Written by Paul Vettise
John Sadler is looking forward to a lucrative showdown on his home turf with an unbeaten colt who already rates favourably with the best, young talent the multiple Group 1-winning trainer has had through his hands.
The Caulfield conditioner is excited by the raw talent showed by the unbeaten Starry Legend (Zoustar), a runaway debut winner at Sandown last month and backed that up with another convincing display to win the VOBIS Gold Rush at Bendigo.
With bonuses, the Bon Ho-raced Starry Legend has already banked more than $250,000 and will have the chance to considerably boost his earnings next month.
“He’s a serious colt, he really looks like he’s the real deal. We were going to turn him out because we didn’t think he was eligible for the $1 million in three weeks’ time, The Showdown, but we had word on Monday morning he is,” Sadler said.
“He’s (Starry Legend) a serious colt, he really looks like he’s the real deal.” – John Sadler
“He’s going to go out and have a break of six or seven days and then come back and we’ll have a crack at that before goes to the paddock.”
Sadler has prepared a host of top-line performers and TDN AusNZ posed the question whether Starry Legend was the best young horse he has trained.
“I think he probably is, he’s very, very good. He has to learn how to execute it, I wouldn’t say he wants to get it over and done with, but he just wants to go a little bit too quickly for his own good,” Sadler said.
“He’s really smart and while he’s a colt, he’s not only talented but a good thinker and a clever colt.”
Starry Legend as a yearling
Starry Legend was purchased by Sadler on behalf of Ho at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $500,000 out of Segenhoe Stud’s draft. He is out of Savsenga (Reset) and his second dam is the multiple Group 1 winner Intrepidity (GB) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}).
“We paid a lot of money for him because he was such a good type,” Sadler said.
“We paid a lot of money for him because he was such a good type." - John Sadler
“He hasn’t been straightforward from the point of a couple of injuries he’s had, one of them being a colic operation and this is really his first preparation.
“He hasn’t been in and out much at all like the others, he was a long way behind, he’s made up ground very quickly."
John Sadler
Starry Legend completed a winning double at Bendigo for the stable following the success of Sam’s Image (All American) while the speedy Sartorial Splendor (Brazen Beau) is another last-start winner.
South Parade (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) has also won two on the bounce and the 3-year-old will bid to complete a hat-trick in the Ladbrokes Cash In H. at Ladbrokes Park on Wednesday.
“Hopefully, this little bit of a run can continue and help us get through the winter,” Sadler said.
