The outstanding miler Legal Eagle cemented his position as South Africa’s leading racehorse when he went start to finish at Turffontein on Saturday to win the R1 million Gr1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes for the second year running.
Anton Marcus and SA Horse Of The Year Legal Eagle are poetry in motion (Pic – JC Photos)
It was touch and go to nominate a star of the afternoon, with Legal Eagle’s trainer Sean Tarry notching up six straight winners, but SA Horse Of The Year Legal Eagle would have received plenty of votes for his superb show of clinical dominance over the standside mile.
One could be forgiven that we were watching a Gr1 as Anton Marcus took the 5yo Greys Inn gelding up to lead from the break in the nine horse field.
Anton Marcus – no mistakes on Legal Eagle
Returning from a break of nine weeks following his defeat by Whisky Baron in the Sun Met, the dual L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate winner went through the motions in his inimitable no-frills clinical style.
Every time Marcus asked he gave, and when New Predator moved into his slipstream at the 500m, we thought the Eagle could have a race on.
But inside the 300m he had broken their hearts and Marcus geared the star down as he registered his tenth success and sixth Gr1 score from 17 starts.
Sean Tarry – six straight winners on Classic Day
Legal Eagle sauntered in to beat his multiple Gr1 winning stablemate French Navy by 2,40 lengths in a time of 96 s flat.
French Navy was best of the rest, 1,70 lengths ahead of New Predator, with Rafeef well beaten in fourth.
Anton Marcus, who has been aboard at all but two wins, said it was ‘a privilege to ride a horse like this’.
Trainer Sean Tarry has done a great job with Legal Eagle and made the day his own, with his sixth consecutive win.
Bred by Avontuur, the son of Vodacom Durban July winner Greys Inn is out of the six-time winning National Emblem mare Young Sensation, who was also trained by Sean Tarry.
He was bought by Tarry on behalf of top owner Markus Jooste for R425 000 at the 2013 BSA National Yearling Sale.
Legal Eagle has won 10 races with 5 places from his 17 starts and boosted his stakes earnings to R8 647 875.
As he did last term, he is likely to line up to defend his title in the R4 million Gr1 President’s Champions Challenge at Turffontein over 400m further on 6 May.
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Gr1 Horse Chestnut Stakes (SAf-Gr1)
Turffontein, South Africa, April 1, R1 million, 1600m, turf, good, 1.36.83
1 – LEGAL EAGLE (SAF), 60.0, b g 5, Greys Inn (USA) – Young Sensation (SAF) by National Emblem (SAF). Owner Mayfair Speculators (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Mr D L Brugman); Breeder Avontuur Farm; trainer SG Tarry; jockey A Marcus
2 – French Navy (SAF), 60.0, b g 5, Count Dubois (GB) – Redoubtable (SAF) by Elliodor (FR)
3 – New Predator (AUS), 60.0, b c 4, New Approach (IRE) – Head Over Heels (AUS) by Fastnet Rock (AUS)
Margins: 2.40, 1.70, 3.00
