News

Celestial Legend spectacular in G1 Doncaster Mile win

6th Apr 2024

A Doncaster Mile winner who could “win an Everest and a Cox Plate’’, by a stallion “capable of producing an absolutely exceptional horse’’ and whose half brother being offered at the upcoming Easter Yearling Sale is “athletic and sleek’’.

Welcome to the Celestial Legend (Dundeel) story, a phenomenal racing journey that is only in its infancy but promises to continue delivering memorable results for many seasons to come.

The Les Bridge-trained 3YO colt today scored a stunning victory in the G1 Doncaster Mile on Day 1 of The Championships at Randwick, defeating an outstanding field of G1 stars with relative ease.

Legend Racing’s Bon Ho and Mark McStay’s Avenue Bloodstock sourced Celestial Legend (pictured) for $220,000 at the Classic Yearling Sale, where he was offered by his breeder Arrowfield Stud.

He has now won four of his eight starts – two at G1 level following his victory in the Randwick Guineas last month – for $3.3m in earnings.

Celestial Legend’s Maurice half brother (ex Sarraqa) is being offered by Arrowfield as lot 260 at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, which begins at the rescheduled time of 12pm AEST tomorrow, Sunday April 7.

“He’s an amazing horse, he’s won this race today, he’s the sort of horse who could win an Everest and he might win a Cox Plate. He’s some talent,’’ Arrowfield’s Jon Freyer said.

“And Dundeel just goes from strength to strength. He’s capable of getting an absolutely exceptional horse and here we have another stallion prospect, he gets those great colts and he’s just on the tip of the iceberg of what he’s capable of and what we’re going to see in the next few years.’’

There are 16 progeny of Dundeel catalogued for the Easter Yearling Sale, which begins at 12pm AEST tomorrow.

To view the catalogue CLICK HERE.

On Celestial Legend’s half brother – who will enter the Riverside auditorium early on Day 2 on Monday, Freyer said: “He’s a lovely colt. He’s certainly had his admirers all week and he’ll have a few more tomorrow, I’m sure.

“He’s very much like Celestial Legend at the same stage, they’re not big robust horses, they’re athletic, sleek, running types of horses.

“The week’s been busy, the numbers of parades have been really strong and I expect it to be a strong sale. All the faces you hope to see there are there so fingers crossed. One more sleep.’’

Bon Ho added: “He had so many horses in front of him but fortunately he got a gap and just took about 100m to go past them, that’s all he needed.

“He’s a remarkable horse. It’s amazing.’’

Celestial Legend’s extraordinary win wasn’t the only timely pedigree update today ahead of the Easter Sale.

The win by exciting colt Ducasse (Trapeze Artist) in the G3 Carbine Club Stakes at Randwick comes 48 hours before his Zoustar half sister (ex Custard) is offered in the Segenhoe Stud draft at the sale.

“The filly is a queen, the mare is a freak - basically everything she’s foaled has been black type - the colt deserved that win, it’s just all perfect really,’’ a delighted Peter O’Brien from Segenhoe said.

“The filly selling on Monday is as good a filly as you’d see, she’s been really popular all week and this will just top it off for her.’’

Segenhoe sold Ducasse at the 2022 Easter Sale, where he was purchased by his trainer Michael Freedman and Julian Blaxland for $280,000.

Meanwhile connections of Good Banter (Tavistock) will decide in the next 48 hours whether to back their filly up in next weekend’s G1 ATC Oaks or not following her tough win in today’s traditional lead-up, the G3 Adrian Knox Stakes at Randwick.

The John O’Shea-trained 3YO proved too strong over race favourite and fellow Inglis graduate Autumn Angel today, firming into $11 fourth favourite with Ladbrokes for the Oaks as a result.

Today’s win was the second from just six starts for Good Banter, a $280,000 Premier Yearling Sale purchase for Louis Le Metayer’s Astute Bloodstock, from the Blue Gum Farm draft, who offered her on behalf of her breeders Graham and Helen-Gaye Bax.

“She’s a very nice filly, very well bred by Tavistock out of a Savabeel mare, she was bought for distance races like this and a race like the Oaks in mind so we’ll make a call on that in the next couple of days whether she heads to the Oaks or goes for a break,’’ Le Metayer said.

“She’s a lovely athlete, we found her at the Inglis Premier Sale and gave her the time she needed and are reaping the rewards now.’’

Le Metayer has been at Riverside all week inspecting ahead of the Easter Yearling Sale.

“I’ve looked at every horse there and there’s a lot to like, a lot to like about what I’ve seen.’’

In the last race today Facile (Trapeze Artist) returned to the winners’ circle in style with a front-running win in the G3 PJ Bell Stakes in the omnipresent silks of TFI.

It was a valuable first Group win for the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained filly, who was four-times Stakes placed prior to today.

Ryan and Alexiou bought Facile for $420,000 at the Easter Yearling Sale, where she was offered by Widden Stud.

And in Perth tonight untapped juvenile Siren Assault (Rich Enuff) scored a dominant victory in the G3 Gimcrack Stakes at Ascot.

It was a second career win from just four starts for the Sean and Jake Casey-trained filly, an $80,000 purchase for Yenrise from the Morningside draft at the Premier Yearling Sale.

Her win came shortly before Oscar’s Fortune (Rich Enuff) made it a WA Stakes double for Inglis graduates, winning the G3 AC Milan Cup at Ascot.

Oscar’s Fortune was purchased for just $5500 on Inglis Digital in December 2021 and has since won five of his eight starts for $650,000 in earnings.