Western Legend makes his intentions abundantly clear
With the Lotto Classic for the Governor’s Cup on the skyline, the Fitznahum Williams-trained Western Legend reasserted himself as one of the leading contenders with a commanding victory in the Simply Magic Cup at Caymanas Park on Saturday.
Going around the lawn for the first time at nine furlongs and 25 yards (1820m) to contest the Restricted Allowance event for native-bred three-year-old non-winners of two that included imported three-year-olds and upward maidens, Western Warrior made one move to win by the huge gap of 15 ½ lengths.
His final time for the event which was clocked at 1:56.2 was a new Stakes record – erasing the previous mark of 1:57.2 done by Mr Doitbetta last year.
Ridden again by Robert Halledeen, Western Legend, who was the runner-up in the recent 2000 Guineas, used his speed from the off and surged to the lead relaxing comfortably in front of Reigning King (Wesley Henry), Garrincha (Aaron Chatrie) and Storm (Gary Richards), in that order.
The order remained the same heading towards the six-furlong (1,200m) pole before Reigning King made an attempt to challenge for the lead but when he came upsides Western Legend at the five-and-a-half furlong (1,100m), Halledeen made his move and Western Legend impressively kicked and drew away from rivals.
Halledeen, while still using his whip, steered Western Legend to the wire comfortably ahead of My Beirut (Dick Cardenas) and Glitter Running (Natalie Berger).
“I think it was an excellent performance done by Western Legend here today (Saturday). He didn’t have much to do against this company but this showed you that with the bigger ones to come, we have to run hard to get away from them.
“In the 2000 Guineas, I think that the inside draw gave him a warm time going a mile. When you are going seven furlongs and a mile, and you draw an inside position, a horse on the outside can slip you and that was what happened, the horse [ Commander Two] slipped Western Legend,” Williams told the Supreme Racing Guide.
When asked about the Governor’s Cup, Williams said: “He is just running free and good at the moment and the evidence is the new Stakes record. He will now race in the event [Governor’s Cup] and I think that he is going to do good.”
