A meeting will be held on Friday by the connections of Futura and Legislate to discuss the futures of the two Justin Snaith-trained superstars.

However, bloodstock agent and stallion manager John Freeman, who has shares in both horses, will advise retirement to stud and believes most partners will agree.

Freeman said, “They were always going to be stallions one day and they were going to tell us when the time had come. I believe the time has now come. They are both sons of a top stallion in Dynasty, both are Equus Horses Of The Year Award winners and both have won four Gr 1s, so they have nothing left to prove.”

Legislate ran on well to finish a 1,5 length second in the Gr 1 L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate behind the 120 merit-rated Legal Eagle, but was unable to repel the closers in Saturday’s J&B Met after surprisingly setting the pace and could only manage 6th place.

Futura did not find his usual blistering turn of foot in the Queen’s Plate when finishing fifth. The explanation he had needed it had seemed spot on when he was turned out at the Met looking magnificent. However, he once again failed to quicken and only beat three horses home.

Freeman described Saturday’s Met as a fair race and offered his congratulations to the connections of the winner Smart Call, who put up the best performance by a filly in this country since the merit rating system was introduced just before the turn of the century.

Futura and Legislate will likely stand at Darkenstein Stud, who own shares in both horses.

By David Thiselton
Picture: Legislate winning the 2015 Rising Sun Gold Challenge (Nkosi Hlophe)