Legend Out to Show He Still Has Speed in The Old Legs

Grand old sprinter Speed Legend will have his racing future on the line when he steps out at Cluden Park on Thursday.

Cairns trainer Stephen Massingham is hoping the nine-year-old can shrug off a failed Brisbane campaign and prove he still has a zest for racing in the Tradies’ Race Day May 8 Open Hcp (1000m) despite his 67kg.

Massingham pulled the plug on a possible start in the Archer in Rockhampton when Speed Legend flopped and ran last in a BM85 over 1200m at Eagle Farm on April 18.

Instead, he’s hoping the run was an aberration and the gelding can go on to defend his Cleveland Bay Hcp and Cairns Newmarket titles this winter.

“If he goes there on Thursday and doesn’t want to go, the first thing I’d say is retire him. But I think he’ll be fine,” Massingham said.

“He was never really at home in Brisbane and the extra work load and road trip might have taken a bit out of him and hopefully that’s what it was.

“It was just out of character for him last start. That’s what Ryan (Wiggins) said. He’s had six rides on him and he’s never done that ever.

“I couldn’t find anything physically wrong with him. 

“Just in that environment he wasn’t happy there. He wasn’t the same horse.

“He’s been home a bit over a week and since he’s been here he’s been fine.

“He’s got nothing to prove to me or anyone else. He’s been a good horse.

“I’m not going to send him around for the sake of it with big weights.

“The only reason he’s going around this time is because we want to make sure he’s still got it there.

“They’ll be too slick for him early but I just want to see him finish off even though he’s got the big weight.”

Speed Legend has been a major success story for Tom Hedley’s ownership group since transferring north as a seven year-old in 2023 with just two wins to his name.

He racked up eight wins in his first 12 northern starts for trainer Roy Chillemi before transferring to Massingham last year and landing another four wins including the big northern double – the Cleveland Bay and Cairns Newmarket.

Jockey Aidan Holt will take over the reins on Speed Legend from the suspended Ryan Wiggins.

Massingham, who won last year’s Townsville trainers’ premiership will be also keeping a keen eye on stablemates Turbeau and emerging talent Lean Eagle who will also line-up in Thursday’s Open Sprint.

Both gallopers are first-up and Massingham sees the race, which has attracted a crack field including Roweiner’s Dance, Missile Thunder and Russian Mint, as a key measuring stick for Lean Eagle.

The Lean Mean Machine gelding is first-up since stringing together four straight wins last year.

“I expect Lean Eagle with no weight (54kg) to be very competitive,” Massingham said.

“From the good gate I think he’ll be mid-field and then hit the line hard.

“This is his first real hard test but I’ve always had a good opinion of him.

“Now is the time to stand up and be counted. There’s nowhere to hide once you hit open class.

“If he comes back and goes as good as I think he can, then he’ll go on the same path as the old horse towards the big sprints.”

The Cairns conditioner also looks to have strong chances with Nordic Invader and She’s Speedy in the Mitavite BM55 Hcp (1000m), Line ‘Em Up Louis in the Ladbrokes BM65 Hcp (1200m) and Kirikan in the LOLS Comedy Festival 30th May BM 70 Hcp 1400m).