Legends of War makes big impression on debut

Legends of War, purchased for 900,000 guineas, made a deeply impressive debut at Yarmouth on Wednesday.

From the final crop of the influential sire Scat Daddy, Legends of War topped the Craven Breeze-Up Sale in Newmarket in mid-April when knocked down for 900,000 after recording a bullet time, and his debut in a race was eagerly anticipated by many.

He lined up in the new £15,000 British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes against six rivals, including another Qatar Racing newcomer in Wiretap, and made an explosive start. Oisin Murphy soon had Legends of War in a good position close to chief market rival San Donato - who had cost 500,000 guineas himself - and after showing signs of greenness when first asked to quicken, he shot clear inside the final furlong

Legends of War hit the line with four lengths to spare of San Donato, who wasin turn three and three quarters lengths clear of the rest. Wiretap also shaped well in fifth.

Winning trainer John Gosden said: "He is a lovely horse and has done everything right at home. They've put this race on and we thought we would come here and support it.

‚"He will learn a lot from that, as he was a little green, but he came through well. It was a pretty decent race, I think.

‚"He is very relaxed at home and picks up well on the gallops. He is a pleasure to be around and has got a great mind on him for a horse that has had a breeze-up preparation.

‚"It is Scat Daddy's last crop, so when you find a good one they will be a collector's item.‚"

Legends of War's success came over six furlongs, so he could next run in the Gr. 2 Coventry Stakes on the opening day of Royal Ascot, for which he's now 5/1 second favourite behind Ballydoyle's Sergei Prokofiev.