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In this interview with Everest Diaries, leading trainer Les Bridge candidly shares his fondness for Classique Legend, he critically examines his first The Everest run and shares his racing industry favourites.
Q: In an earlier interview, you said that Classque Legend looks a bit light when he returned from Hong Kong. So how is he doing now? Has he improved?
A: This is his home. He likes Australia and he’s thrived here. He looks beautiful.
Q: What are your plans for him over the next few months?
A: He's going to trial on the 10th of September. Then eight days later, that's on the eighteenth he will be running in The Shorts. He will then go through to the Premier and two weeks after that we are running in the Everest.
Q: What are your learnings from his style of racing last year? Are there any changes in the program, compared to last year?
A: It's exactly the same program as he had last year. We had to tweak the program at the start as he had to go to New Zealand for quarantine. But now he is in his own environment. He has an ex-jockey who rides him before his work, which is working fantastic for him. We have galloped him a few times at Randwick.
From my perspective, I've tried to keep his preparation as close to this year as I did last year. He got held up in Hong Kong. So he went to New Zealand in the winter for a couple of weeks. It was quite cold in Auckland. That's why he was a bit light when he returned to Australia. But he has a terrific constitution and he looks as good now as he did last year. In fact, he looks better and stronger now.
Q: Will you attempt a trip to Tokyo or Dubai from Australia or is it too far for the horse to travel?
A: I'm just taking the Everest and hoping he gets back so that I know what will happen that can be truthful, to be honest.
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Q: Do you feel he’s gone from strength to strength as he’s gotten older?
A: yes, of course. He is a bit of a later starter and has only had 11 starts in his life. He's only had 11 stocks. If you watch the first The Everest. He had no luck in the first race. He got held up. Later when he managed to get out, he ended up on the inside again. If he had just followed Yes Yes Yes, ideally, he would have finished second in the first The Everest that he attempted.
He has matured over the last three years since his first Everest run. Last year, he was at his prime. But this year, he's gotten much better than he was last year. So he has gotten better in the last few years.
Q: Who do you think is a rising star in the industry?
A: I think James McDonald is a terrific jockey. He is the one with the most upside to him.
Q: What positive change would you like to see in the industry?
A: I would like to see more Australian-bred horses go overseas. I would like to see our sprinters take on the international horses. But of course, it is COVID. So just at the moment is difficult but eventually, I would like to see more horses travelling abroad.
Q: And our last question is please tell us about your favorite racehorse of all time?
A: Well my favourite international racehorse was Seattle Slew. I saw him race a few times and he was a terrific horse. Australia had a wonderful horse named Tulloch. He was a champion of his time in the sixties. He was a really great horse.