Classique Legend has won the richest race in Australia, the $15 million The Everest at Royal Randwick.
Trained by Les Bridge, the grey picked up the $6.2 million winner's cheque, with jockey Kerrin McEvoy winning the big race for a third time, ahead of Bivouac in second place and Gytrash in third.
Nature Strip and Eduardo led the race early, and the placings stayed the same into the straight, with Eduardo holding the lead inside the 300m before McEvoy moved Classique Legend to the front, to kick clear and win easily.
This gave the 81-year-old Bridge another big win to add to his 1987 Melbourne Cup victory with Kensei.
The slot holder for Classique Legend's place in the field was the horse's owner Bon Ho.
Bivouac, trained by James Cummings for Godolphin, came through for second place, worth $2.3 million. Gytrash, with Jason Collett on board, rounded out the placings to win $1.4 million for connections and slot holder Inglis.
"One of my greatest friends was Persy Sykes who I spent a lot of time with. He said it is all in the genes. Some horses just get all the good genes," Bridge told Channel Seven after the race.
"I'm just repeating his words. This horse, he has a girth on him that deep and he just has a big V8 motor. It is unbelievable."
More to come.
