Celestial Legend on trial for King Charles III in Shannon Stakes at Rosehill

Les Bridge is expecting to see improvement from Celestial Legend and would be disappointed if he doesn’t go close to winning at Rosehill.

Hall Of Fame trainer Les Bridge has good reason to set the bar high for Doncaster Mile winner Celestial Legend and expects to see a marked improvement from his stable star at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Bridge’s weapon miler and two-time Group 1 winner will line up for his second assignment this spring when he chases another feature success in the Group 2 $300,000 Shannon Stakes (1400m).

“I would be disappointed if he doesn’t nearly win,” Bridge said.

“If he is going to go on and take on the good horses, because he will probably go on to the King Charles after Saturday, he has to just about win.

“He will need a bit of luck from an inside alley so he will have to get out.

“And they don’t do you any favours when you’re favourite and you are carrying 59kg so he will need Kerrin to ride him well and a bit of luck.”

Celestial Legend would need to go close to winning on Saturday if he is to continue towards the King Charles III Stakes. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Heading to the Group 1 $5m King Charles III Stakes (1600m) on The Everest day at Royal Randwick on October 19 would see Celestial Legend next clash with the likes of Mr Brightside, Pride Of Jenni and Fangirl.

Celestial Legend’s two biggest victories have come over the famous Randwick mile.

The star son of Dundeel won the Group 1 Randwick Guineas in the autumn before capturing the Group 1 Doncaster Mile at his final three-year-old start.

He carried the featherweight of just 49kg in the Doncaster but has been forced to carry 10kg more than that in his first two starts this spring.

First-up in the Group 2 Theo Mark Stakes (1300m) he lugged the top weight of 59kg where he settled back in the pack and was 2½ lengths off the winner Encap, finishing off in eighth.

Bridge gave the fresh run a pass mark however Celestial Legend has proven to be a much improved galloper second-up in the past with two wins from three attempts.

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“I thought it OK first-up,” Bridge said.

“It wasn’t great but he did what he had to do on the day. 1300m is not his go now.”

Saturday’s winner of the Shannon Stakes is exempt from ballot and penalty for the Epsom Handicap a week later.

Celestial Legend holds a nomination for Saturday week’s Group 1 $1.5m Epsom Handicap (1600m) where the four-year-old has been given 56kg, however Bridge favours a run two weeks later.

Bookies rate Celestial Legend as a $5 favourite for the Shannon Stakes alongside last start Theo Marks Stakes runner up Bases Loaded, trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.

The Bjorn Baker-trained Amor Victorious is on the second line of betting at $7.

A date with the $10m Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on November 2 remains high on the agenda for Celestial Legend.

He is a $5 chance for the lucrative four-year-old event, behind Japanese raider Ascoli Piceno ($4 favourite).