Latest News

By Ray Hickson

Hall Of Fame trainer Les Bridge is adamant All Time Legend is carnival material but as the promising gelding returns at Rosehill on Saturday he’s still to work out what should be a target.

Trainer Les Bridge (Pic: Bradley Photos)

All Time Legend has an impressive record of five wins, up to a mile, from nine starts but whether he’s a lightweight Epsom Handicap contender, perhaps a back-up TAB Everest option for owner Bon Ho or just a talented galloper is unclear.

Bridge hopes to at least get some guide in the Hyland Race Colours July Sprint (1100m).

“I’ve got to find out what the best distance is for him. I think he has a good race in him,’’ Bridge said.

“He didn’t have a lot of luck at his last couple at a mile.”

The four-year-old opened his last preparation with a booming come from behind win over 1200m at Randwick on Boxing Day then led all the way at 1400m at his next start.

As Bridge alluded the rub of the green didn’t go his way in successive runs after that - he was badly held up for a run when third to Soldier Of Love then attacked in the lead before boxing on for third behind Shared Ambition.

All Time Legend, $2.50 favourite with TAB on Thursday, has trialled just the once ahead of his return, as he did last preparation, and Bridge said he’s happy with the horse’s condition and expects him to be hard to beat.

“Barrier trials are just for a look around, he felt good and the jockey was happy with him so I was happy,’’ he said.

“I think he will run well. He’ll just ride him quiet and have a crack down the outside.”

Kerrin McEvoy, who also rides All Time Legend, will have carte blanche as far as tactics are concerned on smart mare Madam Legend in the Quayclean Handicap (1300m) after she drew the outside barrier.

The four-year-old recorded the meeting’s fastest last 600m (33.52, Punter’s Intelligence) when she scored first-up over 1100m a month ago and hasn’t gone backwards since.

“She’s going well, the barrier with a false rail out that far isn’t going to help her,’’ Bridge said.

“(Kerrin) might have go up and sit outside the lead and get across quick, I’ll leave that to the jockey.

“He’ll know what’s going on by that time of the day, you might not want to be on the inside by then.”

Bridge is open minded about how far Madam Legend, $7.50 with TAB, can progress with the spring approaching but said she has the scope to keep improving.

“She’s a nice mare, some mares improve by degrees,’’ he said.

“All I can say now is she’s a good handy mare but how classy she is we’ll have to wait and see.”

All Time Legend's trial at Randwick on July 9

Meanwhile, TAB Everest champ Classique Legend is building up to Bridge’s liking for his first local appearance since last year’s $15m sprint classic when he trials in about a month.

The grey will contest a Randwick set of trials in the second half of August.

“He’s just started to do a bit of pacework now, he’s in the initial part of his preparation now,’’ Bridge said.

Classique Legend is a $6 chance in TAB’s Everest market and is assured of a slot via his owner Bon Ho who purchased the ATC’s slot last year for three years.

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Rosehill meeting