Everest contender Classique Legend wins the ATC The Shorts G2 in Chautauqua-like style at Randwick. (PHOTO: Sportpix)

Classique Legend storms towards The Everest

He’s retired from stud duty, but Not A Single Doubt remains a potent force in Australian racing, as his gifted son Classique Legend emphatically demonstrated in Saturday’s $500,000 ATC The Shorts 1100m G2. 

Les Bridge, who prepares the 5YO gelding with the assistance of Carmel Size for Hong Kong owner & Everet slot-holder Bon Ho, paid him the biggest compliment a trainer can give a horse.

“He’s the best horse I’ve ever trained. Some have got four cylinder motors, he’s got a V8. I honestly thought he was a bit underdone today.”

What a performance from the grey! Classique Legend takes out a thrilling edition of the Shorts! That is why he’s in the #TABEverest. pic.twitter.com/jwxYbsfII4

— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 19, 2020

Jockey Kerrin McEvoy also ranks Classique Legend alongside the best he’s ridden. 

“I’ve been lucky enough to ride Redzel and some other great sprinters in my career and you’d have to say he’s right up there with those.

“Just got a great disposition, mentally he’s a joy to be around, he switches on for game day and that’s what he showed there, he just went into beast mode when I needed him to.”

The winner of last year’s Arrowfield Stud 3YO Sprint G2, Classique Legend has already earned more than four times his $400,000 Inglis Classic Sale price. The TAB now rates him a $6 chance of collecting the $6.2 million winner’s prizemoney in The Everest on 17 October.

Classique Legend, and his Hong Kong Group-winning half-brother Aethero, were bred by the Monds family of Tyreel Stud from their  Encosta de Lago mare Pinocchio, a winning sister of Champion 3YO and 5-time Group 1 winner Racing To Win.

It was a magical day for Tyreel, which also bred the Sir Rupert Clarke S. G1 winner Behemoth and Randwick winner Academy.

As for Not A Single Doubt, he is once again among Australia’s leading sires, with three Group winners (Anders, Doubtland & Classique Legend) and $1.4 million prizemoney. His last foals are arriving now, and yearlings from his 44-foal penultimate crop will be offered for sale in 2021.