David Thiselton
THE L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate will reside in Johannesburg for the next year after the Sean Tarry-trained Legal Eagle proved why he is the highest merit rated horse by winning the prestigious R1 million weight for age mile under a typically brilliant ride by Anton Marcus.
The four-year-old Greys Inn colt beat home the second favourite, the Justin Snaith-trained Legislate, whose more fancied stablemate Futura could only manage a disappointing fifth. The only three-year-old in the race, the Mike de Kock-trained Gr 1 Grand Parade Cape Guineas winner Noah From Goa, was third.
Earlier the Gr 1 Maine Chance Paddock Stakes had also gone to the small team of Highveld raiders, as it was won by the Alec Laird-trained Ideal World filly Smart Call.
Justin Snaith had some consolation for the Queen’s Plate defeat of Futura and Legislate by having a five-timer on the day.
The Queen’s Plate had been a fascinating contest from a long time before the unveiling of the high class field and more intrigue was added this week when Anton Marcus decided to switch from the top miler Act Of War on to Legal Eagle.
Marcus not only had the J&B Met in mind but after yesterday it soon became clear he had another plan up his sleeve too. The pace had been one of the question marks and Marcus put this issue to bed from the off as he shot out of the stalls and took Legal Eagle straight to the front.
The Alec Laird-trained Bouclette Top was then surprisingly rushed around him, as he is normally a hold up type. This suited Marcus and Legal Eagle travelled like a winner throughout. Ironically, the first horse he burned off in the straight, after quickly taking care of Bouclette Top, was Act Of War, who had managed to find third place from his high draw.
Meanwhile, the two big guns, Futura and Legislate, had been well placed throughout and were poised to strike. However, they could not fetch Legal Eagle and neither could the brave little Gr 1 Grand Parade Cape Guineas winner, Noah From Goa, who came from midfield. Legal Eagle ran on well but was beaten 1,5 lengths and there was a further 0,4 lengths back to Noah From Goa. The fancied Captain America ran on from way back to deny Futura a quartet position.
Legal Eagle was bred by Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm and is owned by Markus and Ingrid Jooste. This was his second career Gr 1 victory. He will now attempt to repeat Futura’s feat of doing the Queen’s Plate and J&B Met double.
The Duncan Howells-trained Same Jurisdiction was all the rage in the Paddock Stakes but appeared to be slightly strong in the running and after being given every chance by Marcus in the straight, did not find the same finish she finds over shorter. It is clear now she doesn’t quite stay the 1 800m trip, although she was just touched off for third by the Snaith-trained three-year-old BelaBela. Smart Call, who was bred and is owned by Mauritzfontein Stud, came from three lengths off the pace.
Last year’s winner Inara turned for home behind her. Smart Call surged through on the inside under a strong ride by Marwing and kept going well to deny an always chasing Inara by two lengths. Bela-Bela, who also ran down the inside, was another length behind. Same Jurisdiction was 0,4 lengths further back, 0,85 lengths clear of the Gr 1 SA Oaks winner Pine Princess.
Light The Lights
The Gr 2 Glorious Goodwood Peninsula Handicap over 1 800m saw Glen Kotzen clinching a double on the day when the Western Winter gelding Light The Lights at last fulfilled his undoubted promise. The four-year-old son of Western Winter had badly needed gelding by the end of last season and yesterday, having his third run after the operation and off a lowered merit rating too, he was backed into 10/1. He settled beautifully under Stuart Randolph, who had him covered throughout in midfield despite being caught wide from his draw of nine.
The Bill Prestage-trained Milton has been a different horse since returning from his stint in Johannesburg. He was officially 1,5kg under sufferance yesterday, but M J Byleveld used his light weight to make a bold bid from the front.
Light The Lights showed a fine turn of foot and always looked likely to catch Milton, who had stolen a march, but in the end he only reached him close to home to win by 0,4 lengths. Sansui Summer Cup winner Deo Juvente ran on well for third and Helderberg Blue just got the better of Master’s Eye to repeat his fourth place finish of last year.
Black Arthur
Later, the Justin Snaith-trained Silvano colt Black Arthur stamped himself as the new kid on the threeyear-old block with a remarkable victory in the Gr 3 Politician Stakes over 1 800m under Piere Strydom. The finish was being fought out by the Mike Bass-trained Marinaresco and the Tarry-trained Liege, when Black Arthur, who had come from a mile back, burst through on the inside to win going away by 0,75 lengths.
Earlier, the BMW Pinnacle Stakes over 1 000m was used as a preparation by a few for the forthcoming Gr 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championships and unfortunately Highveld raider Trip Tease had to be scratched at the start.
One of the fancied runners Guiness was prominent before fading and the Tote favourite Brutal Force moved up to challenge the always prominent Snaith-trained Harry Lime.
However, the latter, who started 33/1 and was ridden by Anthony Delpech, won on the head bob and thus showed he had benefitted from recent gelding, as this was his first victory since easily winning the Gr 2 Umkhomazi Stakes over 1 200m at Scottsville as a two-year-old.
The sizeable Justin Snaith team were thus on the board and they made it a quick double winner when the fancied Captain Swarovski won the next over 1 200m under Bernard Fayd'Herbe. Snaith’s other winners on the day were with Qing ridden, by Strydom, and Overshadow, ridden by Marcus.