Legislate green light is relief for Hawkins
by David Mollett,
2015-07-28 05:51:25.0
GOLD Circle racing executive Graeme Hawkins was in need of some good news and he got it on Monday — last season’s Durban July winner, Legislate, will definitely run in Saturday’s R1m Champions Cup at Greyville.
Last week the four-year-old’s trainer, Justin Snaith, had warned that his star Dynasty colt might not take on his stablemate, Futura. This — added to the drama of last Saturday’s Gold Cup meeting being postponed due to rain — provided another headache for Hawkins as he is well aware that a clash between the two Snaith horses will be a huge crowd-puller.
Bookmakers have Futura as the ante-post favourite, but it is no certainty they have their sums right. Legislate was soundly beaten by Futura in the Queen’s Plate in January, but there was plenty to like about his recent Mercury Sprint run and it is doubtful Richard Fourie would want to swap mounts.
Although it should prove a match race, Durban July runner-up, Punta Arenas, always runs a genuine race and trainer Stan Elley will be hoping that this is the case again on Saturday. The Silvano gelding will be his final
Gr 1 runner prior to relinquishing his trainer’s licence.
Cape trainer Mike Bass has been forced into a jockey change in the Cup, with Donovan Dillon replacing the injured Sean Cormack on Helderberg Blue.
With the curtain coming down on the 2014-15 season on Friday, Highlands Farm boss Mike Sharkey will be cursing the fact that last Saturday’s Greyville meeting had to be postponed.
With Captain Al having only a R300,000 lead in the sires championship, the odds had to be in favour of Dynasty, who stands at Highlands, taking the title with his two sons, Futura and Legislate, likely to pick up R825,000 between them if finishing first and second in the Champions Cup.
Picture: THINKSTOCK
GOLD Circle racing executive Graeme Hawkins was in need of some good news and he got it on Monday — last season’s Durban July winner, Legislate, will definitely run in Saturday’s R1m Champions Cup at Greyville.
Last week the four-year-old’s trainer, Justin Snaith, had warned that his star Dynasty colt might not take on his stablemate, Futura. This — added to the drama of last Saturday’s Gold Cup meeting being postponed due to rain — provided another headache for Hawkins as he is well aware that a clash between the two Snaith horses will be a huge crowd-puller.
Bookmakers have Futura as the ante-post favourite, but it is no certainty they have their sums right. Legislate was soundly beaten by Futura in the Queen’s Plate in January, but there was plenty to like about his recent Mercury Sprint run and it is doubtful Richard Fourie would want to swap mounts.
Although it should prove a match race, Durban July runner-up, Punta Arenas, always runs a genuine race and trainer Stan Elley will be hoping that this is the case again on Saturday. The Silvano gelding will be his final
Gr 1 runner prior to relinquishing his trainer’s licence.
Cape trainer Mike Bass has been forced into a jockey change in the Cup, with Donovan Dillon replacing the injured Sean Cormack on Helderberg Blue.
With the curtain coming down on the 2014-15 season on Friday, Highlands Farm boss Mike Sharkey will be cursing the fact that last Saturday’s Greyville meeting had to be postponed.
With Captain Al having only a R300,000 lead in the sires championship, the odds had to be in favour of Dynasty, who stands at Highlands, taking the title with his two sons, Futura and Legislate, likely to pick up R825,000 between them if finishing first and second in the Champions Cup.
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