Two gifted 3-year-old sons of Dundeel fought out the finish of Saturday’s Group 1 The Agency Randwick Guineas (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday, with the honours going to Celestial Legend.
Ridden by Kerrin McEvoy for Les Bridge, Celestial Legend edged out the triple Group 1 winner Militarize by a head.
To make it an Arrowfield stallion trifecta the Not A Single Doubt colt Café Millennium returned to the form not seen since his remarkable win at Randwick over a year ago to be a head back in third.
Carrying the colours of Bon Ho, Celestial legend had opened his stakes account at his previous start in the Group II Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill.
“He never got on the track (today). It was amazing,”Les Bridge said.
“I think he’s the best horse I’ve had, and I’ve thought so for a while, but I’ve been frightened to admit it even to myself. But he’s fantastic.
“A mile will do me. If he pulls up well, I’ll run him in the Doncaster.
“His (Kerrin McEvoy) family has got Classique Legend. And there’s a really close bond between the lot of us. It’s special. That’s all I can say.”
Celestial Legend was a $220,000 purchase for Legend Racing / Avenue Bloodstock from the Arrowfield Stud draft at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
The grey son of Dundeel is the first foal of the unraced Snitzel mare Sarraqa, a three-quarter sister to Group 1 winners in South Africa, Rafeef (Redoute’s Choice) and Mustaaqeem (Redoute’s Choice).
Sarraqa’s dam National Colour (National Assembly) was a 3-time Group 1 winner in South Africa. She was honoured as the Joint South African Horse of the Year in 2005-06 - Champion Older Female Sprinter in GB in 2007-08 - Joint Champion 3YO Filly in South Africa in 2005-06.
Mike de Kock trained National Colour, and it was his son, Mathew de Kock, now training with Robbie Griffiths, who shelled out $160,000 for Sarraqa’s Written Tycoon filly consigned by Noorilim Park to the 2023 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
After missing to Castelvecchio in 2022, Sarraqa was covered by Dundeel last spring.
Celestial Legend is the eighth Group 1 winner for Arrowfield Stud’s Dundeel.
