The country’s likely most sort after jockey Anton Marcus revealed he had regarded the filly Smart Call as the biggest danger to his mount Legal Eagle in the J&B Met and added her subsequent victory had been “no flash in the pan”. She has been merit rated 121 and Marcus said, “The handicappers have got it right.”

Marcus admitted he had not considered Smart Call his biggest danger upon studying her bare form. However, he had a complete about turn when riding her in her compulsory J&B Met gallop nine days before the big race. The filly had given him a very good feel in the gallop and he had then become became “wary” of her and even confided his fears to Legal Eagle’s trainer Sean Tarry. Marcus said Legal Eagle could hardly have done any better than finishing 3,5 lengths adrift of the filly in second place. He believed nobody else would have gone forward to challenge Piere Strydom on Legislate in the early stages if he had not done so.

Marcus rode another top horse in Ice Machine to victory in the Non-Black Type Marula Sprint over 1200m at Greyville recently. He revealed he had regarded this Silvano gelding as having “champion” potential a long time ago when still with the Garth Puller stable.

Puller was the brilliant miler’s first trainer and admitted he had never seen Ice Machine moving as well as he had been since his third trainer Charles Laird had taken over the reins at the beginning of last season. Puller still follows his “favourite horse” closely and will be one of many willing the luckless seven-year-old to a first Gr 1 victory this Champions Season.

By David Thiselton