It was mission accomplished for Justin Snaith’s Equus Horse Of The Year Legislate at Greyville today as he took the bull by the horns in his Champions Season target, the Gr 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge over 1600m, and powered home under Richard Fourie after being taken to the front from a high draw.
Later, Stan Elley, who announced he would retire at the end of the season, landed a second Champions Season Graded race at Greyville when his reliable six-year-old Punta Arenas won the Gr 3 Cup Trial over 1800m under Ian Sturgeon.
The Cheveley Stud-bred Dynasty colt Legislate is now a four-time Gr 1 winner and his unplaced run in his previous outing five months ago in the L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate, after which he was found to have a serious lung infection, remains the only blip since he announced his arrival by winning last season’s Gr 1 Investec Cape Derby.
Snaith said the connections would decide early next week whether the star colt would defend his Vodacom Durban July crown.
The Gold Challenge result will likely affect the July betting, but will probably not have much impact on the choosing of the final big race field. The ruling July favourite Futura ran a good preparation, running on from last for a 1,15 length fourth.
The Sean Tarry-trained Willow Magic, a former Investec Dingaans winner, ran a cracker, staying on for a 0,75 length second, but he is not a July entry. Neither is the Alec Laird-trained Bezanova, who ran on strongly for a 0,9 length third, and neither is fifth-placed Night Trip.
Halve The Deficit did his chances of making the final field no harm, by finishing 2,15 lengths back in sixth. However, King Of Pain was once again below his best and his 4,9 length seventh was unlikely enough to force his way into the July field.
No Worries faded into a 5,4 length ninth. He was 11th on the second July log and his final field position appeared on the one hand to be under threat, as borderline cases Dynamic and Helderberg Blue later put their hands up by running third and fourth in the Cup Trial. But on the other hand a couple of other July log incumbents, Gold Onyx and Dynastic Power, were beaten over ten lengths in the Cup Trial.
Legislate’s part-owners Jack Mitchell and Dennis Evans were on course to accept the trophy.
The disappointment of the day was the scratching of Ice Machine, who was strongly fancied by many to win the Gold Challenge. He was found to be striding short upon arrival at the course.
Maine Chance Farms-bred Silvano gelding Punta Arenas had to overcome a wide draw in the Cup Trial and ran on strongly from near the back of the field to book his place in the July, winning by 1,25 lengths.
Wild One ran for the first time since his Gr 1 eLan Property Group Gold Cup second place at the end of last season and ran a cracker to finish second. Dynamic and Helderberg Blue ran well to be just 1,75 and 2,5 lengths back. The favourite Kochka’s stride shortened in the final stages, having moved up well, and his three-length fifth might not be enough to climb into the July field.
The Mike Bass-trained Zanvliet Stud-bred Trippi mare Hammie’s Hooker defended her crown in a strong Gr 2 Tibouchina field over 1400m. Her terrific turn of foot was enough to hold off the classy but luckless Same Jurisdiction, who ran on strongly from the back, to be beaten 0,5 lengths. Maybe Yes, Red Flame and Whatalady were next best.
Hammie’s Hooker doesn’t usually go down well to the start, but clearly thrives in KZN and appears to love Greyville.
In The Listed Gatecrasher Stakes over 1400m the Mike Azzie-trained Brave Tin Soldier colt Rabada showed a few signs of inexperience but still streaked clear to win impressively by 3,25 lengths under Anton Marcus. The long-striding Summerhill Stud-bred bay will appreciate further and is an exciting prospect for the future.
In the Listed Devon Air Stakes over 1400m the Neil Bruss-trained Go Deputy filly Flying Ice improved from her debut win over the same distance at Scottsville two weeks earlier to remain unbeaten under Weichong Marwing. The Lammerskraal-bred bay fended off the favourite Almashooqa bravely to win by a head.
The Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained Antonius Pius colt Belong To Me looked lean and mean before the running of the Non-Black Type Durban Dash over 1100m on the polytrack for three-year-olds and duly won well under Donavan Mansour after showing pace throughout.
The meeting once again attracted a huge, festive crowd to Greyville thanks to the marketing genius of Rising Sun’s CEO Vijay Maharaj.
In the UK today Frankie Dettori won the world’s most famous flat horserace, the Epsom Derby, on the unbeaten John Gosden-trained favourite Golden Horn.
By David Thiselton
Picture: Legislate winning the Rising Sun Gold Challenge at Greyville today (Nkosi Hlophe)
