Rising star Katak is only third highest-rated in the Legal Eagle Stakes – the new name for the Winter Classic – at Kenilworth on Saturday week.

The handicappers raised the unbeaten Piet Steyn-trained colt 7.5kg for his impressive performance in last week’s Kuda Variety Club Mile (formerly the Winter Guineas) but that still puts him 1.5kg behind Silver Host and Super Silvano who were beaten nearly six lengths and nine lengths in the Kuda.

The Justin Snaith-trained Politician winner Silver Host has already been declared for the Legal Eagle and will again be ridden by Richard Fourie while Robert Khathi will be on stable companion Bayberry.  Snaith has won four of the last 12 runnings of the Winter Classic while Fourie will be bidding for his fourth win in the race following Alvaro in 2008, Why Worry (2012) and Rainbow Bridge two years ago.

Snaith has also declared four for the Ladies Mile on the same card – Esteemal (Fourie), Duchess Of Bourbon (Khathi), Dynamic Diana and Fortune Flies – as well as three for the Stormsvlei Stakes, the second leg of the fillies winter series – Flatware (Fourie), Honey Pie (Khathi) and Double Reward – and three for the Olympic Duel: Queen Of Quiet (Fourie), Casino Queen (Khathi) and Fleeced.

By Michael Clower

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