Cambridge Quartet - Legally Binding Goes Bang

Making it four wins for the stable, and a hat-trick by former Te Akau apprentice Wiremu Pinn, Legally Binding (3 g Exceedance – Legal Eagle, by More Than Ready) resumed with victory in the $18,500 TAB Maiden 3YO 970 metres on 18 September at Cambridge.

Having raced away in the straight to win stylishly when trialling on 3 September at Cambridge, Legally Binding was ideally drawn in barrier two and rated a top three chance.

Pinn had won the previous two races aboard stable-mates Rule Of Law (Justify) and Cantatrice (Microphone), while earlier Stonybreck (Tavistock) provided the first win on the programme for trainers Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson, when ridden by apprentice jockey Rihaan Goyaram (a4), who has now won both his rides for Te Akau.

Vying for favouritism with Anton (U S Navy Flag), Legally Binding began well to lead narrowly, appeared to have the upper hand when quickening inside the 400m, and sustained a strong gallop to hold his arch rival at bay. 

On the poly-track, Cantatrice ran 970 metres in 55.9 and returned $2.20 & $1.40 on the NZ TAB tote.

“He trialled really well leading into his debut run last season at Matamata, but unfortunately pulled up amiss and we gave him a really good break,” said Bergerson, from the course.

“He trialled super here a fortnight ago, another one that has trained on well since then, and although he beat a (small) light field, the plan was to be positive and Wiremu did the job perfectly.

“He’s a pleasure to have around the stable. He’s like an old hack, just mopes around for the riders and goes about his business, and he seems to love being a racehorse.”

Legally Binding was purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $90,000 at the 2023 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, from the draft of Edinglassie Thoroughbreds, and owned by Te Akau Eagle Eyed Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM).

A really well put together horse, by a young sire son of Champion Sire Exceed and Excel (Danehill), Legally Binding has legendary sires Danehill and Sir Tristram as his second and third dam sires, respectively, which adds to a distaff bloodline among the best. 

Legally Binding carries a Danehill cross as the sire of Exceed and Excel, and sire of grand-dam Legal Consent.

From the first crop of Exceedance, a Group One winning three-year-old of the Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m) at Flemington, his dam, Bonnie Mac (Thorn Park), was a stakes winner over 1200 metres that won five times to 1400 metres.

The dam side of pedigree is particularly rich. Incredibly, world renowned dam-sire More Than Ready (Southern Halo) is the best sire of winners globally, with over 2000 individual winners, including over 135 stakes winners as a broodmare sire. 

Passing in 2022, aged 25, he has been Champion Sire in both hemispheres, proved an outstanding sire of sires and going from strength-to-strength as a broodmare sire.

At the time of purchase, Ellis said: “He’s a really athletic colt by and exciting first season sire, who in turn is by breed-shaping sire Exceed and Excel.

“He has great presence, speed in his pedigree and a double up of Danehill in his bloodlines.”

Legally Binding was strapped by Muralla Mallesh.

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