Legislate Leads All the Way at Greyville

By Sarah Whitelaw 

 

South Africa's reigning Horse of the Year Legislate made all the running to land the Rising Sun Gold Challenge (SAf-I) June 6 at Greyville.

 

Legislate, who had to jump from a wide draw of 11 in Saturday's 1,600 meter (about one-mile) contest, was well backed to start a 2-1 second favorite behind 15-10 favorite and stablemate Futura. 

 

The eventual winner, who had been a last minute scratching from his last outing in the Drill Hall Stakes (SAf-II), was making his first racetrack appearance in three months. 

 

Legislate, a really handsome colt who looked a picture in the pre-race parade, was fast away in and made the early running ahead of outsiders No Worries, Willow Magic, and Ashton Park. The order remained the same throughout much of the race, until Legislate's regular jockey Richard Fourie asked his mount for an effort, with the pair kicking clear at the 300-meter mark.

 

While eventual runner up Willow Magic kept running gamely over the final furlong, Legislate kept finding more and eventually had three parts of a length to spare over Willow Magic, with longshot Bezanova (66-1) putting up a superb effort to finish third, 

 

Futura ran on strongly, off a rather slow pace, to finish fourth, beaten just over a length by his stablemate. 

 

Futura, who like the winner, is a son of Dynasty, did his July chances no harm with a fourth-place finish over a distance many pundits felt too short.

 

Legislate kept going resolutely, however, to record a comprehensive win in a time of 1:36.11, more than a second outside of the time set by King Of Pain (only eighth in 2015) in the same race a year ago.

 

Fourie, who had suffered a nasty fall in the 2014 Rising Sun Challenge, was understandably over the moon on his win on Legislate-the horse Fourie had described previously as the best he had ever ridden. 

 

Fourie said "He has such high cruising speed, the beauty of this horse is his amazing turn of speed. This horse has been the highlight of my career."

 

Winning trainer Justin Snaith, last season's champion trainer, was, however, unwilling to commit Legislate to a run in next month's Vodacom Durban July (SAf-I) immediately after Saturday's contest-Legislate having won the  July previously, albeit on a objection, in 2014. 

 

In a post-race interview, Snaith admitted the connections were likely to make an announcement Monday regarding their star colt's next race.

 

Bred by the Cheveley Stud, Legislate has won seven races and over R5.5 million in stakes for owners Jack Mitchell, Drakenstein Stud, and Newbury Racing.

 

A son of former Horse of the Year Dynasty, Legislate is out of the four-time winning Restructure mare Champers, whose dam Classy Play is group I-placed.