After winning the 1984 Hobartville Stakes with the champion Sir Dapper, Les Bridge added a second win in the Group II feature at Rosehill forty years later with the Dundeel colt Celestial Legend.
Ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, Celestial Legend was a menacing presence on the turn behind Encap.
The son of Dundeel wore down the son of Capitalist to win by a widening two lengths with the Pierro colt Les Vampires a length back in third.
With his first stakes win, Celestial Legend advances his record to two wins and two seconds from six starts with earnings of $364,575.
Carrying the colours of Bon Ho, Celestial Legend was a $220,000 purchase for Legend Racing / Avenue Bloodstock from the Arrowfield Stud draft at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Les Bridge will have his next start in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas in a fortnight.
“He’s a good horse and he’ll be three or four lengths better in six months,” Bridge said.
Deep down, I felt the same as I felt with (Everest winner) Classique Legend, this bloke is nearly as good.
“I think he (Bon Ho) made up his mind to come and I’m glad he did because I got twice as much pleasure out of him being here.
“I don’t have to do it (train) these days, I just do it because I’m terrified of having nothing to do. Mr Ho has been absolutely marvellous to me and I just hope this repays him a little bit. He didn’t see much of Classique Legend and it was a tragedy that he broke down, but he’s got a good replacement with this one.”
The grey colt is the first foal of the unraced Snitzel mare Sarraqa, a three-quarter sister to Group 1 winners in South Africa, Rafeef (Redoute’s Choice) and Mustaaqeem (Redoute’s Choice).
Sarraqa’s dam National Colour (National Assembly) was a 3-time Group 1 winner in South Africa. She was honoured as the Joint South African Horse of the Year in 2005-06 - Champion Older Female Sprinter in GB in 2007-08 - Joint Champion 3YO Filly in South Africa in 2005-06.
Mike de Kock trained National Colour, and it was his son, Mathew de Kock, now training with Robbie Griffiths, who shelled out $160,000 for Sarraqa’s Written Tycoon filly consigned by Noorilim Park to the 2023 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
After missing to Castelvecchio in 2022, Sarraqa was covered by Dundeel last spring.
Celestial Legend is the 26th stakes-winner for Arrowfield Stud’s Dundeel.
