Legal Eagle tops July log

DOUBT: TRAINER SEAN TARRY HAS SAID CHAMPIONS CHALLENGE WINNER MIGHT NOT RUN

Five fillies among top 18 on the log.

South Africa’s highest rated horse, Legal Eagle, heads the 2016 Vodacom Durban July Log which was issued yesterday. Triple Crown hero Abashiri occupies second spot with French Navy in third.

All three of those horses ran at Turffontein on Saturday with Legal Eagle and French Navy finishing first and second respectively in the R4-million Premier’s Champions Challenge ( Grade 1) over 2000m while Abashiri won the R2-million SA Derby over 2450m, completing the SA Triple Crown.

The final field for the Vodacom Durban July on Saturday, 2 July, will comprise 18 horses and the log reflects the composition of the field as if the race were to be run today.

Legal Eagle and French Navy are both trained by Sean Tarry, who commented after the Premier’s Champions Challenge he was not keen on running Legal Eagle in the R4.25-million race over 2200m at Greyville.

As the highest rated horse in the country Legal Eagle will be given top weight and that could hinder his chances. Tarry commented he would probably look at the Grade 1 Champions Cup later in the season, which is a weightfor-age event.

Ironically Mike Azzie, trainer of Abashiri, has similar concerns. While at this stage he has made no official statement one way or the other, Azzie feels that if Abashiri has to carry 58kg, it would make it very difficult for him, as a threeyear-old, to win.

Trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren will be delighted that three runners from his stable have made the top 18. Brazuca, who finished a 2.20-length third in the Champions Challenge and a 3.75-length second behind Abashiri in the Grade 1 SA Classic, is in fourth place on the log.

New Predator, who ran third in the Grade 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes over 1600m at Turffontein is at No 11 while talented filly Negroamaro is at No 16.

There are four other fillies on the log.

Mike Bass-trained L Jaffee Empress Club Stakes (Grade 1) winner Inara is in fifth position while stable companion Silver Mountain is at No 9.

Justin Snaith-trained BelaBela is No 15 and Olma, trained by Frank Robinson, is No 17.

TOP FOUR POSITION: Brazuca, third in last Saturday's Premier's Champion Challenge, is one of three runners from the Johan Janse van Vuuren stable who is on the Vodacom Durban July log that was issued yesterday.