Hall Of Fame trainer Les Bridge believes getting back to the Randwick mile will be the making of 2023 Doncaster winner Celestial Legend in Saturday’s King Charles III Stakes.
The spring hasn’t gone the way many expected for the only horse to complete the Randwick Guineas and Doncaster double, but Bridge points out that Celestial Legend could be a victim of his own success.
Celestial Legend charges through late to win the Randwick Guineas in March.Credit: Getty
After winning the Doncaster with just 49 kilograms, the four-year-old has had to lump 59kg in the Theo Marks Quality and the Shannon Stakes, and he finished down the track in both.
“He hasn’t had the ability to consolidate heading into the spring, and you have to remember he has only had eight starts and has been asked to carry topweights in handicaps,” Bridge said. “I just couldn’t find the right races for him where he didn’t have those big weights, but this has always been the target.
“It is a big step into your four-year-old season, and I feel he is still going to be better next year as he matures and gets this hard racing under his belt.
“He has turned into a lovely relaxed Dundeel colt that is now having trouble getting out of the barriers, so we have put the blinkers on him.
“I think he will be a 2000m horse with time, but he is still sharp enough for the mile, especially a tough one like it will be on Saturday.
“He is going to love getting back to Randwick, and the mile there is where he has obviously run and won his best races. He also doesn’t have to give weight on Saturday.
“The two runs have brought him on towards a peak, and I would count him out just yet. You don’t win Doncasters without being a good horse.”
Celestial Legend is a $11 chance of upsetting Pride Of Jenni, which is the $2.30 favourite, and to lesser degree defending King Charles champion Fangirl, which is a $3.80 hope. There will be no hiding given that Pride Of Jenni will use her usual tactics of breaking up the field with pure speed.
As well as the blinkers, Celestial Legend will have a new jockey in Blake Shinn doing the steering and chasing on Saturday.
“They are two really top weight-for-age horses there, so it is a good test for him. It is where he is going to be racing for now on,” Bridge said. “Blake got a feel of him the other morning in the trial and I think he is going to be a jockey that really suit him.
“We are going to be chasing Pride Of Jenni from a long way out, but I think that will suit him because he is tough and strong and it might just bring the best out of him.”
