“It doesn’t take a genius to see that Legal Eagle is the champion and the horse to beat. And while nobody wants to see a top horse defeated, if there is going to be one to do it, then I’d like to nominate my own runner,’’ said trainer Tyrone Zackey, who saddles the lovely grey A P Arrow gelding Glider Pilot in Saturday’s R4 million Gr1 Premier’s Champion Stakes.
Trainer Tyrone Zackey – taking on the champ
Asked what the rationale was behind taking on a champion on such unfavourable terms with a horse that has never won a feature and from a 9 draw, Tyrone said that positive thinking and planning was the key to surviving in this tough game.
“Firstly the draw doesn’t matter. This is Turffontein. Secondly, Glider Pilot is much better than his form suggests. He has had all kinds of aches and pains from bruised soles and the rest. He has a low mileage on the clock and we haven’t seen his best, believe me. And if we don’t have a ticket we don’t have a hope of glory – or even earning.”
The half-brother to Gr1 winner and July entry Rabada has also been nominated for Africa’s greatest race.
“The July is next. For now, Phumelela are putting up a lot of money and we are not going to run scared from a top horse. There would only be one horse in the race if everybody thought logically and didn’t believe in their heart of hearts that champions can have an off day and get beaten. I must be honest. I think Legal Eagle will win, but Glider Pilot is fitter and readier than I have had him for a while.”
Tough to beat this! Legal seen winning the Horse Chestnut
The Champions Challenge is one of three Gr1 races to be run on Champions Day on the Standside track. The others are the R2-million SA Derby over 2450m for three-year-olds and the R1-million Computaform Sprint over 1000m.
Tote betting opened Wednesday 2 May.
