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The Justin Snaith trained Legislate won the R1m, Group 1 Investec Cape Derby (2000m) at Kenilworth on Saturday after chasing down the runaway leader Count’s Rocket who was 12L ahead of the field with 600m to run as they began the long run up the straight.
Count’s Rocket and P v’d Merwe went to the lead from the start and commenced a leading margin that continued to widen as they went down the back straight and through the bottom turn.
Legislate and Richard Fourie settled at the rear with the favourite Captain America and Glen Hatt inside him and pulling hard for Hatt.
The leader still had a big margin passing the 400m, but then the early pace started to tell and the colt started to shorten stride.
Back in the pack, both Fourie and Hatt started their chase with 400m to run. Legislate surged forward for Fourie and they were quickly through the field racing two out from the rails, but crucially Hatt and the big Captain America were held up for their run.
With 200m to run Legislate went to the lead over the tiring Count’s Rocket and they had a good margin over Captain America and Arion and Sean Cormack who were out in the middle.
Legislate kept up the pace and went to the line with 1 1/4L over Captain America (Captain Al) with a further 11/2L to Arion (Silvano). Helderberg Blue was fourth and Count’s Rocket was fifth.
The time was 2.04.43 on the Good track.
“I thought it was madness, they were going flat out,” said Snaith.
“I had a given up a little. I thought it was a big ask. But I thought it was a great run by Captain America as he was pulling quite hard at the back. I think he took a hold and that might have cost him.
“But I fancied this horse in the Guineas. He is a very nice horse and I never lost confidence in this horse, he is a serious horse,” he said.
“I was not too fazed about the leader as I knew the pace was on and I was going quite easy at that stage,” said Fourie.
“I had the favourite up on my inside and I came up into the straight and I just quickened a lot faster than what he could. I had beaten him on the drop of a penny. It just shows how good this horse really is and I am just glad he has got the win.
“I thought today would be his race. I predicted five months ago that this would be the Derby horse and I am glad it worked out,” he said.
Legislate is a colt by Dynasty out of the Restructure mare Champers and he is owned by Dennis and Gail Evans under their Newbury Racing banner.
The Evans’ have a significant stable in Singapore with trainer Pat Shaw. The Evan’s have enjoyed success with horses such as Ato in last year’s Group 1 KrisFlyer International.
This was the second win from seven starts for Legislate and he has run second in a further four races with his only miss a 10th in the Group 1 Cape Guineas over 1600m at Kenilworth on January 21st at his last start. The colt has now earned stakes of R784,850.
In the R1m Group 1 WFA Klawervlei Majorca Stakes (1600m) for fillies and mares the Dennis Drier trained six-year-old Dynasty mare Beach Beauty overcame barrier 13 to win her fourth Group 1 race from 26 starts.
It was her second Group 1 in succession after winning the WFA Paddock Stakes over 1800m at Kenilworth on January 11th.
The mare surged to the lead for jockey Sean Cormack with 200m to run and held off Hamme’s Hooker (Trippi) by 11/4L with Priceless Jewel (Ashaawes) third, the margin 3/4L. At the line Cormack clenched his fist in salute at the mare’s win.
The time was 1.38.16 on the Good track.
“It was for her, she gets you out of a lot of trouble,” said Cormack.
“People do not realise that when you are out there on a horse like this and you have got gate 13 and you look at the race and it might not work out for you. It puts a lot of pressure on you, added pressure, and it was all just relief that it worked out and in jubilation for her as we used her up in the early part of the race, but she came through and finished it like a true champion.
“She took a while to get going back to the mile today, and she can do that from time to time, but once she kicked I knew it would take something to get to her. And to get past her is impossible, because she is such a fighter. I am just blessed that she is the super horse that she is,” he said.
Beach Beauty, out of the Capture Him mare Sun Coast, has now won 14 races from 27starts for the Shanks Syndicate managed by Mr WG Kidd with stakes of R3.9 million.
