A stakes-winner in Australia as a three year-old, Southern Legend has performed
well since switching to the Caspar Fownes stable in Hong Kong with this win his
biggest success.A last start third in the Group I Champions Mile at Sha Tin, he proved his class at Kranji, dashing away to win by three lengths in a dominant display.
"He's a real dude this horse. He was chilled throughout his stay here and has really enjoyed himself," said Fownes.
"He was a fit horse. We made sure he had enough work and he trialled prior to coming to Singapore.
"He's a versatile horse who can handle any type of going and obviously any direction as well, as we saw tonight (they go the other way in Hong Kong).
"I'm very happy for the connections because I had to convince the owner (Boniface Ho Ka Kui) to come here. I told him horses travel good these days, it's a lot easier, just like for us, humans.
"Travelling can only do them a world of good."
Future plans for Southern Legend' are closer to home. Fownes said he would target the gelding for the Internationals on his own turf, the Longines Hong Kong International Races in December.
"He's pretty much done now. We are going back to Hong Kong on Monday morning and enter quarantine," he said.
"He's come a long way since the start of his prep. He will come out and improve
a bit further from that and he will be set for the December Internationals when
I bring him back."A $280,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Carmel Size and Neville Begg from the Corumbene Stud draft, Southern Legend is the best of three winners from metropolitan winning Carnegie (IRE) mare Donna's Appeal, a daughter of stakes-winner Donna Natalia from the family of Group I winner and sire Charge Forward.
Corumbene Stud sold the full brother to Southern Legend at Inglis Easter this year for $185,000 to Danny Williams Racing.
Not a Single Doubt stands at Arrowfield this spring at a fee of $99,000.
