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Legislate Flops As Futura Takes Queen's Plate

3 minute read

The Brett Crawford-trained Futura won the G1 L'Ormarins Queen's Plate at Kenilworth on Saturday in a stunning result that saw South African Horse of the Year Legilsate finish last as a hot favourite.

Bernard Fayd'Herbe
Bernard Fayd'Herbe Picture: Press Photo

Legislate was thought to be unbeatable after breaking the Kenilworth course record for a mile in his previous race but didn’t have the fuel in the tank to produce his normally devastating finish.

Futura, trained by Brett Crawford and ridden superbly by Bernard Fayd’Herbe, showed no ill effects from his less than ideal preparation which had seen him miss a race as well as a racecourse gallop due to a bout of coughing.

Future reeled in the outsider Ashton Park, the leader for much of the straight, and then had to repel a late burst by the Triple Crown and Sansui Summer Cup winner Louis The King to score by three quarters of a length.

Gold Onyx finished strongly to be only 1,75 lengths behind the winner in third while a tired Legislate trailed in last, 5,25 lengths behind the winner. Race sponsors Johann and Gaynor Rupert were devastated as Legislate runs in the colours of their Drakenstein Stud.

Legislate pulled up sound after the race, but pulling hard early clearly took its toll on the colt.

Fayd’Herbe was recording his fourth win in the Queen’s Plate, having partnered the great Pocket Power to three of his famous four victories in the prestigious weight for age event.

Crawford had finished second in the last two running of the Queen’s Plate with Jackson and was thrilled to get his first victory.

Saturday's win pushed Futura's record to six wins and four placings from 10 starts.

There was earlier joy for the Ruperts as their Drakenstein blue and white colours had earlier run first and third in the G1 Maine Chance Paddock Stakes won by the Mike Bass-trained Inara with the Glen Kotzen-trained Jet Belle third.

Inara gave a massive boost to the three-year-old form as the mighty Mike de Kock-trained filly Majmu had beaten her easily in the G1 Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas.

Inara, who was trying the 1,800m trip for the first time, beat Athina, winner of last season's G1 SA Fillies Classic, to provide young jockey Grant Van Niekerk with the first G1 win.

In landing the first feature of her career, Inara took her tally to two wins from seven outings.

Legislate’s trainer Justin Snaith still had a good day with four winners, two of them ridden by his stable jockey Richard Fourie including the G2 Glorious Goodwood Peninsula Handicap with Arion.

Arion was third in last year’s Investec Cape Derby but then chipped a knee and was off for seven months.

Joey Ramsden had a hat trick on the day with the highlight being Australian-bred Lonhro colt The Conglomerate winning the G3 Julius Baer Politician Stakes over 1800m under Piere Strydom.

Derek Brugman represented owner Markus Jooste and said The Conglomerate had been bought at a bargain price as he had been one of the early lots at the Inglis Easter Sale sale that he and Ramsden attended.

The Conglomerate sat in sixth place and made his run down the outside to win by a half length.

Snaith and Ramsden shared the honours in the Pinnacle Stakes over 2800m when Current Event and Coltrane dead-heated.

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