The great Southern Legend lives on

Apr 28, 2020 06:00 am

GROUP 1 FWD CHAMPIONS MILE

With his three-in-a-row Kranji Mile bid ruled out because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Southern Legend turned giant-killer on Sunday by denying two-time Horse of the Year Beauty Generation his third straight HK$20 million (S$3.7 million) FWD Champions Mile.

Beauty Generation, who lost by only a short head, was also bidding to be the first Hong Kong-trained horse to win 19 races.

Southern Legend gave homegrown jockey Vincent Ho his first Group 1 success.

It was another training feat by Caspar Fownes. Southern Legend had performed below par through mid-season, suggesting perhaps that time was catching up with him. But he ran a sound third behind Beauty Generation earlier this month in the Group 2 Chairman's Trophy over 1,600m.

"I think his last run really showed us that he was up to giving a big effort this start," said Fownes. "He's beaten the best on their day, there's no doubt about that. When horses were flying, he beat Pakistan Star, Nothingilikemore and now the best horse Hong Kong's ever seen, Beauty Generation."