Racing: Legend to grow after Kiwi star's easy win

Kiwi fillies Safredra (3-year-old) and Te Amo Bromac (juvenile) are also through to their finals. Photo / Thinkstock

An unlikely series of events capped by a brutal demolition of his Australian rivals could see Kiwi pacer Bit Of A Legend start one of the hottest favourites in Breeders Crown history.

The Cran Dalgety-trained pacer proved a class above his rivals in his 3-year-old semifinal of the mega-rich series at Ballarat on Saturday night, winning by 13m, easing down after shooting 20m clear at the top of the straight.

"I couldn't hold him back to them, he was going too easily," said champion driver Dexter Dunn.

Depending on where he draws in next Sunday's final, Bit Of A Legend could start as short as $1.15 in a division that has fallen apart around him.

While he is a genuine superstar, Bit Of A Legend was unable to win any of the three Derbys he contested this season because of the talents of rivals like Ohoka Punter, Border Control, Guaranteed, Majestic Mach and Lennytheshark.

However, none of them now stand between Bit Of A Legend and defending the title he won at last season's series.

Ohoka Punter is ineligible for the Breeders Crown, while Guaranteed is too because of a single missed $28 payment.

New South Wales Derby winner Lennytheshark then broke down a month ago before Queensland hero Majestic Mach was scratched from the series last week with a minor virus.

Then Border Control, who had beaten Bit Of A Legend in two group ones this season and was due to meet him in Saturday night's semi, suffered a rare atrial fibrillation on Thursday.

Add all that to Sires' Stakes winner Franco Nelson going sore and Bit Of A Legend is the last man standing from a vintage 3-year-old crop and should probably win Sunday's final by the length of a cricket pitch.

Not quite so clearcut is the two-year-old division of the Crown, which will feature three Kiwis against a trio of stars from the all-conquering Team McCarthy from New South Wales.

The two camps shared the honours in Saturday's semis, with Harness Jewels winner Our Sky Major staking his claim for favouritism by easily beating Australia's best 2-year-old Lettucerockthem.

But that result was reversed in the other semi where New Zealand's Our Maxim and Messini were thrashed by Bling It On after favourite Our Maxim became wayward at the start and was unable to lead as expected.

Kiwi fillies Safredra (3-year-old) and Te Amo Bromac (juvenile) are also through to their finals, with the latter division open after pre-post favourite Mindarie Priddy was scratched after bleeding in her semi-final.

The strong form for the Barry Purdon stable continued into yesterday as well, when Cheer The Lady was outstanding winning her 4-year-old mares' heat at Melton, in Melbourne.

She came from last to beat fellow Auckland mare Carpenters Daughter in a sizzling 1:55.1 mile rate and will start favourite in her final next Sunday.

Besotted lost few admirers at his Australian debut with a brave third to the classy Ideal Scott in a 4-year-old male pacing heat in which the New Zealand-owned winner paced a breathtaking 53.8 seconds for the last 800m.