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Some have got four-cylinder motors; he’s got a V8,” says Bridge of his flashy grey 6YO.
If I can get him in the same mental and physical state he went to The Everest last year, he can win it again,” says the octogenarian with over five decades of training horses at Randwick behind him.
I’m a one-trick pony, I can’t do anything else,” said Bridge, who has prepared winners from his Randwick stable for more than 60 years and is the only trainer to win a Melbourne Cup, a Golden Slipper and The Everest.
The newly inducted Hall of Famer, knew Hong Kong wasn’t home for the entire bred, raised, and trained on Australian shores. “This is his home. He likes Australia and he’s thrived here. He looks beautiful,” he says.
Lightly raced Classique Legend was supposed to have stayed on the same path that led him to an Everest victory in 2020.
“From my perspective, I have 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 is in his own environment.”
“He has an ex-jockey who rides him before his work, which is working fantastic for him.”
“He looks as good now as he did last year. In fact, he looks better and stronger now,” says Bridge.
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However, after their first barrier trial, Bridge felt Classique Legend needed to further boost his fitness levels and was likely to run first up in the Everest, much like follow Everest contender, Libertini.
"Les wanted to get him closer to his peak than go to the races first-up and have him underdone. That's the way Les has decided to move forward and I'm right behind the decision. Overall, we're really pleased, it's just been a slight change of tack but moving forward, it's the best decision for the horse,” says jockey Kerrin McEvoy.
For Bridge, last year’s Everest win was a foregone conclusion.
“He is a bit of a late starter and has only had 11 starts in his life. If you watch the first The Everest. He had no luck in the first race because 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,” recalls Bridge.
“He has gotten better in the last few years. But this year, he's gotten much better than he was last year.” says the leading conditioner with extreme pride and confidence.