12-Page Champions Day Special
RECORD: TARRY SAYS HIS CHARGE IS PUTTING IN SOME GOOD WORK AND IS THE HORSE TO BEAT
Nother Russia ran close to Legal Eagle in Horse Chestnut and De Kock feels that at the weights at least six horses have a winning chance.
With a carryover of R1-million and an estimated pool R5.4 million, many punters will be looking for a Pick 6 banker or two at Turffontein tomorrow. A strong contender will be Legal Eagle, who will be looking to pick up his second win in the R4-million Premier’s Champion Challenge over 2000m on the Standside track.
Trained by three-time champion trainer Sean Tarry, this sixyear-old gelding has a merit rating of 125. He has run 23 times for 13 wins, eight of those victories coming in Grade 1 races. In fact, he won this race two years ago and last year was narrowly beaten by Deo Juvente.
He also won the SA Derby over 2450m at Turffontein in yielding going so one should have no doubts he will see out a stiff 2000m. But that is one of the enigmas about Legal Eagle. As he has got older this son of Greys Inn has tended to fluff his lines in races over this distance. He remains a brilliant miler and is unbeaten in nine races over 1600m, six of which were Grade 1s and two of which were Grade 2s.
However, even though he has not won over 2000m for two years, he has finished either second or third. He is a class act, and as he is handicapped to win this race with ease, he remains the runner the others will have to beat. He is beautifully drawn at No 4 and has regular jockey Anton Marcus in the irons.
“I believe he is the horse to beat,” said Tarry. “Last year maybe I was a little over-confident but this year everything has gone well and he’s very fit.
“My only concern is his coat has turned a little wintery but I’m hoping it’s just the weather.”
The main threat to Legal Eagle has to come from Nother Russia. This Mike de Kock-trained mare finished 0.10 lengths behind Legal Eagle in third place last year and could have improved since then.
She is 4kg out on handicap and does carry 2kg more than last year because of a Grade 1 penalty that kicks in this year.
What does make Nother Russia a real danger is that she ran Legal Eagle to a neck last month in the Horse Chestnut Stakes and that was on the same weight-for-age terms and more importantly, over 1600m. She was closing the gap and Legal Eagle had to use all of his champion’s spirit to hold her off.
In his defence Legal Eagle was having his first run since the Sun Met in Cape Town on 27 January so that performance should have brought him on substantially. Nother Russia went on to win her next start, which was in the Grade 1 Empress Club Stakes over 1600m so she too should be at her peak.
“At the weights that last run puts her close to the others,” said De Kock. “Some of the fillies who ran behind her in the Empress Club Stakes are now 2kg better off so that puts a few of them close together.
“As the weights are structured I give any one of six horses a winning chance.”
Abashiri has not paid a visit to the No 1 box since winning the SA Derby at this very meeting in 2016. That victory saw him become the third horse to win the SA Triple Crown. Since then he has had a few problems but there is no doubt he loves this track, and the distance is ideal.
Mike and Adam Azzie train this gelding and word from the yard is that he is putting up tremendous work at home. “This is the best I’ve had him since he won the Triple Crown,” confirmed Azzie.
There are a number of horses who could fill the minor spots, the best of whom are Coral Fever, French Navy and Silvan Star.