The pair are now set to face each other in a North versus South clash of the Titans in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 at Greyville on May 31, a contest that could decide the Equus Champion three-year-old male title. They might also face each other in the July, although the Snaith camp have emphasised that Legislate is not a certainty to run in that race.

Legislate, who was bred by Vaughan Koster’s Cheveley Stud, was purchased for R100,000 at the 2012 National Yearling Sales, well below the R234,064 average of that year. To date he has earned R1,159,850.

Justin’s brother Jonathon, his father Chris and bloodstock agent John Freeman identified the Dynasty colt as one of their picks of the Sale. Legislate is out of a four-time winning Restructure mare and the trio didn’t feel the female line “was the greatest”. However, they quickly became excited upon viewing him.

Jonathan said, “We were looking for a Dynasty, it is just a matter of time before he becomes Champion Sire, and this one had great conformation and fantastic movement.”

The team were prepared to fork out plenty to secure the colt and could not believe it when the bidding stopped at R100,000. Jonathon recalled, “I remember saying, hang on, this is a bit suspect. We hadn’t had the horse vetted or scoped and became concerned. Vaughan Koster then came over to congratulate us, although he was a bit disappointed by the price, so we asked him if the horse had any issues and he told us he was 100% sound.

I liked him so much that I immediately offered to buy half of him from Dennis Evans, who was going to put together the ownership. He said he would consider it, but on further thought it didn’t make sense as the plan was to ship the horse to Singapore.”

Evans has transported 26 South African-bred thoroughbreds to Singapore in total. The combination of good sales value in South Africa and the attractive prize money in Singapore makes good business sense. As it happened Legislate failed a piroplasmosis test and had to stay in South Africa.

The colt only won his maiden at the third time of asking, over 1 600m at Kenilworth, but then showed the signs of what was to come when finishing runner up in both the Gr 3 Cape Classic over 1 400m and in the Gr 2 Selangor Cup over 1 600m.

He disappointed in the Gr 1 Grand Parade Cape Guineas, finishing unplaced, but the yard freshened him up and he displayed a devastating turn of foot in the Gr 1 Cape Derby over 2 000m to beat the odds-on favourite Captain America by 1,25 lengths.

Evans received an offer from overseas after that win, but he kindly gave the Snaiths the chance to match the price through their own clients. Gaynor Rupert of Drakenstein Stud and Jack Micthell came to the party and are now the joint-owners together with Evans and his wife Gael.

Legislate’s beautiful action and superb turn of foot were there for all to see at Greyville last Saturday in the KRA Guineas, where he confirmed form with Captain America, trouncing him by three lengths.

His long term aim is the Dubai Carnival. However, his priorities before he leaves will be the L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate and the J&B Met, which is one reason for his July participation not being a certainty.

Justin said, “He has so much scope, he is still a big baby. His work leading up to the KRA Guineas was incredible. He was blowing away older horses, beating them by lengths.”

Jonathon said, “In my opinion the Johannesburg form is not as strong as the Cape’s. We are looking forward to the clash with Louis The King, but are confident that Province will get the upper hand!”

Louis The King is one of the rags to riches stories of the decade. His breeder Phillip Kahan of The Alchemy bought his mother in foal to Black Minnaloushe for R20,000 from Drakenstein Stud at a mares and weanlings sale. Kahan liked the resulting “docile” foal, but he was too immature for the Cape Premier Yearling Sales in January, so he sent him to the KZN Yearling Sale. However, the colt didn’t receive a single bid and Kahan had to buy him back for R55,000. Later in the car park, Kahan bumped into Woodruff, who was only there to drop off some July tickets. He explained to Woodruff that he had been unable to sell his best colt.

Woodruff asked him how much he wanted and Kahan replied, “A minimum of R60,000”. Woodruff said, “Send him up.” Woodruff trusted Kahan’s opinion and didn’t even want to see the horse, but the latter managed to persuade him to have a peak over the stable door. Later, before Woodruff had returned to Johannesburg, an owner of his, Tiaan Van Der Vyver, phoned while on his way to have a look at one of the yard’s youngsters at Sharon Patterson’s pre-training centre.

Woodruff asked him to have a look at the Black Minnaloushe colt too. Van Der Vyver agreed and liked what he saw. He bought him and then named the colt after his son Louis, in whose name he also races. The colt is the first racehorse that Louis has ever owned and has earned R5,342,500 to date.

Louis The King has all the credentials of a champion, a fine temperament, a good action and a superb turn of foot. He also has plenty of scope for improvement and showed in his SA Derby win that he has courage in abundance. He will never lie down without a fight.[/expand]