The 2019 Everest contender Classique Legend who will be representing Hong Kong-based Caramel Size and Bon Ho's slot, was bred by Australian Linda Monds at Tyreel Stud, renowned boutique agistment, thoroughbred breeding, and bloodstock development facility.
Linda owns Classique Legend’s dam Pinocchio along with her husband under the name of Wallings Bloodstock. She is deeply passionate about breeding high-quality thoroughbreds and continuing the fine tradition started by the farm’s first owner and develops the Late Jim Fleming.
“Pinocchio is a big strong mare from a fast family, and she was flagged early on as a speedy individual but unfortunately sustained an injury which impeded her career on the track,” said the breeder.
“Not A Single Doubt produces quality speedy individuals. We believed this mating to a quality stallion was the best possible mating to launch her career as a broodmare.
“This mating was due to the desire to produce a quality individual both for speed and physical appearance. We believed sending her to a proven sire in Not a Single Doubt would have given her every chance to succeed as a Broodmare, which it has,” she concluded with pride.
The colt was an Inglis Classic sale topper. “Classique Legend was always a very strong muscular individual who stood out in the paddock as he grew. Mentally he was mature and he displayed natural athleticism,” says Monds fondly.
“Classique Legend was a very popular yearling at the sales. He was sold in 2017 at the Inglis Classic Gold Ribband Session.
“I believed he was going to be the one that would top our draft and I was pleasantly surprised when he topped the wholesale.
“This was the first year the Gold Ribband Session was first introduced, and he was the sale topper, selling for A$400,000 to Carmel Size.
“I did not know Carmel Size personally before her purchasing him on behalf of Mr Ho, but I did get to know her throughout the sales inspection time. She inspected him multiple times, as did others.
It was no surprise to me that she was the one that ended up with him. Her comments post-sale were that she ‘just had to have
him,” said Monds
The current race record for Classique Legend is 3 wins from 4 starts with prize money of A$773,500.00.While talking about
the potential of the 3YO gelding Monds says, “Whilst Classique Legend is proving to have every quality that is desired on the racetrack, I think the thing that impresses me the most is the combination between the trainer, manager and the horse. Classique Legend has not shown his true potential as yet – that is still to come. He has been managed and looked after for longevity into his career. He has been trained well and grown into a mature, determined individual which is evident in his race performances to date.”
2019 saw Tyreel Stud among the toppers at the big Southern Hemisphere sales, “This year we have seen the results of the foundations that have been laid in the beginning.
“On Wednesday 10th April we sold another outstanding colt who is bound to have a bright future, Written Dash x Exceed and Excel, at the Inglis Easter sales for $1.7 million toAquis. This is the highest-priced yearling we have sold to date and he was another outstanding individual with a fantastic attitude.
“On the following Saturday, Classique Legend raced at Randwick and won the Arrowfield 3yo Sprint Group 2 convincingly. Then the following day, Sunday 14th April, Aethero (Classique Legend’s half-brother) won The Griffinin Hong Kong. What a week!!
“All 3 colts were sold at Inglis Sales, Classique Legend in 2017 (Classic Yearling Sale), Aethero in2018 (Easter Yearling Sale) and Written Dash x Exceed & Excel in 2019(Easter Yearling Sale).
As a breeder, Mondshopes to see Tyreel being counted in the upper echelons of Australian breeding elite. “It has always been a goal of ours to produce quality horses who achieve on-track results at all levels. It has always been a goal of mine to see the horses we have bred and raised go to good homes, be looked after and nurtured and then see them achieve. The horse breeding business sounds quite easy, but it is not for the faint-hearted. It has its highs and lows like most businesses. It was always our intention to set out to be the best we can be at what we do. It was always our intention to build our reputation into producers of quality stock.”
And so involved is she with her horses, that when asked what is the best non-horse related thing she likes doing, she quips, “the best non-horse related thing I like doing is spending time with my family, but mostly we love what we do with our horses, they are our family too.”