Legendary Sydney trainer Les Bridge hopes to add another Group 1 victory to his impressive training record with Celestial Legend in the $1 million Randwick Guineas on March 9.
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But before running in the big 1600 metre Randwick race, the lightly-raced colt runs in Saturday's $400,000 Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400 metres) at Rosehill and the veteran trainer rates Celestial Legend an each way hope in an even contest.
"We're in the Hobartville Stakes with a good chance," Bridge told ACM Racing.
"I would have preferred if the race was over 1600 metres. I thought his first-up run in the Eskimo Prince was a good performance and he's trained on since that effort but he's looking for more ground.
"The Eskimo Prince was over 1200 metres and Saturday's race is over 1400 metres. I reckon he's crying out for the 1600 metres.
"He's bred to be a stayer but keep in mind his dam is by Snitzel so there's a bit of speed in his pedigree. I don't think we'll see the best of Celestial Legend until he's running in 2000 metre races."
The 85-year-old trainer, who parted with $220,000 to purchase Celestial Legend at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, has booked talented jockey Kerrin McEvoy to ride the three-year-old on Saturday.
"Kerrin is very impressed with Celestial Legend," he said. "Kerrin has ridden him in two of his five starts plus a trial. I don't have to give Kerrin any instructions about riding Celestial Legend.
"That's why you put the good jockeys on them, there's no need to give instructions. We've drawn barrier 10, I think Kerrin will drift across from that gate and we should be in a good spot in the run. It looks a very even field on paper.
"I know the Hobartville will be a great pipe-opener for the Randwick Guineas which we've earmarked his campaign around."
Bookmakers have installed Celestial Legend as an $8.50 chance to win the Hobartville.
Smart Legend, a stablemate of Celestial Legend, has been duly accepted by Bridge in a restricted $130,000 race at Rosehill on Saturday and a $60,000 benchmark race under lights at Canterbury on Friday night.
"Smart Legend is due for a win," Bridge said. "I've just got to work out the most suitable race for him. It might be the one under lights at Canterbury on Friday.
"I'll have a good look at the form from both meetings before making a decision. Smart Legend's two runs in this preparation on the Kensington track have shown he's got his foot on the till. He's been sparingly raced for a four-year old.
"We've booked Kerrin to ride him on Friday and Saturday. Kerrin rode Smart Legend when he won his maiden at Kembla Grange in May last year. Smart Legend has been slow maturing he's just starting to put it altogether. I would like to think he's in for a good campaign."
Early betting markets are taking no chances about Smart Legend's chances on Saturday as they rate him a $4.50 hope, while on Friday night he's a $10 hope in the early betting markets.
Bridge, who has been training out of his Randwick stables for more than 60 years, has a long list of achievements including winners in the Melbourne Cup, Golden Slipper, Doncaster Handicap and The Everest, sang the praises of Racing NSW.
"Back in the old days when I started out training it was all about setting one up for a bet," he said. "It's all changed now the prizemoney is terrific for racing in NSW - you don't really have to punt to survive but you used to in the old days.
"It was the only way to survive was set one up and punt. The prizemoney is great as I said but on the other hand you can't forget the costs of training a horse have gone up substantially over the last few years.
"It's incredible the amount of changes I've witnessed not only in racing but in life in general. I'm not sure some of the changes are for the best. We've just got to keep on going and get up early to look after the horses. It's the only way I know. I've got no complaints about my lot in life."
Bridge joined the chorus of other trainers including Chris Waller and Gai Waterhouse who said it would be a sad day for racing if Rosehill was sold for housing development.
