Southern Legend triumphs in second Kranji Mile

A leading 2YO sire for almost a decade, Not A Single Doubt added his 24th juvenile stakeswinner at Trentham, NZ on Saturday. (PHOTO: Bronwen Healy)

Saturday evening’s S$1.5 million Kranji Mile 1600m LR was a triumph for the Australian breeding industry,  as Southern Legend sped to a commanding victory, chased home by former Hong Kong Group winner Blizzard.

Southern Legend and Zac Purton had everything under control at the end of the 2019 Kranji Mile LR. (PHOTO: Singapore Turf Club)

Already Not A Single Doubt’s all-time leading earner, Southern Legend took his prizemoney to around $4.9 million with his second consecutive Kranji Mile win for owner Boniface Ho and trainer Caspar Fownes. His time of 1:33.61 was slightly faster than his 2018 performance and, in the opinion of his jockey Zac Purton, a stronger win all round. 

Mr Ho’s buyer and Australian-based manager Carmel Size shared her delight on Twitter: “Thrill of a life time to have kicked the journey off with such a super, super horse, he is so honest and wouldn’t know how to run a bad race.”

Carmel and her father Neville Begg bought Southern Legend (ex Donna’s Appeal by Carnegie) for $280,000 from the 2014 Inglis Easter draft of breeder Corumbene Stud. The Stud has retained Southern Legend’s yearling sister, already named Loveland.   

The Kranji Mile is Mr Ho’s second major success with a Not A Single Doubt son this year, following Classique Legend’s brilliant ATC Arrowfield Stud 3YO Sprint G2 victory at The Championships last month. Classique Legend is now a contender for the $14 million The TAB Everest after Mr Ho & Carmel Size Racing purchased GPI Racing’s slot.

They also signed for three Not A Single Doubt yearlings from Arrowfield’s Class of 2019, securing the Zillow & Lahana colts at Inglis Easter for $1.05 million & $480,000 respectively, and the Stormy Hussey colt for $140,000 at Inglis Classic.

There was plenty to admire about Blizzard’s runner-up performance too. Bred by GSA Bloodstock and purchased for $75,000 by Ricky Yiu from Arrowfield’s 2013 Inglis Melbourne Premier draft, the 7YO son of Starcraft and Stormy Choice (by Redoute’s Choice) has been a wonderfully genuine performer in top company over five seasons for the Infinitude Syndicate.

His four years in Hong Kong produced a Group 3 victory, a Group 1 third and three excellent Group 1 fifths in Japan before his transfer last year to Lee Freedman in Singapore. Blizzard has since added the Fortune Bowl LR & three placings to his record and his lifetime prizemoney now approaches $4 million.

As for Not A Single Doubt, he looks increasingly secure in 5th spot on the Australian General Sires’ Premiership and his season tally of stakes wins is only five short of his career-best total of 26, compiled in 2016/17.

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