3 minute read

The John Sadler stable has called on a gear change for Starry Legend ahead of his Sandown test.

After initially holding high hopes for Starry Legend, those expectations have been lowered by the stable ahead of his second run back from a spell at Sandown. 

After a 'fair' first-up fifth at Mornington on March 26, Starry Legend is back at Sandown on Saturday, where he was successful on debut, in the Behind The Barriers "Boxing Challenge" 14/5 (1000m). 

Tom Sadler, who is the assistant-trainer to his father John Sadler ahead of a joining him in a training partnership, likely to be in the new season, said Starry Legend will have an important change of gear when he runs on Saturday. 

A cross-over noseband has been called for, which Sadler said was likely to help with the three-year-old's breathing rather than make him settle better. 

"He's not blessed with the best wind," Sadler said. 

"I don't think he'll be a horse that will get out over much further than 1200 metres anyway, but the cross-over noseband it seems to help him breath and get into a better rhythm, so I suppose we'll see if it's effective on Saturday." 

Sadler said the stable had poured the work into Starry Legend in a bid to get the gelding fitter for Saturday's assignment. 

He added Starry Legend felt his last start, pulling up a little poorly with some heat stress. 

"It's a race with plenty of speed as you would expect of most 1000-metre races," Sadler said. 

"He's drawn out which is better than drawing in for him and if anything wants to take him on, I think it will be suicidal. 

"I think it is proven now that there is only one way to ride him and with these types of horses if you try to reinvent them, you cost yourself a few runs with them." 

Starry Legend sits on the third line of betting with TAB at $6 which has Zorro's Dream as the $4 market leader ahead of Sacred Palace ($5.50).