THE PREMIER'S CHAMPIONS CHALLENGE (Grade 1) - LEGAL EAGLE to soar again?

1-12-10-11-2

Last year on this day the then three year old son of GREYS INN, LEGAL EAGLE, won the Grade 1 SA Derby. His class has never been in question and looks to be the one to beat. A win this afternoon will see his earnings to just under R6 000 000. His last run was in the over 1600m Grade 1 Horse Chestnut, a name synonymous with the Triple Crown, when he won easily after having come under pressure momentarily with about 400m to go. This ran was a very good run after his disappointment in the J & B at Kenilworth. He was expected to win that race but was upstaged by the smart filly, SMART CALL. he likes to race handily but more often than not, has something to offer in the latter stages. The Sean Tarry trained runner looks to be a worthy short priced favourite and will once again be ridden by Anton Marcus. What gives him the edge over the rest of the field is that he ran well in both last year's Vodacom Durban July as a three year old and this year's J & B Met as a four year old.

BRAZUCA, from the Johan Janse Van Vuuren yard, is still improving. His last four races were in top graded races and even though he has yet to win at this level this three year old Australian bred colt could go close. Anthony Delpech rides. he ran a very good second last time in the SA Classic when beaten by ABASHIRI, which in itself, is no disgrace, by under four lengths. He will be running on late and is a strong candidate to run second to LEGAL EAGLE.

MAC DE LAGO will be facing his biggest test to date. The Weiho Marwing trained four year old will have former champion jockey, Richard Fourie in the irons. Could be good value for the trifectas and quartets. Mike Bass represents one of the Cape Town horses in the race with the top class filly, INARA. She looks to be up against it in this race. She has the class and won well when winning the Empress Club but that field was not quite as strong as today's one. Grant Van Niekerk has ridden her in all but one of her seventeen starts. The other Cape Town runner is CAPTAIN AMERICA who has three and a half lengths to make up on LEGAL EAGLE when he finished second in the Horse Chestnut. The Brett Crawford trained horse won the Horse Chestnut last year. Regular pilot, Corne Orffer rides.