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Kerrin McEvoy knows the task ahead of Celestial Legend in the Randwick Guineas is tough but is backing the colt to make his stand

It’s a big challenge taking on three-time Group 1 winner Militarize in Saturday’s Randwick Guineas but Kerrin McEvoy is confident the improving Celestial Legend is up to it.

Ray ThomasRacing
5 min read
March 8, 2024 - 7:30AM
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Champion jockey Kerrin McEvoy has a better insight than most into crack colts Celestial Legend and Militarize ahead of their clash in the Group 1 $1 million Randwick Guineas (1600m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

McEvoy rode both three-year-olds last start, winning the Hobartville Stakes on Celestial Legend and finishing second on Militarize in the Apollo Stakes.

They dominate betting for the Guineas with Militarize rated the $2.30 favourite ahead of Celestial Legend at $4.

“I’ve got a bit of a guide on what I’m up against on Celestial Legend,” McEvoy said.

• Runner-by-runner analysis: Randwick Guineas

“It’s going to be a great match. Militarize is a bit more battled-hardened, he’s been around the block a few more times, and Celestial Legend is the brash up-and comer.

“Militarize has put forward some nice numbers in his career, he’s a very good colt.

“My gut feeling is this grey horse of Les’s (Bridge, trainer of Celestial Legend) needs to improve a bit more. It’s going to be an intriguing race, that’s for sure.”

McEvoy said Celestial Legend’s runaway Hobartville win demonstrated his colt was making the necessary improvement to be competitive at Group 1 level.

“With Celestial Legend, we have always thought he was going to improve once he got out in trip,” McEvoy said.

“I really do feel we are yet to see the best of him. Randwick suits, he will enjoy the mile, and his work on Tuesday was of a very good level.

• Runner-by-runner analysis: Canterbury Stakes

“Les is happy with Celestial Legend and the colt’s demeanour on Tuesday morning was very similar to before the Hobartville. The Guineas is going to be a good test for him but I really do think he is up to it.”

Celestial Legend is raced by Hong Kong-based Bon Ho, the owner of 2020 The Everest winner Classique Legend who was also trained by Bridge and ridden by McEvoy.

Classique Legend was prematurely retired from racing due to leg injuries and the grey gelding was given a new home at McEvoy’s Central Coast property where he is showing considerable promise in his new career as a showjumper.

“My wife, Cathy, rides Classique Legend and he really enjoys showjumping,” McEvoy said.

“We had Classique Legend at the Equestrian Centre in Sydney doing some training during the week and Les, who had not seen the horse for a while, got the chance to catch up with him which was great.”

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The quality of this season’s three-year-old crop is being questioned as they have not been able to impose themselves against the older horses, particularly at weight-for-age.

This could be explained, in part, due to the huge prizemoney on offer in the three-year-old classics which can dissuade connections of these young horses from taking on the older, established stars.

• Quiet Encap to slip into beast mode for Randwick Guineas

But the Chris Waller-trained Militarize did contest the Cox Plate last spring and should have finished closer than eighth behind Hong Kong champion Romantic Warrior before resuming in the Apollo Stakes when he ran second behind Fangirl with Think It Over in the minor placing.

Think It Over then defeated Fangirl in last week’s Group 1 Verry Elleegant Stakes to underline the strength of Militarize’s form going into the Randwick Guineas.

McEvoy has his own take on the merit of this season’s the three-year-olds.

“Every crop is different and these young horses are still evolving and emerging as a group but who is to say they won’t be hard to beat at weight-for-age next season,” McEvoy said.

“Militarize might be the star to come out of this season’s three-year-olds but I do think Celestial Legend is only going to keep improving.”

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Militarize, Celestial Legend and the emerging Fukubana are all trying to emulate their sire, Dundeel, by winning the Randwick Guineas.

Dundeel, who raced as It’s A Dundeel, won the 2013 Randwick Guineas after an epic struggle with Proisir.

• Racewatch: Militarize on the march to Randwick Guineas glory

The outstanding Dundeel trained on to win the Sydney three-year-old triple crown with runaway wins in the Rosehill Guineas and ATC Australian Derby, then returned to win the Queen Elizabeth Stakes the following season before being retired to Arrowfield Stud where he is now one of the nation’s leading stallions.

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Joe Pride is poised to equal the training record in the Group 2 $500,000 Challenge Stakes with favourite Private Eye at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Pride has won the feature sprint with five times with Eduardo (2021-22), Ball Of Muscle (2019), Rain Affair (2012) and De Lightning Ridge (2010).

If Private Eye ($2.25 favourite) gives Pride his sixth win in the Challenge, he will equal the training record of Hall of Famer, Tommy Smith.

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Imperatriz will join elite company if she claims her 10th Group 1 win in the $1.5 million Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday.

Since the Group and Listed classifications system was introduced in 1978, only 12 Australasian-trained horses have won 10 or more Group 1 races including the mighty mare Winx with her world record 25 majors.

Black Caviar (15), Kingston Town and Melody Belle (14), Sunline and Tie The Knot (13), Manikato, Lonhro, Rough Habit and Verry Elleegant (11), with Octagonal and King Mufhasa (10) completing the list.

• Sportsbet boss: Punters are not getting the value they once did

But the Mark Walker-trained Imperatriz has been burdened with 58kg and needs to equal undefeated champion Black Caviar’s weight-carrying record for a mare if successful in the Newmarket.

By way of comparison, Black Caviar had won only two Group 1 races before the Newmarket but that didn’t stop the great mare from shouldering her big weight to win by three lengths in a race record time of 1m 7.36s.

Form guru Gary Crispe doesn’t believe Imperatriz’s 58kg impost will prevent her from recording another Group 1 win.

“Imperatriz is hard to go past,” Crispe said.

“She was really good first-up winning the Lightning Stakes and returning a 121 Timeform rating.

“I knows she has a job ahead to carry 58kg but she is such a good mare.”

Crispe rates Godolphin’s Cylinder as the main danger given the talented colt has only 51.5kg.

“Cylinder ran such a great race in The Everest back in spring when he was only beaten about a length by Think About It,” Crispe said.

“I know he was disappointing in the Coolmore Stud Stakes but he had excuses that day and he did enough first-up in the Lightning.

“Three-year-olds have a great record in the Newmarket, winning nine of the last 20 runnings including In Secret for Godolphin last year and Cylinder does look ready to run a very good race with his lightweight.”

Originally published as Kerrin McEvoy knows the task ahead of Celestial Legend in the Randwick Guineas is tough but is backing the colt to make his stand

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Original URL: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/horse-racing/kerrin-mcevoy-knows-the-task-ahead-of-celestial-legend-in-the-randwick-guineas-is-tough-but-is-backing-the-colt-to-make-his-stand/news-story/7824038e061c6b415785c57a62779bf7