To complicate matters or not? That poser faces racing fans ahead of today’s R5 million Gr1 Sun Met.
On paper, our reigning SA Horse Of The Year Legal Eagle looks perfectly poised to register his sixth career Gr1 success and atone for a surprise defeat in this great race in 2016.
SA Horse Of The Year Legal Eagle – deserved favourite
It’s probably in the entrepreneurial nature of the punter to try and find the lurker and something to beat the favourite. But this may well be one battle left to the obvious.
Sean Tarry and Anton Marcus have enjoyed a beautiful Cape Summer Of Champions with the star 5yo Legal Eagle.
Sean Tarry – has a strong hand as he aims for a second Met success
Read Sean Tarry’s profile
Does it get better in terms of big race preps than two smooth victories in the Green Point Stakes and the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate – his second consecutive win in our premier wfa mile – on the descent into a Met bid?
He just has so much in his favour – the proven track record, the compressed weight scale of the race and the relatively kind Kenilworth 2000m – yes, let’s not forget that he’s not just your average champion miler – a win in the 2450m SA Derby throwing that tag out of the window.
Scraping the bottom of the excuses barrel, we could suggest that he ran two such cracking miles, that the edge may be off. Did he even peak too early?
We will find out just after 5pm on Saturday.
Did you read the Sun Met special Sporting Post Digest?
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The evergreen Captain America is back for more after his game third from off the pace in a true run race to Smart Call in the 2016 renewal.
Have we had the wrong impression of this fellow’s ability at a mile and beyond?
Consider this. He was beaten 4,50 lengths by Smart Call, and 1 length by Legal Eagle, all running to their best ratings. Captain America gave Legal Eagle ½ kg, which reflects in their ratings: 112 vs 113.
In the recent L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate, which looks to have been a true run affair, Legal Eagle won by 2,25 lengths. They raced off level weights, with ratings of 112 and 116.
Captain America – will he match Legal Eagle?
On Saturday Legal Eagle has 60kgs to lumber and Captain America 58kgs – four points difference in terms of ratings. Given the evidence from the 2016 Met and this year’s Queen’s Plate, Captain America probably has as good a chance as Legal Eagle.
Luck in the running could make all the difference!
Justin Snaith has a three cornered attack and he dearly wants to win this race.
He saddles the only filly in the race in Paddock Stakes winner Bela-Bela, who bids to make it 4 wins in 8 years in the Cape flagship for the fairer sex.
Bela-Bela – only filly in the race – she is top class!
She has enjoyed a similar prep to last year’s winner Smart Call and gets the services of top man Anthony Delpech from a good draw.
Her only defeat in her last five starts – which included two Gr1 successes – was her 2,65 length sixth in the Durban July after things did not go her way. Ignore this grey flyer at your peril!
Marinaresco has had his bottom smacked twice recently by Legal Eagle and while his ego would have been severely damaged, he will be out to show he is a better horse over 2000m.
With a good draw and a great turn of foot being his major assets, the pressure will be on jockey Grant van Niekerk to have him in a better position to attack.
The half unknown factor in the race is the Australian-bred Whisky Baron.
The 4yo has had a soft prep of note which he has passed with flying colours, winning the Gr2 Peninsula Handicap to make it four on the trot last time.
Whisky Baron is on the up
His trainer Brett Crawford has suggested Whisky Baron reminds him of his past Met winner Angus – that’s high commendation!
A revelation since gelding, it is interesting that the ‘ungelded’ Whisky Baron finished 0,40 lengths behind Marinaresco twice in the Winter Series last term. Now the ‘new improved’ version faces the Bass-Robinson flagbearer in receipt of 2kgs on Saturday. Makes you think, doesn’t it…
Sean Tarry’s second stringer, the dual Gr1 winner French Navy, will have his supporters despite his 40-1 tag in the market.
French Navy – support runner for Tarry
His last win was achieved over a year ago in the Gr3 London News Stakes and his two prep runs since a disappointing July effort have been largely unspectacular. But this 2000m looks likely to suit him down to the ground and a Met bid has always been on his supporter’s bucket list.
The son of Count Dubois has a superb finishing effort and has the added plusses of a 1 draw and one of our greatest jockeys in the saddle in Weichong Marwing.
The exciting 3yo Gold Standard is the sole ‘young gun’ in the Met line-up, but has earned his place courtesy of some top – class recent performances.
Read about his change of silks for Saturday’s big race
Word has it that his trainer Glen Kotzen took a line through another 3yo in Bold Rex’ performance against his elders, when deciding to take his chances here. Bold Rex finished just over 7 lengths behind Legal Eagle in the Queen’s Plate – and Kotzen rates Bold Rex substantially inferior to Gold Standard!
Only 3yo Gold Standard will run in the Drakenstein siks
The Gr2 Selangor Cup winner has a scintillating turn of foot and got going a fraction too late when chasing Cape Guineas winner William Longsword home, beaten a half length.
Beautifully drawn, with a handy 52kgs on his back and top man in Richard Fourie in the irons, Gold Standard will be out to disprove those who say he has it all to do.
Cape Derby runner-up Brazuca is well held by Legal Eagle and French Navy on their Gr1 Premier’s Champions Challenge clash last term.
The son of Teofilo may have needed it when finishing 3,80 lengths back with a no show behind Whisky Baron last time. He can’t be fancied.
It’s My Turn will be ridden by Piere Strydom
Investec Derby winner It’s My Turn had both Marinaresco and Brazuca beaten at level weights over the course and distance a year ago. He was placed in the Gr1 Daily News 2000 and the July to show that he is not far off the best at his peak.
But this smart 4yo looks held by Whisky Baron on his most recent runs and the astute Piere Strydom remains his best hope of producing a shock result.
Andrew Fortune rides Baritone, the third of the Snaith trio.
This Trippi colt was highly regarded early on and finished a highly commendable fifth and only 2,70 lengths behind Marinaresco at level weights in the Champions Cup at the end of last term.
His prep was overshadowed by a not persevered with ride in the Jet Master Stakes and that would surely have put a damper on any confidence on the part of his connections.
Mac De Lago – tough task
Weiho Marwing’s Gr1 winner Mac De Lago travels from Johannesburg and looks to have plenty to do.
The Australian-bred 5yo carried 4kgs more that It’s My Turn when beating him a half length in the July but went wrong in the Summer Cup and needs to build on his fair fourth in a small field in the Gr3 London News Stakes at his final prep a fortnight back. His wide draw will not be in his favour.
Two top local stables in Dean Kannemeyer and Joey Ramsden come to the party with two relatively longshot couplings.
Kannemeyer has the Gr3 Byerley Turk winner Mambo Mime and KZN Derby winner Cape Speed carrying the DKR flag. Both are 100-1.
Mambo Mime had a decent SA Champions Season
The 4yo Mambo Mime was identified early on as a possible Met horse and while he distinguished himself with some top-class SA Champions Season performances, we would have preferred to see more fire in his prep runs.
After a nice third behind Rabada in the Gr1 Daily News 2000, he was running on steadily in the July when finishing 3,85 lengths off The Conglomerate. He is 2kgs better off here with the Ramsden galloper and ran a fair third 3 lengths off Whisky Baron at his penultimate start.
His run in the Gr2 Peninsula Handicap last time out was hardly encouraging though.
Derby winner Cape Speed – can blinkers make the difference?
Stablemate Cape Speed could well up his game with the blinkers fitted.
This five time winner ran a rather flat race in the Cape Summer Stayers and that coupled with the fact that he has drawn widest of all, deters suggestions of him as a possible placer.
Word is that he impressed Anthony Delpech in the blinkers at last Thurday’s gallops.
July winner The Conglomerate will be ridden by Frankie Dettori
Joey Ramsden’s Australian-bred coupling is headed by 2016 July winner The Conglomerate.
The son of Lonhro gets the services of visiting international rider Frankie Dettori and will prefer the extra 400m of this contest after failing to spark in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate when 5,60 lengths behind Legal Eagle.
He ran a cracker at his penultimate start when beaten 1,30 lengths at level weights by Master Sabina in the Sansui Summer Cup.
He will strip a fit horse on Saturday and must have a chance for the back-end of quartets.
Joey Ramsden’s Aussie bred Macduff
Listed Darley Arabian winner Macduff is an interesting inclusion and we hear a change of tactics is planned.
The son of Street Cry is comfortably held by Whisky Baron on his last two starts and looks to have a massive ask at the weights.
Legal Eagle tops the betting boards. He tops the SP ratings. He has proven himself time and again.
We are looking no further, but suggest inclusions of Captain America, French Navy, Whisky Baron, Gold Standard and Bela-Bela for the doubters.
