The G1 Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m at Turffontein is considered one of the “Big Four” of South African racing and it comes as no surprise that the field is headed up by the country’s highest-rated runner, Legal Eagle.

Trained by three-time champion trainer Sean Tarry, this six-year-old gelding has a local merit rating of 125. He has run 23 times for 13 wins, eight of those victories coming in G1 races. In fact, he won this race two years ago and last year was narrowly beaten by Deo Juvente.

He also won the SA Derby over 2450m at Turffontein on yielding going so one will have no doubt he would see out a stiff 2000m. But that is one of the enigmas about Legal Eagle – as he has got older, the son of Greys Inn has tended to fluff his lines in races over this distance. He remains a brilliant miler and is unbeaten in nine races over 1600m, six of which were G1s and two of which were G2s.

However, even though he has not won over 2000m for two years, he has finished either second or third. He is a class act and, as he is handicapped to win this race with ease, he remains the runner the others will have to beat. He is beautifully drawn in gate four and has regular jockey Anton Marcus in the irons.

“His work is very good and I’m very happy with him,” said Tarry. So whether there is any horse in this field capable of beating Legal Eagle is debatable.

Deo Juvente, who beat him by a head last year, has not produced that kind of form since then, although he showed a little improvement in his last start. That was in the G1 Horse Chestnut Stakes over 1600m but he was still 8.45 lengths behind Legal Eagle.

“He has come on nicely since that run and I think we will see a lot better from him on Saturday,” said jockey Callan Murray.

However, the main threat to Legal Eagle has to come from Nother Russia. The Mike de Kock-trained mare finished just a short-head behind Legal Eagle in third place last year and could have improved since then.

What makes Nother Russia a real danger is that she ran Legal Eagle to a neck last month in the Horse Chestnut Stakes and that was on the same weight-for-age terms – and, more importantly, over 1600m. She was closing the gap and Legal Eagle had to use all of his champion’s spirit to hold her off.

In his defence, Legal Eagle was having his first run since the G1 Met (2000m) in Cape Town on 27 January, so that performance should have brought him on substantially. Nother Russia went on to win her next start, the G1 Empress Club Stakes over 1600m, so she too should be at her peak.

Should Nother Russia win, it will be a very emotional moment as she is very popular with the local public and this will be her last run before going to stud.

Abashiri has not paid a visit to the winners’ stall since winning the SA Derby at this very meeting in 2016, a victory that saw him become the third horse to win the SA Triple Crown. Since then, he has had a few problems but there is no doubt he loves this track and the distance is ideal.

Mike Azzie and his son, Adam, train this gelding and word from the yard is that he is putting up tremendous work at home. If he is back to his best, this son of Go Deputy will be a massive runner and he is worth including in all bets.