Bridge expects Columbus to be worth the wait at Rosehill

Craig KerryJuly 30, 2026 — 5:00pmVeteran Randwick trainer Les Bridge is confident the time is right to test Columbus in town after a slow start with the well-bred prospect.Columbus, a $1.5 million yearling buy, heads to Rosehill for the 1500m benchmark 72 handicap for three and four-year-olds after a three-start spring campaign then a first-up win at Newcastle on July 14.Trainer Les Bridge celebrates Celestial Legend’s Doncaster win in 2024 with Tyler Schiller.GettyA son of Dundeel out of Fastnet Rock mare Tides, a full sister to group 1 winner Shoals, Columbus was a $2.20 TAB favourite for Saturday with James McDonald aboard. McDonald rode the three-year-old to victory in a Hawkesbury maiden at his final spring run before a 34-week spell.Bridge expected Columbus to run well on Saturday, and he hoped he could progress into a stake-level middle distance competitor.“He’s a lovely horse and he’s done everything right up to now, so it’s looking good for him,” Bridge said of group-level potential.“I think he’ll run 2000m, I think that’s his distance.“I think it’s the right time to bring him to town, he’s been a bit of a slow starter, but he’s been going good at the moment.“He was an expensive yearling and a little bit difficult early. We had to cut him, put him out in the paddock.“He’s by Dundeel, and they take a bit of time, so we weren’t in any hurry with him. He’s just starting to blossom now.”Columbus had two trials at Randwick in the lead up to his win at Newcastle, but Saturday’s race will be his first at home. He placed in his first two starts, both at Newcastle.“We did it for the experience,” Bridge said.“We took him to different tracks and give him a few float trips, and that’s all part of his education. I think he’s ready to come to town now. We’ll just take it stage by stage with him. We’ll see how he goes Saturday and pick out another race from there.”Bridge expects his other runner at Rosehill, Aye Aye Captain ($4) in the sixth, to bounce back after finishing four-lengths fifth last start at Randwick on July 11.“It was race 10 the other day, the track was really heavy and she was carrying 58kg,” he said.“She just couldn’t do it, but back to a dry track, I think you’ll see a different horse Saturday.”Chris Waller-trained, McDonald-ridden Enviable was $2.60 favourite in the race on Thursday.The Frankel filly, a $825,000 yearling, is coming off an easy Newcastle win, which was her return from a career-threatening knee fracture.She was hurt in a paddock accident following her fourth in the group 1 Flight Stakes and second at group 2 level at Moonee Valley last spring.From our partners