THE INDEPENDENT ON SATURDAY DRILL HALL STAKES (Grade 2) LEGISLATE - Should make winning return to Greyville

The much awaited return of LEGISLATE to the track at which he won last year's Durban July, takes place in the third feature of the day. His last run in the J & B Met has to be ignored. he was backed  in to 9/20 that day but ran way below his capability and was reported to have had mucus in his lungs. He did gallop at this track two weeks ago when he was shown to the public at a race meeting and to all intents and purposes appeared to be exceptionally well. Trainer Justin Snaith is extremely confident about his prep runs for the bigger races for the season. Even though he may need this run he does have far too much class for this field, which is no weak field whatsoever but at the weights appears too strong. He has reportedly been working well back at his temporary home for the season at Summerveld. There are never any certainties in horse racing but this son of DYNASTY is as good as they come. He has won all his starts at this track (3 from 3) and has won in excess of  R4,75 million. The only negative one can draw from this race is the rather wide draw, especially over the 1400m but good horses can beat any field and draw.

The Joey Ramsden run, KING OF PAIN, was returning from a lengthy break last time and would have needed that run. The last time he ran at this track he finished second, less than two lengths behind another superstar, FUTURA, in the Grade 1 Champions Stakes. The last time he won was last season at the now defunct Clairwood track when he beat BEACH BEAUTY, a darling of the turf  back then. Don't quite write off her chances in this race as he will be swooping for any scraps should LEGISLATE run below expectations.

ICE MACHINE made improvement last time when returning from a lengthy break. He was also running for his new yard that day. He will probably need further improvement to win here but with Anton Marcus in the saddle, expect a honest run.

Trainer Mike Bass thrives during racing seasons, be they in Cape Town, Johannesburg or Durban. He knows how to win the really big ones and has been doing so for many years now. HELDERBERG BLUE needs to find his explosive finish that has been lacking of late. Talented jockey, Grant Van Niekerk will be hoping to win again on him. He has ridden her to victory in all four of his wins to date.

Trainer Alec Laird has two strings to his bow in this race and it could be difficult to separate CHEKILLI and BOUCLETTE TOP. Both a very good horses in their own right. I have opted for CHEKILLI as his jockey, Francois Herholdt has ridden him on four occasions but has won three time whereas Gavin Lerena, one of the favourites to win the jockey's championship has never ridden BOUCLETTE TOP before. CHEKILLI has run at this track before. That was last season when he finished last in the Guineas, incidentally won by LEGISLATE.

1st - LEGISLATE (1); 2nd - KING OF PAIN (2); 3rd - ICE MACHINE (4); 4th - HELDERBERG BLUE (5); 5th - CHEKILLI (3)