The stars are coming out on Thursday night
Super “miler” Legal Eagle makes his return to the turf at Thursday’s night Turffontein meeting following a six-month layoff
Now an elder statesman on the local scene, the seven-year-old dual Horse Of The Year from Sean Tarry’s stable boasts 13 wins from 24 starts.
He will contest Race 8, a Pinnacle Stakes over 1160m, on a sparkling evening card. The trip is well short of his best distance of 1600m, but he is no slouch when it comes to sprinting.
His main opposition will come from no less than the 2018 Equus Champion Sprinter, Will Pays, saddled by the Azzie team.
Also aged seven, this son of Imperial Stride is the most improved horse in training, with his most recent start being a stunning victory in the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint at Greyville in July.
These two titans take on 10 other good performers, notably MR 115-rated Pinnacle Peak and recent Grand Series victor Tsitsikamma Dance.
These are not the only stars shining on Thursday night. In Race 2, a Pinnacle Stakes for fillies and mares over 1600m, G-BETS Summer Cup hopefuls Cascapedia and Secret Potion step out.
Cascapedia, an Irish-bred daughter of High Chaparral, has won six of her eight starts. She must heft 61.5kg, but a lot of that weight will be Gavin Lerena, who can help in other ways.
Apart from SA Oaks winner Secret Potion, the danger is Redberry Lane, an ultra-consistent mare from the Tarry yard. But that’s not all. Also on the programme is the Grade 3 Victory Moon Stakes, packed with Summer Cup candidates. In fact, only one of the 15 runners for the R400,000 1800m contest isn’t among the nominations for Joburg’s premier race on 1 December.
Trainer Mike de Kock’s pair Takingthepeace and Like A Panther top the betting at 7-2 and 4-1 respectively.
Also in the line-up are Summer Cup champion Liege and top-class Arctica, Dawn Assault, Deo Juvente and French Navy.
Betting: 7-2 Takingthepeace; 4-1 Like A Panther; 7-1 Dawn Assault; 8-1 Arctica; 10-1 Deo Juvente, Gambado; 12-1 Sabina’s Dynasty; 14-1 and upwards the others.