ONLINE BUY FINALLY A "LEGEND"

SUNDAY: March 2, 2025: JAMES Ponsonby two years ago secured online for $25,000 a dual city winner cast off from a major Sydney stable.

But it wasn’t until yesterday that he finally gave his new connections reward for their perseverance.

A $19 chance, Field Legend (John Kissick) overpowered his Wagga rivals to easily win the Tom Patton Cup (1800m) at the Country Championships Qualifier meeting.

The Benchmark 74 Handicap was the six-year-old Snitzel gelding’s first success since his second Sydney win for his previous stable in a Benchmark 72 Handicap (1900m) at Canterbury on February 1, 2023.

However, he was put on “suspended notice” by RacingNSW stewards for poor performance after his next start when last of eight at the same track nine days later.

Enter Ponsonby, who bought him online for his wife Keryn.

But it has been a long wait to get the desired result.

“Fair to say Field Legend has had his trials and tribulations,” Ponsonby said today.

“He had only two starts after we got him, and then a long break until two runs in early 2024, and then had another long break.

“We’ve had to let him strengthen up and mature, and thankfully we found this race at Wagga where he was well weighted and got a solidly run affair.

“It was great to see him put them away as he did.”

Field Legend left his rivals with no excuses, scooting clear to score by two and a half lengths from $3.50 co-favorites Duped By Spin and Taumata.

This was a heat of the annual Wagga Stayers’ Series, and Ponsonby will take the gelding back there for another heat on March 13 over 2000m.

Then he is eyeing a trip north with Field Legend chasing a Saturday middle-distance race in Brisbane.

. Leading Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup won heats of the Provincial-Midway Championships at home in 2023 (with Phearson) and 2024 (Short Shorts), and is chasing another on Saturday.

He will start Colours Of Autumn in the third Qualifier (1400m), attempting to get her into the $1m Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 12.

Widdup nominated the mare for yesterday’s Newcastle Qualifier (1400m), but opted to wait another week.

He is also considering nominating Money Team, who is unbeaten from three starts since joining his stable, for the Hawkesbury race.

Widdup completed a huge February when lightly-raced Devil Rider ($2.70 favorite) gave him his 11th winner for the month (and 47th for the season) when successful at Orange last Friday.

Devil Rider won his second race from his last three starts when he defeated Yak ($21) and D’Oro Choice ($5) in the Benchmark 58 Handicap (2100m).

Widdup says the son of Victoria Derby winner Ace High has done a terrific job this campaign.

“He came back pretty light in condition after being gelded,” he said.

“I’m sure he is going to be even better next season.”

Widdup was pleased with Ausbred Flirt’s resumption at Randwick yesterday, but disappointed she didn’t win the Group 2 Guy Walter Stakes (1400m).

Ausbred Flirt ($31) chased home odds-on favorite Amelia’s Jewel, who had a soft lead and was always going to be hard to catch.

“She ran great, but the winner was too good,” Widdup said.

“Ausbred Flirt is definitely best on the fresh side, and I might keep her for the Group 3 Darley Crown (1300m) at our Saturday stand-alone meeting on May 3.”