Legend Of Arthur set to write new chapter

Legend Of Arthur, impressive winner of last month’s SA Derby, is the standout entry for the TAB Colorado King Stakes, a headliner at the Championships Finale at Turffontein on 26 April.

The Sean Tarry-trained colt, currently a shortish 8-1 in early bookmaker betting for the 2025 Durban July, is the only three-year-old male among nominations for the Grade 2, R500,000 event to be contested on weight-for-age terms over 2000m.

He will be the best weighted horse in the race if Tarry accepts to run, which – with an impost of 56.5kg and the No 1 draw – the Randjesfontein conditioner might be inclined to.

Provisional top weight of 60kg goes to Robyn Klaasen’s Purple Pitcher, the 2024 SA Derby champ.

Only 12 names were put forward for the Colorado King, with Tarry supplying five of them.

Senor Santa Stakes

Four entries are females, with trainers doubling up on the Igugu Stakes companion piece for fillies and mares on the day – no doubt fishing for the most advantageous draw. By that measure, Tarry’s fillies World Of Alice and Let’s Go Now could well line up against the boys in the Colorado King – drawing gates 3 and 6, as opposed to 11 and 12 in the Igugu.

Another major feature on Championships Finale day is the Senor Santa Stakes, one of the Highveld’s premier sprint races.

The Grade 2 1160m dash up the Big T straight has attracted healthier numbers, 19 in all.

The star turn in the entry list is Main Defender, one of the top-rated horses in the country, who is trained at Turffontein by Tony Peter.

This speed test will be seen by some as a tad sharp for the 10-time winner, but he is a very classy performer and the best horses can prevail over any distance.

Ranged against Main Defender are his three-year-old stable companions Pistol Pete, Taxi To The Moon and Almond Sea.

ENTRIES

[Draw, name, (age & sex), kgs, MR, equipment, trainer]

TAB Colorado King Stakes:

7 Purple Pitcher (4C) 60 123 BA Robyn Klaasen
8 Future Pearl (5G) 58 115 AT Sean Tarry
10 Hotarubi (4G) 58 112 CAT Sean Tarry
9 Infinite Wonder (7G) 58 103 A Mano Pandaram
11 Navajo Nation (4G) 58 101 A Weiho Marwing
2 La Moohal (4G) 58 96 A Tyrone Zackey
5 Royal Edition (4G) 58 90 A Phillip Labuschagne
1 Legend Of Arthur (3C) 56.5 117 HA Sean Tarry
4 None Other (5M) 55.5 115 A Lucky Houdalakis
6 Let’s Go Now (4F) 55.5 113 BAT Sean Tarry
12 My Soul Mate (4F) 55.5 107 BA Candice Dawson
3 World Of Alice (3F) 52 108 A Sean Tarry

TAB Senor Santa:

3 Main Defender (4G) 62 130 A Tony Peter
8 Melech (5G) 60 119 BAT Roy Magner
13 Mount Pilatus (4G) 58 112 BA Fanie Bronkhorst
9 Pistol Pete (3C) 56 115 A Tony Peter
15 Truth (3G) 56 115 A Candice Dawson
6 Chocolate Soldier (3G) 56 114 HA Corne Spies
7 Dreamland (4G) 56 109 BAT Lucky Houdalakis
11 Quantum Theory (5G) 56 108 CA Robbie Sage
14 Mrs Browning (5M) 55.5 113 A Sean Tarry
17 Taxi To The Moon (3C) 54 110 A Tony Peter
18 Chyavana (6G) 54 104 BA J A Janse van Vuuren
16 Magic Tattoo (5G) 54 104 BAT Sean Tarry
10 Almond Sea (3F) 53.5 112 A Tony Peter
19 Chasing Happiness (4F) 53.5 109 A J A Janse van Vuuren
4 Time Fo Orchids (5M) 53.5 109 BA e J A Janse van Vuuren
2 Mia Moo (4F) 53.5 108 A Sean Tarry
5 Elegant Ice (4F) 53.5 107 HAT Lucky Houdalakis
1 Silver Tudor (5G) 52 96 AT Sean Tarry
12 Impact Investor (3G) 52 76 A Robyn Klaasen