THE PETLEY REPORT: CLASSIQUE LEGEND'S WHIRLWIND FINISH CRUSHES RIVALS. HAS EVEREST ODDS SLASHED

By Jack Petley | Sunday, September 20, 2020

Les Bridge's star grey sprinter Classique Legend crushed several would be $15 Everest hopes in the Shorts at Royal Randwick with a brilliant win from the back of the field. Bivouac and Eduardo, both looking for Everest spots, were fighting hard for the lead inside the last 75 metres, but then the grey flash came with a whirlwind finish down the outside from 9th at the 400 metre mark to win going away. Immediately he had his odds slashed for the Everest and now sits at $6 alongside WA galloper Gytrash and behind Nature Strip on $3.50 … then $7 Rothfire, $11 Bivouac, $15 Anders, Farnan, $21 Haut Brion Her, Tofane.

Bridge said he would give his star one more run before the Everest, in the Premiere Stakes at Randwick on October 3.. Bivouac, said James Cummings, may also tackle that race and hopefully gain a spot in the Everest.

In Melbourne, at Caulfield, Behemoth's trainer, David Jolly, put his hand up for a slot in the Everest after an impressive win in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes adding that win to his recent win in the Memsie. That was the star's seventh win from 17 starts and what a bargain … he cost a mere $6000 and now his tally sits at just over $1.6million He was handled brilliantly by Craig Williams and that took his tally of Gr1s to 57.

The Snowden filly Dame Giselle came out on top of her much awaited clash with Chris Waller's Hungry Heat in the Darley Tea Rose Stakes and she is right on track to take the third of the Princess Series, the Flight Stakes. Hungry Heart tried valiantly but the other filly just seems to have her measure and I feel that 1600 metres will not be beyond her capabilities.

While Kiwi trainer Jamie Richards had no luck with Avantage in the Gr1 Tarzino at Hastings, finishing third, not long after he watched his smart mare Probabeel hand out a beating to a strong field in the Bil lRitchie Stakes and now the Kiwi trainer is looking towards the Epsom Handicap at Randwick on October 3 where she now sits at $8.50 in the market for the big mile.

Whether Kolding, winner of the George Main for Chris Waller, runs in the Epsom is still to be decided said the champion trainer. Kolding is by the Waikato Stud sire Ocean Park. The win gave Waller his seventh win in the Gr1 event and he has edged past 110 Gr1 wins in his great career. The finish was a dream result for the NZ born trainer, with the stable providing the first four … Kolding, Star of the Seas, Imaging and Verry Elleegant.

The Bott-Waterhouse stayer Taikomochi had his odds firmed for the Metropolitan Handicap after his strong win over Shared Ambition and Birnham Rocks in the KingstonTown Stakes. Shared Ambition has now firmed also, to $9.

One of the most impressive winners of the day was It's Me in the TAB Highway in the hands of Jason Collett. She is now three from three in her career and she now heads the market for the Kosciuszko at $3.50 ahead of $4.50 Front Page, Handle the Truth.

Danny O'Brien had a good day at Caulfield winning the Foundation Cup with the Lloyd Williams owned Ordeofthegarter. Orderofthegarter beat Chapada and Steel Prince in grand style and he now has his place in the Caulfield Cup. The son of Galileo is at $15 for the Cup. O’Brien was also successful earlier taking out the PFD Food with the Waikato Stud owned mare Fabric, by Ocean Park, from Haberdashery. She came home hard and fast from her wide draw and looks well in line for major fillies and mares events during the spring carnival.

Michael Walker was in fine form on the Price-Kent filly Odeum in the Jim Moloney Stakes and Price said he may look now at raising the bar for the daughter of Written Tycoon and aim for the 1000 Guineas with her odds now at $15.

At Hastings the John Bary trained and Australian owned Callsign Mav took out the Tarzino at odds of 82-1. Miss Aotearoa in the hands of Craig Grylls won the Gold Trail Stakes and debut filly Shezzacatch won the El Roca Sir Colln Meads with a brilliant finish for local trainers Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen.

Hong Kong today and 3000 racegoers will be welcome back to the track.

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