Legal Eagle " he's in good shape "

Pic from Pippa Mickleburgh

By David Thiselton
www.goldcircle.co.za

The J&B Met favourite Legal Eagle is in good shape and National Champion Trainer Sean Tarry believes through natural progression the brilliant four-year-old would have come on from his cosy Gr 1 L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate victory.

Tarry also runs Gold Onyx in the big race and has Carry On Alice in the Gr1 Betting World Cape Flying Championships over 1000m.

Tarry said, “I have only worked Legal Eagle on his own since the Queen’s Plate, he has been down here in Cape Town longer now and is eating better, and this is his third run after a layoff, so, although I can’t measure it, I would expect him to have come on through natural progression.”

The Greys Inn gelding has drawn superbly in three and Tarry said, “He has raced in every way possible. He has come from last, he has come from midfield and he has raced handy, so it will just be a matter of the pace. We haven’t seen his limit yet. We didn’t get a true reflection in the July because he was going well at the 300m but after the interference his chances were over. This year’s Met is a little stronger than last year’s. It is going to be interesting.”

Regular pilot Anton Marcus being aboard will add to Legal Eagle’s chances.

Tarry was also pleased with the preparation last year’s Met runner up Gold Onyx had enjoyed. The eight-year-old Black Minnaloushe gelding thrives in Cape Town, so can’t be written off.

Tarry was quoted before Gold Onyx’s first Cape Town start this season in the Gr 2 Premier Trophy as saying “he would need it badly”, but the evergreen horse then ran on well for second.

Tarry said, “We were under pressure before that first start and sometimes when they have not had a good prep first up and then run above expectations, the second run can grab them a bit. But in his case in the Queen’s Plate he was caught wide and over raced and taking that into consideration his 5,25 length defeat was a very good result. He now has a 2kg pull at the weights. S’Manga (Khumalo) was very happy with his Met gallop. He also worked him on the sand tracks over the weekend and is upbeat about his well-being. It would have been easier from a six or seven draw but we know what we want to do with him and if he can get in behind after the jump he should be fine.”

Tarry said about dual Gr 1 winning sprinter Carry On Alice, “She is in good order, I am happy with her.” He was not concerned about her last start, when running fifth at odds of 9/10 in the Gr 2 Horses For Causes Sceptre Stakes over 1200m, because nothing went right for her, from the time she was squeezed out at the start, all the way to the finish. She is drawn ten and Tarry admitted Kenilworth was one track where he could not work out which side, if any, would be favourable down the straight on any given day, but he believed over 1000m it would not matter anyway.

Tarry has scratched the impressive Cloth Of Cloud from the Sun International Summer Juvenile Stakes, after her six length romp on Saturday. He said while this race would be close, his chief concern was the effect the tents and razzmatazz could have on an inexperienced and temperamental filly.

Tarry had two runners in the CTS Million Dollar race on Saturday and praised sponsors CTS and Investec for having done a “phenomenal” job and putting on a “stunning” event.