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The G1 Champions Cup at Greyville on Saturday is dominated by the renewal of the long running rivalry between the Justin Snaith stars Futura and Legislate.
Futura (Bernard Fayd'Herbe) and Legislate (Richard Fourie) will be meeting for fifth time in 13 months.
Last year's winner Futura ran a fine race under top weight in the Durban July and is favourite but last year's Durban July winner Legislate has won three of the previous four clashes with his stablemate and is favoured by the 1800m trip as he steps up in distance from his last start in the Mercury Sprint."I thought we might be able to overcome the draw in the Mercury Sprint last time but Legislate was caught five wide on the turn and eventually had to go and lead,” Snaith said.
“I never thought I would have him leading the fastest horses in the country but it just shows what a good horse he is."In the July Futura had to give 7kg to the winner. He probably would have finished a bit closer but he has come on from the run."
Durban July third Punta Arenas receives 2kg from both the Snaith horses.The Champions Cup heads a star studded day of G1 racing at Greyville featuring the G1 Thekwini Stakes (1600m) for 3YO fillies; G1 Premiers Champion Stakes (1600m) for 3YOs; and G1 Gold Cup (3200m).
The Thekwini Stakes gives The Denis Drier Chestnuts N Pearls the chance to prove her surprise win in the G1 Golden Slipper at Greyville four weeks ago was not a fluke.Drier's assistant Stuart Ferrie said: "She will have no problem with the trip and, if she repeats that last run, she will be the horse to beat."
She meets the unbeaten pair Flying Ice and Persian Rug, who has the disadvantage of being drawn wide in gate 11.In the Premiers Champion Stakes Mike Azzie’s Rabada has won both his starts by an average of four lengths and dominates the market.
"It's a tricky race because a lot of horses that will want to be handy are drawn wide and there will be a lot of jostling for position,” Azzie said.The form behind Rabada is proven but Azzie, successful with Potala Palace four years ago, also runs Abashiri who won over the course and distance at his only start.
The Gold Cup sees last year's runner-up Wild One, trained by Mike de Kock, as favourite but there has also been support for his stablemate Kingston Mines.Solid Speed (Dean Kannemeyer) is respected as he had excuses when third in the Gold Vase, a recognised trial for this race four weeks ago.