Sean Tarry has been masterful in the manner in which he has plotted and planned the career of SA Horse Of The Year, Legal Eagle.
SA Horse Of The Year Legal Eagle wins the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate for the second time
The SA champion trainer follows the same route as he did in 2016 when he saddles the son of Greys Inn at Turffontein on Saturday in a bid to win the R1 million HF Oppenheimer Gr1 Horse Chestnut Stakes for the second successive year.
Sean Tarry – has done a splendid job with Legal Eagle
Now rising 6, the star Avontuur bred gelding only has his 17th career start on Saturday and is in search of his tenth win, having joined the great milers by becoming the first horse since Pocket Power to win back-to-back L’Ormarins Queen’s Plates at Kenilworth on 7 January.
And in the same pattern as last year, when beaten by Smart Call, he played second fiddle to Whisky Baron in the Sun Met at his last start 9 weeks ago.
As history shows though, he is a fellow who can run fresh and win, and is probably at his optimum over the mile that he goes on Saturday.
His record is terrific.
He is unbeaten in five starts over a mile, which includes his maiden, three Gr 1 weight-for-ages and a Gr 2 weight-for-age mile.
A great record for a horse who first rose to prominence when romping to a three-length victory in the Gr1 SA Derby over 2450m in just his fifth career start.
The only element missing from the Gr1 cocktail on Saturday is a crack visitor – of the likes of Captain America, who won it in 2015 and kept the Eagle honest in 2016.
Kangaroo Jack – good enough to take on the horse of the year over a mile?
Gary Alexander’s Kangaroo Jack comes up second best on the SP race ratings, and the son of Querari has his second run over a mile.
The 4yo has been slightly off the boil at his last two starts and is a kilo better off with Rafeef on their Hawaii Stakes clash, when beaten 1,85 lengths. That may not be enough.
New Predator hails from the form Van Vuuren-Lerena combination and showed top-class pace when just run out of it late in the Hawaii Stakes. He looks to improve on his third in this race last year.
Mac De Lago has lost form and has his first start since an unplaced effort in the Sun Met.
He ran fourth in this race last year and looks to have a difficult task of turning the tables on Legal Eagle.
French Navy – will strip fitter
Multiple Gr1 winner French Navy showed a glimmer of a revival when a well beaten close on four length third behind Brazuca in last Saturday’s Gr2 Colorado King Stakes.
He was handicapped to win that race and must improve again with improved fitness levels.
The only filly in the race, Fort Ember ran a nice race after a break when staying on well behind Rafeef in the Hawaii Stakes.
The daughter of Elusive Fort has a good record and will strip fitter and even more effective over the mile.
Rafeef, whose half-brother Mustaaqeem made such a great debut last Saturday, is in scintillating form and has never run further back that second in eight starts.
Rafeef (blue and white) wins the Hawaii Stakes
He scored a breathtaking win in the Gr2 Hawaii Stakes last time and faces his stiffest test to date.
Callan Murray has gotten to know the colt well and after an unlikely loss to Irish Pride in the Wolf Power 1600, he looks to be going the right way.
If Legal Eagle shows any chinks in his armour, this could be galloper to exploit that!
Anthony Delpech – rides Romany Prince
The hardknocking Romany Prince has drawn against the paint and gets the services of Anthony Delpech.
The 4yo son of Kahal will also strip fit after three exacting races in the space of six weeks but would appear to have been a better candidate on handicap conditions against this quality of opposition.
The second of the Mike de Kock pair, Fareeq languishes at the base of the ratings off his relatively modest 85 in this decent company.
The son of Nadeem has won 4 of 12 starts but has been brought along below the radar – his fourth in the Wolf Power 1600 behind stablemate Rafeef his sole dip into feature waters.
Other than the role of a likely pacemaker, he looks to be mostly making up numbers.
It is very difficult to look past Legal Eagle.
Anton Marcus looks set to take a step closer to his personal century of Gr1 winners.
With a bit of luck on their side, New Predator and the progressive Rafeef will be snapping at the champ’s heels.
