In this next article for the upcoming Equus Awards the focus is one one champion...

Only one horse has been nominated for the Equus Award of Champion Older Male, and it would be a shock of considerable proportions were the award not given to the connections of Legal Eagle!

Legal Eagle: Greys Inn – Young Sensation
Bred by the Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm, Legal Eagle was a top class performer at three, who improved still further at four. The son of former Equus Champion, and Gr1 Vodacom Durban July winner Greys Inn (Zabeel) made just five racecourse appearances last season but won or finished second in all five! Trained by Sean Tarry, the Ingrid and Markus Jooste owned Legal Eagle began his campaign when surprisingly defeated (at odds of 1-4) in an allowance plate. However, the brilliant gelding proved this form all wrong when he thrashed a top class field to land his second Gr1 race –the Gr1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate. Sent off a warm favourite for the Gr1 J&B Met, Legal Eagle found one too good on the day in form of Smart Call. The Met was the last defeat for Legal Eagle in the 2015-2016 racing season, and the gelding went on to land the G1 H F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes and Gr1 The Premier’s Champions Challenge impressively on his final two outings of the campaign.