Celestial Legend wins Randwick Guineas G1
Celestial Legend (red & white striped cap) & Militarize (red Newgate cap) are joined by Cafe Millenium to land an Arrowfield-sired Randwick Guineas G1 trifecta. (PHOTO: Bronwen Healy)
Dundeel’s son Celestial Legend capped a sensational Saturday for Arrowfield graduates & stallions when he won the $1 million ATC Randwick Guineas 1600m G1 after an intense battle with runner-up Militarize (also by Dundeel) and third-placed Cafe Millenium (by Not A Single Doubt).
The Guineas trifecta followed Group 2 victories by Autumn Angel & Switzerland to complete a momentous Arrowfield Inglis graduate treble.
As the Stud’s founder & owner John Messara said, “It’s been a fabulous day for Arrowfield…All of this on the eve of Inglis Easter, timing in this game is everything.”
Celestial Legend is Dundeel’s 8th Group 1 winner & second this season after Golden Rose winner Militarize, and Arrowfield’s 26th graduate Group 1 winner since 2014.
What a legend!
The G1 Randwick Guineas goes to a brave Celestial Legend – @KPMcEvoy riding him to victory in a thrilling finish!@aus_turf_club pic.twitter.com/Z2sQDasD8E
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 9, 2024
Jockey Kerrin McEvoy described Celestial Legend’s response under pressure, “He was tough the last furlong because I had to ask him for that extreme effort and he put his head out and dug deep. It was a lovely win, first time up to the mile.”
Trainer Les Bridge expressed warm appreciation for both the horse and his owner, Bon Ho who was joined by agent Mark McStay’s Avenue Bloodstock to purchase Celestial Legend for $220,000 from Arrowfield’s 2022 Inglis Classic draft.
“He’s just a beautiful animal, that’s all…I’m only just scratching the surface with him…I’ll run him in the Doncaster if he pulls up all right.
“He [Bon Ho] has been marvellous to me, he’s kept me going, he gives me beautifully bred yearlings to train. I just hope this repays him in some small way.”
Celestial Legend’s account is certainly healthy, after three wins from 7 starts, almost $1 million in prizemoney and a Group 1 Classic to follow Mr Ho’s earlier success with Not A Single Doubt’s sons Everest winner Classique Legend & Hong Kong Group 1 winner Southern Legend.
Celestial Legend is the first foal, runner & stakeswinner out of Sarraqa (by Snitzel), a daughter of South African Horse of the Year National Colour, and three-quarter sister to Group 1 winners Rafeef (now a successful sire in South Africa) & Mustaaqeem.
Sarraqa has a 2YO daughter National Code (by Written Tycoon) in the Griffiths de Kock stable and a yearling colt by Maurice to be offered as Lot 260 at next month’s Inglis Easter Sale. She is once again in foal to Dundeel who has 16 yearlings catalogued for Inglis Easter 2024 including 2 fillies & 7 colts presented by Arrowfield.
