The Alec Laird-trained The United States colt Billy Bowlegs became the latest horse to frank the Highveld three-year-old male feature form today when winning a handicap over 1800m against older horses off a 96 merit rating under Muzi Yeni.
Billy Bowlegs was beaten three lengths into fifth in the Grade 3 Allied Steelrode Graham beck Stakes and 6,50 lengths into 8th in the Grade 2 Jonsson Workwear Dingaans.
He carried 58kg today and produced a late rattle to just get up, beating progressive fellow three-year-old Eye Of The Prophet (Gimmethegreenlight), who was running off a 90 merit rating and going for a hattrick.
One length further back was the first older horse home, Tabebuia, but the rest of the field were beaten between seven lengths and twenty lengths, suggesting a strong performance by the first two.
Billy Bowlegs had been backed in from 11/2 to 28/10 favourite.
The Dingaans has already had five winners come out of it.
Considering the Dingaans one-two, Union Square and Shoemaker, and the Graham Beck winner, Anfields Rocket, were beaten 7.65, 10.90 and 11.95 lengths respectively by Charles Dickens in the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas, it puts the strength of the country’s best three-year-old into perspective.
