SENTIMENTAL LEGEND TOO STRONG IN THE MELVISTA

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, April 1, 2026

Sentimental Legend, who was beaten into second place by Aberdeen Flyer in the J C Roberts, reversed that result in flawless fashion when taking out the Listed Melvista Stakes over 2200m at Ascot, beating Aberdeen Flyer home a comfortable 1.26 length margin.

Lucy Fiore, who went on to win the Group 3 WA Oaks later in the day, rode the Grant and Alana Williams trained Sentimental Legend … the $1.80 race favourite, in from $2.15 … a real treat, settling him in a very comfortable third place in the early part while Aberdeen Flyer, the $2.60 second favourite went back to last place racing just under six lengths off Sentimental Legend, a gap that was to prove crucial later in the running.

When Fiore pushed Sentimental Legend forward to range alongside his stable companion Wynn Las Vegas, a $7 chance who had tried to make every post a winning one, the son of Brutal was travelling so well it was almost already seemed like it was ‘race over”

Aberdeen Flyer, who had made up ground quickly on the sweep to the home turn to straighten only two-and-a-half lengths behind Sentimental Legend, was intent on contradicting that ‘race over’ observation though but, although Aberdeen Flyer chased hard and gave his all, Sentimental Legend had enjoyed the easier run of the two up until that stage, with Fiore keeping plenty in reserve, which Sentimental Legend put to good use in the run home to claim a convincing victory.

As a warm-up for the WATC Derby on April 11, the race and the result could not have panned out any better for the winner.

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