Has dual SA Horse Of The Year Legal Eagle frightened off the opposition as he bids to win the R1 million Gr1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes for the third year running on 7 April?
Legal Eagle – looking for a third Horse Chestnut
Due to a poor show of just eleven, entries for the Gr1 mile were extended from last Friday to Monday 26 March, with supplementary entries closing at 09h00 on Thursday 29 March – with declarations by 11h00 on Tuesday 3 April.
The extension did not lure any additional challengers.
| 2 | Legal Eagle | (6G) | 60 | 127 | AT | Sean Tarry | |
| 6 | Deo Juvente | (6G) | 60 | 116 | A | Geoff Woodruff | |
| 4 | Coral Fever | (5G) | 60 | 110 | BA | Robbie Sage | |
| 3 | French Navy | (6G) | 60 | 110 | AT | Sean Tarry | |
| 9 | Liege | (5G) | 60 | 110 | AT | Sean Tarry | |
| 5 | Unagi | (4G) | 60 | 109 | A | Gary Alexander | |
| 1 | Brazuca (AUS) | Accepted | (5H) | 60 | 108 | A | J A Janse van Vuuren |
| 11 | Romany Prince | (5G) | 60 | 106 | A | Ormond Ferraris | |
| 10 | Nother Russia | (5M) | 57.5 | 114 | A | Mike de Kock | |
| 8 | Surcharge | (3C) | 57.5 | 110 | A | Stuart Pettigrew | |
| 7 | Orchid Island | (4F) | 57.5 | 107 | BA | Mike de Kock | |
| (11) | |||||||
Legal Eagle will have his first run at home in the Van Huyssteen silks.
He ran fourth behind Oh Susanna in the Sun Met at end January. Sean Tarry’s charge has an unblemished record over the mile, winning eight out of eight races over the distance – five of them being Gr1’s, while two were Gr2’s.
That’s a smart record in anybody’s book!
Classic prospect Surcharge – where will he run?
An interesting entrant in the race is 3yo Surcharge, who is also a possible for the R2-million SA Classic over 1800m on the same day.
According to Tabnews, his trainer Stuart Pettigrew was so frustrated after his charge drew 18 for the second leg of the SA Triple Crown that he decided to give himself an alternative.
A showdown between the progressive son of Gimmethegreenlight and the best miler we have seen for years, could be a serious attraction – even if the numbers look to be limited. That said Surcharge has a tough task at weight-for-age.
Declarations for the SA Classic – and the SA Fillies Classic – close at 11h00 today – Wednesday 28 March.
Watch this space for those fields!
