ratings the Politician looks the right race for Twist Of Fate.”

Twist Of Fate is 3-1 favourite for the Politician with WSB and in the Cartier Paddock Stakes last season’s winner Oh Susanna heads the Betting World market at 12-10 from Cascapedia at 7-2.

Lady In Black and Fresnaye, second and third 12 months ago, are priced at 4-1 and 9-1.